Based on recent developments, including Kazakhstan ’s plans to use part of its National Fund for major infrastructure projects, efforts to take student startups global, ambitions to become a Central Asian education hub, and Elena Rybakina becoming the first player representing Kazakhstan to secure the world No.
1 ranking, Qazinform News Agency presents its weekly review of Kazakhstan coverage in foreign media. According to Eureporter, Kazakhstan is preparing to use part of its National Fund to finance major infrastructure projects, potentially shifting sovereign wealth from financial savings into assets that support long-term economic growth.
The country plans to allocate more than $4 billion from the fund for infrastructure in 2027, followed by just over $3 billion annually in 2028 and 2029. The fund’s foreign-currency assets stood at $65.5 billion by mid-2026. The approach reflects a broader debate over whether sovereign wealth should only be preserved for future generations or also invested in infrastructure that strengthens the economy today.
Kazakhstan has previously tapped the fund during major shocks, including the 2008-2009 financial crises and the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, however, the objective is different: addressing infrastructure bottlenecks before they constrain economic growth. Ultimately, the strategy’s success will depend not simply on how much Kazakhstan withdraws, but on the long-term value of the infrastructure created in return.
Kazakhstan is accelerating its push into artificial intelligence and technology entrepreneurship, with Nazarbayev University (NU) becoming a key hub connecting research, startups and international investors, The Pie reports. Central to this effort is the partnership between Nazarbayev University Science & Technology Park (NU STeP) and StartX, the non-profit accelerator affiliated with Stanford University.
Since 2022, 18 projects represented by NU STeP have participated in StartX programs, gaining access to mentors, professional networks and the US technology ecosystem. “We are proud that startups from Kazakhstan are gaining international recognition,” said NU Executive Vice President Aslan Sarinzhipov, adding that the goal is to create technology companies capable of competing globally.
Among the participants is Cerebra AI, whose technology analyzes CT scans to detect signs of ischemic stroke in less than five minutes and is used in 46 medical institutions. Other projects include biotechnology company Arlan Biotech, medical AI startup Defect AI, biomechanics company Mirai Tech and WeGlobal AI, whose platform has reached more than one million students.
The Nazarbayev University & NIS Foundation invests $1 million annually in startup development, while NU has allocated 40 hectares for a new science and technology park. The initiative aims to turn Kazakhstan’s research and technology projects into globally competitive companies.