The Creative Industries Development Fund has announced applications for non-repayable grant financing for startups and digital innovators. The program provides a total fund of 50 million KZT, awarding 10 individual grants of up to 5 million KZT each. Submissions close on September 28, 2026, at 18:30 Astana time.
The initiative is tailored for early-stage tech teams, digital publishing startups, and creative collectives working on Kazakhstani literature, reading platforms, audiobook technologies, and interactive storytelling ecosystems.
| Grant Amount | Up to 5,000,000 KZT per project |
| Number of Grants | 10 winning initiatives |
| Total Fund Pool | 50,000,000 KZT |
| Application Window | August 18 – September 28, 2026 (until 18:30) |
| Submission Portal | Digital submission via Qazaq Creative portal |
Eligible Projects and LitTech Focus Areas
The program supports multifaceted digital and cultural innovations:
- Digital Publishing Platforms: Mobile applications for interactive digital reading, AI translation of national literature, and digital comic webtoons;
- Audiobook and Voice AI: Synthetic voice generation and neural narration tools specialized for the Kazakh language and regional dialects;
- Literary Analytics and Metadata: Digital recommendation engines, DRM-protected distribution platforms, and e-book repositories for regional libraries.
Why the Competition Matters for Technology Teams
Unlike purely cultural grants that require physical book printouts, Qazaq Creative specifically encourages technology startups. Software engineers and product designers can deploy grant capital for cloud infrastructure, UI/UX testing, and mobile customer acquisition without equity dilution.
