Silkway Accelerator completes 7th cohort with $15M in new revenue and international expansion

The 7th cohort of Silkway Accelerator, a program by Astana Hub in partnership with Google for Startups, concluded with a Demo Day in Almaty on August 28. Fifteen startups participated, with ten reaching the final and presenting their projects to investors.

During the 12-week program, the teams achieved significant commercial results. They generated over $15 million in revenue and more than $30 million in presales, and entered markets in nine countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Armenia, UAE, Australia, and the USA.

A panel discussion titled "The Future of Venture Capital in the AI Era" featured notable speakers, including Magzhan Madiyev (CEO of Astana Hub), Levan Kavtaradze (Investment Director at TMT Investments), and Murat Abdrakhmanov (venture investor and founder of MA7 Ventures). They discussed how AI has transformed venture investments, requiring startups to prove the sustainability of their products and the potential for profitable exits.

Some startups showed notable progress. AURA OS gained new clients in four countries, Tirgo doubled its GMV to $70,000, WellcomeVideo closed deals worth $100,000, and AMAN signed contracts with almost ten universities. QazTracker pivoted to an AgriTech solution for animal health monitoring. According to program trackers, the biggest transformation was in the founders themselves, who became more strategic and market-oriented.