National application intake open through September 30, 2026

The World Summit Awards (WSA) is accepting applications from operational digital solutions that generate verifiable social impact and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). A dedicated national nomination portal is open for Kazakhstani innovators, with the submission window closing on September 30, 2026.

WSA is not a monetary cash grant. The organizer explicitly designates the program as a non-monetary global recognition award: its core value lies in international prestige, expert jury evaluations, global visibility, high-level networking, and an invitation for winners to present at the WSA Global Congress.

Eligibility Criteria for Participating Solutions

Entries may be submitted by incorporated enterprises, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and independent innovators based in Kazakhstan. Participation in the national selection is completely free of charge, subject to satisfying baseline WSA criteria:

• The solution must be a fully functional, operational digital product—not an early concept, design mockup, or laboratory prototype;
• The product must demonstrate active market traction with verified active users or paying clients;
• The digital solution must generate verifiable positive societal impact aligned with UN SDGs;
• The product must have launched in 2022 or later; earlier legacy products must demonstrate substantial new feature releases or major recent impact expansions;
• The applicant team must possess full intellectual property rights over codebases, data assets, media, and brand assets.

If the majority of the founding team and at least one primary founder are under 26 years of age, organizers recommend also evaluating the dedicated WSA Young Innovators track, which maintains separate application procedures.

WSA evaluates far more than technical code sophistication: the jury demands empirical proof of transformative social benefit for end users.

Eight Global Award Categories

• Government & Citizen Engagement (civic technology, e-governance, open data);
• Health & Well-Being (telemedicine, digital health, diagnostic AI);
• Learning & Education (EdTech, skill upskilling, accessible knowledge platforms);
• Environment & Green Energy (cleantech, carbon tracking, circular economy);
• Culture & Heritage (digital archives, indigenous language preservation, creative tech);
• Smart Settlements & Urbanization (mobility, IoT infrastructure, municipal management);
• Business & Commerce (fintech, supply chain optimization, SME enablement);
• Inclusion & Empowerment (assistive technologies, gender equity, minority empowerment).

Each participating country may nominate up to eight national champions—exactly one project per category. While category selection is important, the international grand jury reserves the right to reassign projects to a more fitting vertical during global evaluation.

The eight award verticals span government services, health, education, climate, culture, urbanism, commerce, and digital inclusion.

National Selection Architecture in Kazakhstan

All candidate projects must first pass through national evaluation. The designated WSA National Expert for Kazakhstan screens submissions to identify up to eight national nominees eligible to advance to the global jury stage. Veteran technology executive Anatoliy Kremenchutskiy serves as the appointed WSA National Expert for Kazakhstan.

1. The applicant registers on the official WSA Kazakhstan 2026 portal;
2. The founder completes the comprehensive digital entry form in English;
3. The National Expert audits submissions and shortlists up to eight category champions;
4. Nominated national projects advance to the International Online Jury and Grand Jury rounds;
5. Global winners receive formal invitations to pitch live before an international assembly at the WSA Global Congress.

From working digital product and verified impact—through national nomination—to global jury evaluation and main-stage congress presentation.

What Participation Delivers for Winners

There are no direct monetary disbursements. National nominees gain official designation rights, press kits, and jury feedback. Global winners receive:

• Worldwide media promotion across official United Nations and WSA communication platforms;
• Direct integration into a curated global network of social impact investors, founders, and policy leaders;
• Executive mentorship, corporate matchmaking, and acceleration workshops;
• Invitation to present live at the WSA Global Congress, including interactive pitching sessions;
• Official winner certificates and permanent indexing in the prestigious global WSA Impact Directory.

For in-person congress attendance, the organizers generally provide hotel lodging and meals during the event. International airfare is typically self-funded by the participating team.

Application Preparation Checklist

The Kazakhstan registration portal comprises 12 mandatory sections, requiring an estimated 30–90 minutes to complete. Thorough pre-submission preparation is essential:

• A clear, jargon-free explanation of the societal problem within its local context;
• A concise description of the functional digital solution and its core value proposition;
• Commercial launch date and verification that the service is live and accessible;
• Audited user adoption metrics and quantifiable social impact data;
• Direct URL link, sandbox test account, or mobile download link for jury testing;
• A short 3-minute video presentation with clear English subtitles;
• Pitch deck, high-resolution UI screenshots, and leadership team biographies;
• A documented overview of the venture’s long-term financial sustainability and unit economics.

How to Maximize Evaluation Scoring

• Frame the product for an international evaluator who may possess zero familiarity with Kazakhstan’s local municipal or cultural landscape;
• Move beyond vanity download counts: prove tangible qualitative change delivered to real human beneficiaries;
• Standardize measurement timeframes and cite verified data sources for every quoted metric;
• Ensure all demo links open cleanly without requiring corporate VPNs or restricted payment credentials;
• Write in concise, professional English; ensure all multimedia and pitch assets are localized.

Submitted media may be utilized by WSA non-commercially to promote nominated ventures worldwide. Ensure your team possesses full copyright clearance for all imagery, audio, and video content before submission.

Deadlines and Official Portal Links

National Deadline: September 30, 2026.

Application Portal: WSA Kazakhstan 2026 Registration

Kazakhstan Country Profile: WSA National Expert and Country Page

Official Competition Rules: WSA Global Rules and Criteria

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