On March 5, 2026, the city of Almaty hosted the event Ring the Bell for Gender Equality & Her Venture 2026, dedicated to supporting women who are transforming the world through technology and entrepreneurship. The event brought together more than 100 representatives of the capital market, venture investors, international organizations, and women founders of technology startups.
The initiative was held as part of the global Ring the Bell for Gender Equality campaign aimed at promoting gender equality and expanding economic opportunities for women in entrepreneurship. The event was organized with the participation of the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), the non-profit organization TechnoWomen, Narxoz Business School, UN Women, and partner organizations.
Women in Technology: Potential and Barriers
According to regional analysts, Kazakhstan still faces a significant gap between women’s educational potential and their access to investment capital:
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less than 15–18% of technology startups have women among their founders;
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less than 10% of venture capital is invested in startups founded by women;
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meanwhile, more than 50% of university graduates in the country are women.
The Her Venture 2026 project, implemented by the TechnoWomen non-profit organization, aims to reduce this gap and create new opportunities for women in technological entrepreneurship.
Within the program, participants discussed key topics related to the development of the startup ecosystem, including:
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financing growth: from startup to capital markets
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supporting women-led startups from idea to scaling
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financial market instruments for technology businesses.
Opening of Trading at KASE as a Symbol of Equal Opportunities
A key highlight of the event was the official opening ceremony of trading at the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), dedicated to International Women’s Day and held as part of the global initiative Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.
The opening bell ceremony is not merely a stock market tradition. It sends a strong message to the market:
women are not only participants in the economy – they are one of its driving forces.
Chairman of the Management Board of KASE Adil Mukhamedzhanov noted:
“Today the capital market of Kazakhstan is open to new companies and new leaders. We see a growing interest from technology entrepreneurs in capital market instruments. Women-led startups have strong scaling potential, and the role of KASE is to create transparent and accessible mechanisms for emerging companies to enter the market.”
Pitch Session of Her Venture 2026 Finalists
One of the central parts of the program was the startup pitch session of the Her Venture 2026 finalists, presented to venture investors and business angels.
The following founders presented their projects:
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Aida Azamatkyzy – the ORDO platform for kindergartens
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Zhanna Artego – the AI platform Tobi AI
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Assel Yesen – the Stiker.ai platform for solo entrepreneurs
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Nurgul Beksultanova – the fintech project Fingwin
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Ayaulym Ayaganova – the e-commerce sellers platform EDARA
During the forum, participants were also introduced to a presentation of capital market instruments for businesses, aimed at increasing financial literacy and investment readiness among startups.
Expert Opinions
Chairperson of the Management Board of TechnoWomen Aziza Shuzheeva emphasized:
“Women in technology are not about quotas – they are about economic growth. Kazakhstan has a strong educational potential among women, yet access to venture capital remains limited. TechnoWomen creates a platform where women receive not only knowledge but also direct access to investors and capital markets.”
Chair of the TechnoWomen Advisory Board Zhanar Kalieva noted:
“Startups founded by women often demonstrate more sustainable business models and long-term growth strategies. However, they face greater challenges in attracting early-stage funding. Our mission is to build a systemic bridge between women-led startups and the venture industry.”
Founders Sharing Their Experience
Women founders who have already built and scaled startups also shared their perspectives.
Founder of smartestprep Laura Vaigorova said:
“Kazakhstan has many strong women founders, but we need a more developed venture ecosystem. Events like this help build trust between investors and startups.”
Founder of ORDO ERP Aida Azamatkyzy added:
“A technology business is not just an idea. It is a team, processes, and access to capital. The Her Venture program helps structure growth and prepare startups for investment rounds.”
Developing the Venture Ecosystem
Participants of the event highlighted the need to further develop and consolidate Kazakhstan’s venture ecosystem. Key proposed measures include:
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Creating specialized funds for women-led startups
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Introducing co-investment mechanisms (public + private capital)
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Developing Supplier Diversity programs in large corporations
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Supporting startups in accessing IPO and alternative capital markets
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Introducing tax incentives for investors supporting women-led businesses.
Event Outcomes
The Ring the Bell for Her Venture 2026 event became an important step toward strengthening innovation and expanding opportunities for women in technology and entrepreneurship.
The initiative contributes to:
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forming a new generation of women technology entrepreneurs
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building a bridge between startups and capital markets
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developing a sustainable venture ecosystem in Kazakhstan.
The finalists of the pitch session received MBA program certificates from Narxoz Business School. In addition, participants were awarded certificates for AI training programs from OpenAI and Stanford University, valuable prizes, and consultations from venture experts.
