Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels
Visa and Halyk have opened applications for She’s Next 2026 in Kazakhstan, with a total prize fund of 30 million tenge. The programme is for women growing a business or planning to start one. Applications close on November 22, 2026 (t.me).
What happened
Visa and Halyk have launched the fifth round of the She’s Next programme. Women who are citizens of Kazakhstan and aged 18 or over are eligible. Four winners will receive funding to start or grow their businesses.
The prize fund is split across four categories:
- “Established Business” — 10 million tenge.
- “New Business” — 5 million tenge.
- “IT Business” — 5 million tenge.
- “Inclusive Business” — 10 million tenge.
Applicants in the New Business category do not need to have an existing company. They can submit a project they are still planning to launch. This gives them a chance to compete for funding before opening a business.
What this means
Participants will go through several stages of selection: registration, free webinars, and preparing and submitting a business plan. Experts will then select 40 projects for online pitches. After that, 12 finalists will present their projects at the She’s Next Grand Final in Almaty.
Women entrepreneurs can receive grants of up to 10 million tenge. The amount depends on the category: the Established Business and Inclusive Business winners will each receive 10 million tenge. The New Business and IT Business winners will each receive 5 million tenge.
The next step for anyone wishing to take part is to apply by November 22. After registration, the programme’s educational stage will begin, followed by the preparation of business plans for selection.
