Red Bull Basement 2026 National Selection Held in Shymkent
The national final of Red Bull Basement - an international AI startup incubator for students and young entrepreneurs creating technology solutions using AI - was held in Kazakhstan as part of the Digital Qazaqstan 2026 forum.
Participants from more than 40 countries will have the opportunity to compete for grants and the chance to present their projects at the world final in Silicon Valley, USA. The programme offers not only experience but real resources for launching startups: the top prize is $100,000, along with access to international mentors, investors, and technology partners Microsoft and AMD.
In Kazakhstan, the national selection process involved submitting an application with an idea description, video pitches, and in-person presentations at the Digital Qazaqstan forum, where finalists received expert evaluation of their startups. The best teams were given the opportunity to refine their solutions and present them before the country's leading experts and investors.
"Red Bull Basement is a unique opportunity for young innovators not only to showcase their ideas at the national level but also to receive support for entering the global stage. We are delighted that Digital Qazaqstan is becoming a platform for such initiatives, bringing together talented young people and the technology community. Such programmes help unlock the potential of new innovation leaders and support the development of the country's digital economy," stressed Astana Hub Managing Director Tanat Uskembayev.
Red Bull Basement Kazakhstan 2026 startup participants presented their projects in pitch sessions before an expert jury comprising: Chair of the Public Council under the Ministry of AI and Digital Development and CEO of Women in Tech Kazakhstan Asem Bolatzhan; Astana Hub Managing Director Tanat Uskembayev; Chief Program Officer of Red Team Accelerator Nikolai Tyan; and Red Team Accelerator CEO and Founder Evgeny Frolov.
The national selection featured projects spanning a wide range of areas — from medicine and rehabilitation technologies to urban modelling and AI in logistics. Among them: a digital platform for AI-based headache diagnostics and management; a lightweight wearable upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton; solutions for transforming urban spaces; AI systems for optimising traffic flows and analysing medical images; voice digital assistants; automated engineering network design platforms; and livestock health monitoring systems. All developments demonstrated a high level of technological maturity and significant scaling potential.
Following the pitch sessions, a ceremony was held to announce and award the winners of the Red Bull Basement 2026 national final. The most innovative projects demonstrating the highest potential and practical significance were recognised. The winner of the national selection was COLO.AI founder Arthur Dzhaksygaliyev.
Red Bull Basement is not merely a startup incubator - it is a fully-fledged launchpad for young teams seeking to create innovative AI solutions with global potential. The national stage winner will represent Kazakhstan at the international programme final in Silicon Valley, competing for the top prize and the opportunity to attract global investment.
The international digital forum Digital Qazaqstan 2026 is organised by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Shymkent city administration, and the international innovation cluster Astana Hub. This year, the organisation of the forum was made possible through the support of partners and sponsors, with all costs covered by sponsorship funds.
General partner - Freedom Bank - a Kazakhstani digital bank for private and corporate clients, part of Freedom Holding Corp. The bank was the first in Kazakhstan to digitalise mortgage, car, and business loans, and issued the country's first INVEST CARD investor card.
Platinum partner - Alageum Electric - a major electrical engineering group of companies in Kazakhstan, uniting more than 30 enterprises in the fields of electric power, mechanical engineering, and infrastructure construction.
Gold partner - Kazakhtelecom. Innovation partners - WSE, Damumed. Partner - Visa.