Developing Venture Investment in Kazakhstan
Yesterday, Activat VC Founder & CEO Marat Tolybai participated in a roundtable discussion at the Institute of Parliamentarism on the future of venture investment in Kazakhstan.
Our country is already a leader in Central Asia and the Caucasus in terms of venture financing volume and regulatory framework. However, to compete globally, we must continue to drive reforms.
Some of the proposed initiatives to improve the investment climate include:
- Introducing SAFE and convertible loans into Kazakhstan’s practice to simplify startup financing
- Creating a new company structure, similar to the Private Company model in AIFC, that benefits both investors and founders
- Implementing stock options to incentivize startup employees
- Establishing a simplified bankruptcy process to enable startups to relaunch their businesses
- Encouraging venture investments by allowing them to be deducted from taxable income
- Legalizing private loans to legal entities to expand access to investment
- Eliminating the requirement for notarized agreements between individuals to speed up investment processes
The discussion was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Digital Development, government agencies, and venture investors. It is clear that the venture industry is a key driver of economic growth, and creating a favorable environment for its development should remain a priority.
