Turan-Astana University Announces the Launch of the Annual Startup Project Competition “TAU-InnoHub School 2027” for Secondary Education Students

Date	Sep 15, 2026
Categories	Events

The competition aims to foster entrepreneurial thinking, support innovative ideas, and engage school students in creating their own projects capable of addressing current societal and economic challenges.

Competition Timeline:

September 21, 2026 – April 16, 2027

Application Deadline — March 15, 2027

Who Can Participate?

Students in grades 10–11 (12) from secondary education organizations in Kazakhstan and other countries are invited to participate. By decision of the selection committee, students in grades 8–9 may also be admitted.

Participation Options:

Individually;

As part of a team.

Educators from secondary education institutions can participate as mentors.

What Projects Can Be Submitted?

Startups and projects containing innovative ideas, proposals, or solutions in the fields of economics and social development are accepted.

Project Requirements:

Be original and contain elements of innovation;

Possess practical value;

Be at the idea or development stage;

Have potential for further growth and scaling.

Project themes can cover a wide range of areas — from artificial intelligence and digital technologies to healthcare, education, ecology, social support, and public administration. The main goal is to propose a solution to a real-world problem, justify its value, and demonstrate practical implementation feasibility.

How to Apply?

To apply, submit your application package by email to: k.shebeko@tau-edu.kz

The Application Package Must Include:

Team Information:

Full name(s) of participant(s) in Kazakh, Russian, and English (for foreign citizens: in English or Russian);

Name and address of the secondary education institution;

Grade level;

Contact details — phone number and email address.

Project Description: A 1–2 page summary of the startup project. It is recommended to clearly state the problem being solved, the proposed solution, and the value it creates.

Project Presentation: A pitch presentation attached to the application for subsequent project defense.

How Is the Defense Conducted?

Finalists present their projects to the competition committee in a startup pitching format.

Presentation duration — no more than 7 minutes.

Remote participation may be permitted by decision of the organizers.

Key Questions to Answer Briefly and Convincingly:

What problem does the project solve? How does your solution work? Who is the target audience? What makes it innovative? Why is it needed? How can it be implemented and developed?

Evaluation Criteria

The competition committee evaluates projects based on the following criteria:

Idea: Degree of originality and relevance of the startup idea.

Implementation: Viability and justification of the project execution model.

Innovation: Novelty of the proposed solution or approach.

Team: Presence of a strong, professional team, its experience, and qualifications.

Social Impact: Positive impact on society or the field of application.

Prospects and Sustainability: Potential for future startup growth and scaling.

Highlights from TAU-InnoHub School 2026

The finals of TAU-InnoHub School 2026 brought together 21 school students from Astana, Shymkent, Taraz, Uralsk, and Kauylzhyr village in the Shalkar district. Finalists presented projects in AI, medicine, ecology, digital education, and social support.

1st Place — Back on Track: Nurgul Pernekhan developed an AI platform designed to organize studies and support academic recovery for school students. The service integrates learning materials, deadlines, and an AI assistant that helps students grasp subjects and return to their study flow.

2nd Place — AuraLink: Ameliya Valitova presented an intelligent monitoring system for tracking the emotional state of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The solution combines a wearable device with physiological sensors and AI algorithms.

3rd Place — GovLens AI: Ratmir Vdovenko and Oleg Son developed an AI platform for analyzing public procurement in Kazakhstan. The system helps businesses identify suitable tenders, assess the probability of winning, and detect potential corruption risks.

Special Nomination "Social Significance" — Gentle Mind: Shirin Zakirova and Rayana Bekbenbetova introduced an AI platform for cognitive health support that combines cognitive exercises, physical activity, and emotional tracking.

The 2026 projects demonstrated high standards of preparation, engineering mindset, and understanding of social challenges, proving the immense potential of school startups.

Opportunities for Winners and Participants

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, as well as recipients of special nominations across individual criteria, will be selected.

The competition committee may award participants certificates for acceleration programs conducted by "TAU-InnoHub."

Furthermore, by decision of the Rector, a special admission policy to Turan-Astana University may be established for competition winners and participants. Participating in the competition offers not only a platform to present your ideas but also an opportunity to gain support for further development.

Competition Committee

Projects will be evaluated by an expert committee comprising:

Samat Zhumagalievich Smoilov — Committee Chairman, Vice-Rector for Science and Commercialization;

Rakhat Ashkenovich Aimkulov — Dean of the Higher School of Business and Digital Technologies;

Mirgul Maidanovna Narbinova — Dean of the Higher School of Law and Humanities;

Tomiris Edilovna Aitzhanova — Director of the International Cooperation Department;

Karina Filippi — Winner of the "TAU Startup Battle" 2025 student competition;

Damir Symbat — Winner of the "TAU Startup Funding Challenge" 2025 grant competition.

Your Idea Can Become a Startup

Have an idea for a product, service, or technology? See a problem and know how to solve it? Turn your idea into a project, present it to experts, and take the first step toward building your own startup.

Conceive. Develop. Present. Scale.

Summary for Participants:

Eligible Participants: School students in grades 10–11 (12); grades 8–9 upon committee approval.

Format: Individual or team entry.

Submission Requirements: Team details, 1–2 page project description, and pitch presentation.

Submit via Email: k.shebeko@tau-edu.kz

Application Deadline: March 15, 2027.

Presentation Time: Up to 7 minutes.

“TAU-InnoHub School” — where school ideas become the startups of tomorrow.

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