ALMATY – Kazakhstan and Chinese robotics manufacturer UBTech Robotics are advancing a $440 million project to localize robotics production in Kazakhstan, with plans covering manufacturing, research and development, programming and the creation of new jobs. Yerlan Nabiyev, Nero Group CEO.
Photo credit: KAZAKH INVEST. The project was announced on the sidelines of the Kazakhstan–China Investment Forum, which opened Sept. 25 at Koktobe Hall in Almaty and brought together more than 600 delegates, including representatives of Chinese corporations, Kazakh businesses, government bodies and development institutions.
According to Yerlan Nabiyev, Nero Group CEO, the cooperation with UBTech Robotics began after an initial meeting in November last year, held on the recommendation of Almaty’s city administration. UBTech Robotics, a Chinese technology company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Shenzhen, specializes in humanoid and educational robotics.
Nabiyev said a subsequent agreement on cooperation was signed during a Kazakhstan–China forum in July in the presence of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. “We have already started implementing the project to localize robotics production here in Kazakhstan on the territory of a special economic zone,” Nabiyev told The Astana Times.
Project to cover production, R&D and programming The initial investment is estimated at nearly $440 million. According to Nabiyev, the project is designed to go beyond assembling finished products and will include research and development, research activities, programming and manufacturing facilities.
“This is an initial stage, which primarily involves localization not only of the production component. It is also R&D, research, programming, substantial job creation and, of course, production facilities,” he said. Nabiyev said the project is intended to develop practical applications for robotics across different sectors rather than focus primarily on entertainment.
“Our goal is for robots not to replace people. Our goal is for robots to be assistants to people,” he said. “We are now primarily focused not on entertainment content involving robots, but on their application first of all in education and services, of which there are many, practically in all sectors, in manufacturing — robots in logistics, robots for production purposes and so on,” Nabiyev added.