How to become an Astana Hub participant: application, business plan, benefits
Technopark participant status gives 0% corporate income tax, VAT and personal income tax on ICT activity. Applications are reviewed within 15 working days, and the key document is a business plan on the fund’s template. Since 2019 we have prepared 162 applications; not one was rejected.
The first review of your project is free and without obligation. We reply in working hours and tell you where to apply and whether you are in time.
Apex Consulting is a consulting firm in Astana, working since 2017. We have prepared 2,137 business plans for 535 clients; our clients have raised $1.7 billion in financing. Payment: 70% after the brief is agreed, 30% after the committee approves the project. Revisions after expert comments are free for three months. We defend the project before the committee together with the client. From ₸350,000, from 3 working days.
Who can become a participant
The rules are updated every year; these are the 2026 requirements.
- Legal entities only; sole proprietors do not qualify. State or quasi-state share in capital below 50%, no branches at the time of application.
- Activity from the list of priority ICT activities: product IT companies, SaaS, AI, fintech without a licence. Marketing agencies without a product and offline businesses do not pass.
- From 2026 the activity must be mainly export-oriented, and income from contracts with state bodies and the quasi-state sector must not exceed 50% of annual revenue.
Which documents are needed
The application is submitted online at registration.astanahub.com with a digital signature. The central document is a business plan on the fund’s template, which is checked for:
- Project goals and KPIs for the participation period.
- Team and experience.
- Budget and sources of financing.
- Product architecture.
- Export strategy and expected export volume.
- Proof of intellectual property rights.
- Founding documents, certificate of no tax arrears (debt up to 6 MCI is allowed), proof of address.
Review timeline
The regulatory period is no more than 15 working days, excluding time to fix comments. Stages: application moderation 5 working days, committee review 10 working days, notification of the decision up to 5 working days, registration after approval 3 working days. Comments are notified within 5 working days. With document preparation, the real path takes about 25 working days.
What participant status gives
The benefits apply in 2026 to ICT activities on the list.
- Corporate income tax 0% instead of 20%.
- VAT 0% instead of 12%, including on imports of core goods.
- Employee personal income tax 0% on ICT activity, social tax on non-resident employees 0%.
- C5 visa for the founder or head for up to 5 years and a simplified procedure for hiring foreign specialists without a work permit.
- Technopark fee of about 1% of income; a mandatory audit is possible for large participants.
Why applications get comments
The committee checks that the company really creates an IT product and will export it. Across our 162 applications the comments hit the same spots: a business plan without measurable KPIs, a budget without justification, a one-line export strategy, charter activities that do not match the ICT list. All of this is closed before submission.
How we work
A free review: we check whether the company meets the criteria and what needs fixing in the charter and activity codes before applying. After the brief is agreed, 70% payment, we prepare the business plan on the fund’s template, the financial part and the presentation, assemble the pack and submit together with you. We close the committee’s comments ourselves. 30% is paid after the decision to include you in the register.
What you get
- Business plan on the Astana Hub template with KPIs, budget, architecture and export strategy.
- Financial model of the project and a presentation for the committee.
- Check of the charter and activity codes against the ICT list, with a list of fixes.
- Submission of the application, answers to comments, support until registration.
From ₸350,000, from 3 working days. Payment: 70% after the brief is agreed, 30% after the committee approves the project. Revisions after expert comments are free for three months; we defend the project with you.
Questions and answers
- How much does preparing an Astana Hub application cost?
- From ₸350,000, from 3 working days. The price depends on how ready the documents and the product are.
- How long is the review?
- Up to 15 working days by regulation: moderation, committee, notification. Plus 3 working days for registration after approval.
- Does a sole proprietor qualify?
- No, only a legal entity can become a participant. If you are a sole proprietor, an LLP is registered first; we help with that too.
- Which taxes go to zero?
- Corporate income tax, VAT, employee personal income tax on ICT activity, VAT on imports of core goods and social tax on non-residents.
- Any experience with startups?
- 162 Astana Hub applications since 2019, not a single rejection. 30% is paid only after the decision.
Cases
Startup in Dubai
Private investor money for the launch. Plan, model and investor presentation. Amount: $290k
Geothermal resort
Investors and a bank for construction. Model that reflects the independent expert review. Amount: $3.5 mln
Engineering complex, UAVs
Participant status in a SEZ technopark. Feasibility study aligned with the technopark’s priorities
Sources
Programme terms change. Checked on 14 October 2026. Verify with the primary source before applying:
The first review of your project is free and without obligation. We reply in working hours and tell you where to apply and whether you are in time.