BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. Kazakhstan is
fostering an open technological ecosystem and is keen to expand
collaboration with international technology companies, research
organizations, universities, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Its strategic geographic location, coupled with the rapid
development of digital infrastructure and a dynamic entrepreneurial
ecosystem, creates compelling opportunities for engagement across
diverse global markets.
2026 has been declared the Year of Digitalization and
Artificial Intelligence in Kazakhstan. The sheer scope of
this technological agenda has proven so extensive that the initial
AI Week concept evolved into AI MONTH—a month-long
showcase of flagship AI and tech events running from September 23
to October 23.
Throughout the month, Kazakhstan will bring together
international technology companies, investors, developers,
startups, government entities, and the research community. The
cornerstone international event of AI MONTH will be AI &
Digital Bridge 2026, set to take place on October 1–3 in
Astana. Nothing demonstrates the scale of this year's
forum better than the lineup of global figures arriving in
Kazakhstan.
Network School, Higgsfield AI, NVIDIA, E-Space, General
Atlantic, Kraken, Mastercard
AI & Digital Bridge will bring together
companies that are building AI infrastructure, investing billions
in tech, constructing satellite networks, and reshaping global
digital and financial markets.
The headline speaker for AI & Digital Bridge 2026 is Balaji
Srinivasan — Founder of Network School, former CTO of Coinbase,
former General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and author of the
bestseller The Network State. He co-created USDC and was an early
investor in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other leading crypto
projects. His portfolio includes top tech companies such as
Alchemy, OpenSea, Perplexity, Polymarket, Replit, StarkWare, and
DigitalOcean.
Representing Kazakhstan’s AI industry, Yerzat Dulat—co-founder
and CTO of Higgsfield AI—will take the stage. The company is
building a video and image generation platform. In August 2026,
Higgsfield AI raised $400 million in a Series B round, bringing its
valuation to $5.4 billion.
Also confirmed for the lineup is Rev Lebaredian, Vice President
of Physical AI Simulation at NVIDIA and one of the key executives
behind NVIDIA Omniverse. His work focuses on digital twins,
simulating physical worlds, and training robotic systems.
Greg Wyler, Founder and CEO of E-Space and
creator of O3b Networks and OneWeb, will also be coming to Astana.
Today, E-Space is developing a new generation of low-Earth orbit
satellite infrastructure and secure communications networks.
William E. Ford—Chairman and CEO of leading
global investment firm General Atlantic—is one of the world’s most
influential investors joining the forum.
Also among the participants is David Ripley, a
key figure in the global cryptocurrency industry and Co-CEO
of Kraken—one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most
secure crypto exchanges.
The participation of these companies goes far beyond a list of
high-profile names.
Kazakhstan is strengthening its position in the new tech economy
by developing AI infrastructure, training specialists, attracting
capital, and creating opportunities for local tech companies to
scale globally.
Therefore, AI & Digital Bridge will focus not on the future of
AI, but on highly practical issues: Physical AI and robotics,
venture capital and investment, satellite infrastructure, business
applications of AI, startup development, emerging careers, and
creative industries.
Moreover, this year’s tech agenda extends beyond the forum
itself. AI & Digital Bridge will serve as the centerpiece of the
broader AI MONTH initiative, bringing together AI events and
activities across Kazakhstan.
AI MONTH kicks off on September 23 with HackAlem AI powered by
OpenAI. Hackathon participants will build solutions using OpenAI
Codex and OpenAI resources, with the winners set to be awarded at
the forum.
From there, the tech agenda will feature a continuous series of
events, culminating in AI & Digital Bridge 2026 as its
central hub from October 1 to 3.
Over the years, the forum has brought together more than 127,000
participants from over 100 countries, along with 1,500 speakers,
600 startups, and 500 investors. In 2026, the event is expected to
draw over 20,000 attendees and more than 100 technology
companies.
October 1 will feature a special high-level
program with government and international delegations, as well as
technology industry leaders. Attendance for this day's events is
strictly by invitation only.
On October 2–3, the forum will be open to
ticket holders. The program features sessions on AI, Creative
Industries, Talent, and GameDev, alongside a tech exhibition,
Startup Alley, the Astana Hub Battle, and other key events.
AI MONTH will conclude on October 23 with the Grand Final of the
alem.ai battle.
Ultimately, this single month will encapsulate the entire
trajectory—from AI product creation and talent development to
attracting international investment and engaging with the world’s
leading technology companies. AI & Digital Bridge will serve as the
central hub where this entire ecosystem comes together under one
roof.
AI & Digital Bridge 2026 is made possible through the support of
the forum’s partners and sponsors, with all event expenses fully
covered by sponsorship funding. The Gold Partners are
Freedom Bank, Kaspi.kz, and Samruk-Kazyna. Halyk Bank serves as the
Silver Partner, Beeline Kazakhstan as the Transformation Partner,
BI Group as the Digital Partner, and Air Astana as the Official
Airline Partner.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Artificial
Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
Astana Hub, and the Akimat of Astana.
