Kazakhstan Opens $22M Grant for Export-Focused Software at Astana Hub

A major new opportunity in Kazakhstan: a $22M Grant for Export-Focused Software is now available to Astana Hub residents. The Ministry of Digital Development has launched this 10 billion tenge fund to accelerate software products targeting international markets. Applications are open until 15 March 2026, with fintech and edtech projects designated as top priorities. A core requirement is that winning products must earn at least 50% of their revenue in foreign currency within 18 months. Each successful company can receive up to 400 million tenge, disbursed in tranches as export milestones are met.

Who is eligible for Kazakhstan's 2026 Astana Hub export grant?

Only current residents of the Astana Hub technology park with a demonstrated plan for significant foreign-currency revenue may apply for this grant. The program prioritizes companies in the fintech and edtech sectors.

Who can tap the 2026 tranche

Eligible applicants must be Astana Hub residents registered in Kazakhstan as an LLP or JSC. They cannot have state shareholding over 49% or any branches. A key requirement is a business plan demonstrating that over 50% of revenue will come from foreign currency within 18 months.

To qualify, startups that joined the park after 1 January 2025 must meet the following criteria:

• A legal entity registered in Kazakhstan (LLP or JSC)
• State shareholding below 49%
• No branches at the time of application
• A business plan projecting over 50% foreign-currency revenue by 2027

Applications are submitted online via the same portal used for tax-resident certificates. Required uploads include a one-year budget, a burn-rate chart, and a short video demo. A commission from the Ministry, the National Bank, and venture fund "Most" will provide a decision within 15 working days. Winners receive 30% of the grant within ten days of signing, with the remainder tied to quarterly export reports.

Why fintech and edtech float to the top

Astana's 2026 action plan has created dedicated legislative tracks for fintech and edtech, signaling strong government support. A new Digital Assets Fund will offer tokenized treasury bills, providing fintechs a ready-made instrument for cross-border settlements. Concurrently, a plan to pilot an AI-driven math tutor in every public school by September guarantees immediate demand for Kazakh-language edtech solutions.

"The grant is not charity; it is a prepaid purchase order for a product we will later buy at scale."
- Deputy Minister Bagdat Mussin, 4 February 2026 town-hall, Astana

The selection commission will use a "50-30-20" scoring model: 50% of the score is based on projected export revenue, 30% on sector priority (fintech/edtech), and 20% on team diversity metrics like having female CTOs or employees from rural areas.

How much runway the money really buys

The grant provides a maximum of 400 million tenge (≈ $880k) per company, which is capped at 40% of the project's total declared budget. A smaller 200 million tenge track is available for teams less than one year old. This funding can cover 12-18 months of essential costs like cloud hosting, foreign SaaS licenses, and local salaries, but it is not intended for marketing expenses. Founders are expected to secure additional funding, and the Hub facilitates this by listing over twenty local angel syndicates ready to co-invest on standard Y-combinator SAFE terms.

Export pathways that count in the scorecard

The grant agreement officially recognizes five channels for generating foreign-currency revenue. Proceeds from crypto tokens, NFT sales, or barter transactions are not accepted. All foreign currency must be deposited into a Kazakh bank account within 30 days of the invoice date.

Channel	Minimum proof required
Direct SaaS sales	Stripe / Paddle dashboard
White-label OEM	Buyer letter + SWIFT copy
Marketplace royalties	AppStore / Google Play report
Services outsourcing	Time-tracking + client PO
Licensing to multinationals	Audited royalty statement

Complementary perks already live

Beyond the grant, Astana Hub residents gain a significant competitive edge through existing benefits, including 0% corporate income tax, 0% VAT on exported services, and visa-free entry for foreign staff. The park's innovative "One-Click KYC" API, developed with the Civil Service Affairs Agency, reduces fintech client onboarding to just 90 seconds. This feature enabled one company to register 14,000 cross-border wallets in a single quarter.

Deadlines and next steps

• Application window: Now until 15 March 2026, 18:00 Astana time
• Pitch day: 29 March 2026, hybrid format (Hub auditorium + Zoom)
• First money in bank: Target 15 April 2026
• Export milestone check: Every 90 days, starting Q3 2026

While teams that miss the March deadline can pre-file for a potential second round associated with the GITEX AI Kazakhstan conference in May, officials have not yet formally confirmed this.

For founders within the Astana Hub ecosystem, the path is clear: refine your export revenue model, ensure your company is free of majority state ownership, and submit your application before the March deadline. For those outside, the first step is to secure park residency - a process that typically takes only 21 days for qualifying companies.