Video summary

Видео. Поиск инвестиций для проекта. Часть 2

Main summary

Key takeaways

Business

How to Find Investors in Kazakhstan (Execution-Oriented Summary)

Where to Look (Channels)

  • Your network (“warm intros”)

    • Start with connections, acquaintances of acquaintances, and reach the people who actually make decisions.

  • Local ecosystem / development institutions

    • Atameken (Atom Ken) and similar development institutions (e.g., Domu).
    • Submit your project; investors or funding programs choose from available proposals.

  • IT startup acceleration (Kazakhstan)

    • Astana Hub startup acceleration program
      • Timeline: project development accelerated within 3 months
      • Support: education courses + investment from the Hub
      • Claimed presence: “49 investors are currently working with you” (as stated)
      • Example path: if you built a useful IT app, apply for financial support via Astana Hub
      • Info source mentioned: asanhub.com
    • Tech Garden acceleration program
      • Duration: 11 weeks training
      • Goal: refine project ideas with experts
      • Funding: best projects receive up to $100,000

  • Non-IT entrepreneurship programs

    • Business incubator Most
      • Provides mentorship from experienced businessmen + investment to implement ideas
      • Requirement: send a presentation with a short description (platform/email not fully shown; “.com.kz” referenced)

  • International startup investment platforms

    • International Startup Network platform
      • You create a project page (form + presentations/photos), specify the investment amount, and publish.
      • Investors browse daily; there’s also a matching flow where your project is sent to people already interested.
      • Noted vertical demand: agriculture requests are popular among registered investors.

Investor Targeting Process (Before You Pitch)

  • Define your investor “fit” and the amount you need

    • Determine the investor’s industry focus (e.g., education, agriculture, IT).
    • Match your requested funding size to the investor’s likely interest.

  • Do “exit homework”

    • Understand what exit multipliers the investor is pursuing (implied: how they measure ROI).

  • Prefer high-signal interactions

    • Join forums and communicate in person when possible (better chance to ask questions and get investor attention).

  • Use large financiers with sector breadth

    • EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
      • Invests across sectors (example given: agriculture to transport)
      • Investment size: €5m–€25m
      • Instruments: loans or equity investments
      • Action: meet listed criteria (refer to the official website for details)

What Terms Investors Typically Require (Negotiation & Deal Structure)

  • Standard expectation: founder invests less; investor may seek control

    • “Almost 100%” investment from the investor is common in searches.
    • The founder may become a minority owner, while the investor may expect managerial control.

  • Dividends and governance

    • Dividends distribution and governance are addressed in the investor agreement.

  • Exit / buyout mechanisms

    • Deals may include conditions for the investor’s exit and/or the founder’s buyout option.
    • Example timeline: after 5–6 years
      • If the founder promoted the project, they may buy out the investor’s share to become full owner.

  • Cash-flow transparency & financial control

    • The founder often becomes project manager (idea generator as manager is “often” appointed).
    • Investors often appoint a trusted Financial Director to monitor money flows and controls.

Crowdfunding as an Alternative (When You Don’t Want Investor Dependency)

  • When it fits

    • Use crowdfunding if you already have 50% of initial capital.

  • Core purpose

    • Acts as a test of project viability (“investor is a buyer in your idea”).

  • Example case (context)

    • In 2017, an American startupper raised $1M in 19 minutes for Kingdom Death; the campaign ended over $12M (as stated).

  • Kazakhstan platforms mentioned

    • startime.kz
    • Bridge.kz

  • Crowdfunding rules of thumb

    • Works best when you plan to raise more than 50% of remaining funds via crowdfunding.
    • Requires strong promotion; without it, effectiveness is low.
      • Promotion channels: social networks, newsletters, instant messengers
    • Campaign duration: about 2 months
    • You must continuously warm up audience interest until the end.

Key Takeaways / Step-by-Step Playbook (from the Video)

  • Prepare a business plan + pitch presentation.
  • Pick the right investor niche and target the right institutions/programs (use contacts + programs like Astana Hub / Tech Garden / Most).
  • Choose your acceptable deal terms (investor risk implies control—negotiate terms accordingly).
  • If you have ~50% initial capital, consider crowdfunding first as a launch viability test.
  • Use accelerator/incubator programs and investor networks to convert interest into funding.

Presenters / Sources Mentioned

  • Astana Hub (asanhub.com)
  • Tech Garden
  • Domu
  • Atameken (Atom Ken)
  • Business incubator Most
  • International Startup Network platform
  • EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
  • startime.kz
  • Bridge.kz

Original video