Illustration: AI
Kazakhstani startup Cortex AI is considering entering the Chinese market and says its model’s accuracy has risen from 84% to 92%. The system assesses the risk of donor kidney rejection before transplantation, founder Asylzhan Abdullayev said (kapital.kz). So far, the results are based on historical data: the team still needs to test its effectiveness in clinical practice.
What happened
Cortex AI analyses data from the donor and the recipient—the person receiving the organ. The algorithm considers 34 factors, including genetic data. According to the founder, processing takes 33 seconds.
To improve the results, the team removed duplicate medical records, handled missing data and standardised the measurements. Working with doctors, the developers selected relevant parameters, then tested several versions of the model. Testing used anonymised data from completed medical cases.
“The team’s next task is to independently validate the model with medical partners and test its effectiveness in real clinical settings,” Abdullayev says. This means an independent assessment: the reported 92% cannot yet be taken as proof of effectiveness in treating patients.
What preparations to enter China involve
The team previously planned to develop the service primarily in Kazakhstan, followed by Korea. It is now considering China. According to Abdullayev, the developers agreed on a partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University at S-Tron Shanghai 2026 in September.
At the same event, the team received an offer from investment platform Empyrean Sky Partners. It is willing to invest up to $250 thousand if certain conditions are met, the founder said. The startup also reached an agreement with Weilai Venture Capital for help with legally establishing the business and adapting to the Chinese market.
ESP’s offer does not mean the startup has secured the investment. Abdullayev also points to high barriers to entry for medical technologies in China and the risk of certification delays. He says the team is still in the process of obtaining medical certification.
How the team is developing the project
In the autumn, Cortex AI took first place in The Starbucks Foundation’s accelerator programme in Istanbul, Abdullayev said. The startup won $10 thousand and plans to spend it on cloud infrastructure. Eight teams from four countries, including Kazakhstan, competed in the final.
The team previously received another $10 thousand through the OpenAI for Startups partner programme. According to the founder, that grant funded the scientific side of the project.
The team has been working on the system since December 2025. Development began after a transplant surgeon conducting a scientific study approached them.
