From October 2 to 4, 2025, Astana will host the international forum Digital Bridge 2025, one of the largest events in Central Asia dedicated to digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and the startup industry. The forum is organized by Astana Hub, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Akimat of Astana.
Generative Nation concept
The main theme of Digital Bridge 2025 is Generative Nation. This is a strategic direction that reflects Kazakhstan’s course toward moving from technology consumption to its development, implementation, and export. The focus is on artificial intelligence development, support for local products, investment in human capital, and building a knowledge-based economy.
Scale and audience
The forum annually brings together tech entrepreneurs, government officials, international organizations, investors, and startups from all over the world. Over the past years, more than 67,000 people from over 100 countries have taken part in Digital Bridge. The program has featured over 1,000 speakers, more than 500 startups, and about 500 investors.
Digital Bridge has strengthened Kazakhstan’s status as a technology hub in the Eurasian region and plays a key role in the development of the digital economy and international cooperation in the IT sector.
Forum program
Digital Bridge 2025 will include dozens of events aimed at startup development, knowledge exchange, and promotion of technological initiatives. Key events include:
• Opening of the International Artificial Intelligence Center alem.ai
• Generative Nation Pitch final
• Astana Hub Battle startup competition
• Startup Alley technology solutions exhibition
• Digital Bridge Awards ceremony
• Panel sessions, deep tech discussions, master classes, workshops, and demonstrations
AI WEEK
From September 29 to October 4, ahead of the forum, Astana will host AI WEEK — a series of events dedicated to artificial intelligence. The week will feature university lectures, master classes by international experts, workshops, AI meetups, deep tech sessions, and Generative Nation Pitch semifinals. Students, research teams, startups, and venture fund representatives are expected to take part. AI WEEK aims to integrate education, science, and business in the AI field.
Generative Nation Pitch
This is an open competition track of the forum, involving school students, university students, startups with an MVP, and research teams. Projects are evaluated in three stages: expert selection, automated AI analysis, and final jury evaluation. Key criteria include technological merit, originality, scalability potential, team qualifications, ethics, and presentation quality.
Astana Hub Battle
The startup battle will gather over 100 projects from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries in the region. The semifinals will take place on October 3, and the finals will be held on October 4 on the forum’s main stage. Participants will present their ideas to an international jury, venture investors, corporate representatives, and media.
Digital Bridge Awards 2025
A highlight of the event will be the Digital Bridge Awards 2025 ceremony. The awards recognize contributions to the development of the IT sector in Kazakhstan and beyond. This year’s eight categories are:
• Export Excellence
• Tech Leadership Laureate
• AI Solution of the Year
• EdTech of the Year
• GovTech Innovation
• Tech Media Excellence
• Social Impact Project
• Breakthrough Startup
The selection process consists of four stages: online application submission, an additional questionnaire, AI analysis, and expert evaluation.
Startup Alley and IT companies exhibition
The Startup Alley exhibition will bring together Kazakh and international startups in fintech, EdTech, GovTech, Big Data, AR/VR, sustainable development, eco-technologies, and cybersecurity. A separate zone of the forum will showcase products and solutions from leading IT companies.
The forum as a cooperation platform
Digital Bridge 2025 creates a space for communication and collaboration between the government, business, the research community, and youth initiatives. The forum strengthens international ties, helps launch new projects, and promotes Kazakhstan as a center for digital solutions.
More information is available on the website of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan.