On November 7-8, 2023, StrategEast is organizing The StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This is an annual event held in one of the Eurasian cities that serves as a unique platform for dialogue between governments and leaders of the IT industry.
The lead topic for this year’s event is Knowledge as a new energy. Opening the Forum, Anatoly Motkin, President of StrategEast unveiled the key components of knowledge and education in digital transformation.
“Forming a Eurasian IT ecosystem and facilitating countries transition from a resource-oriented economy to a knowledge-driven economy is one of the main goals of StrategEast. To achieve this, we work in several domains. We educate people providing IT trainings; we teach how to transition from old money to new money. Furthermore, we strive to bridge the understanding between governments and markets, enlightening individuals about Central Asia’s pivotal role as a hub for advanced digital expertise. Through collaboration, all parties stand to reap mutual benefits”, – comments the President of StrategEast Anatoly Motkin.
Talking about Kasakhstan’s digital transformation, Kanysh Tuleushin, First Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan shared strategy for creation of national technology leaders. “Our strategy implies the development of a mechanism to support promising companies up to the level of national technological leaders. And on the other hand – to incentivize businesses to purchase and implement technologies and IT solutions.”
Monique Mosolf, USAID Central Asia Deputy Mission Director outlined the vision for Central Asia’s digital ecosystem develpoment: “StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum is more than an event. It is an embodiment of our shared vision for the region’s future. It is a manifestation of our collective effort – government, and private sector, think tanks, entrepreneurs, development agencies, and many others to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem for ideas to flourish and transformative innovations to take place.”
Opening remarks were offered by Alma Kassymova, EBRD Advice for Small Businesses programme, national manager in Kazakhstan; Indu John-Abraham, Operations Manager for Central Asia, the World bank.
The Forum brings together representatives of global and local tech companies, governments, international financial institutions, and development agencies. Among the speakers are senior government officials, high-level representatives of the global IT companies, VC funds, and investment banks and heads of IT associations and leaders of the IT sector from the region.
