The Georgian startup Airth, which has developed innovative solutions to enhance air quality and promote environmental sustainability, earned second place at the Build with AI for Sustainable Growth competition. This global initiative, organized by StrategEast in collaboration with Google and supported by Astana Hub and the USAID Future Growth Initiative, brought together startups and developers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
According to Astana Hub Press Office, the program focuses on developing AI solutions in key areas such as improving air and water quality, raising environmental standards, combating land degradation, preserving biodiversity, managing water resources, and ensuring food security. Participants took part in over 50 master classes led by experts from Google and StrategEast, using cutting-edge AI tools.
At the Astana Hub, 21 startups from the Caucasus and Central Asia that reached the final stage of Build with AI for Sustainable Growth presented their AI solutions to a jury consisting of representatives from government agencies, tech hubs, and business incubators.
Kazakhstan’s startup JolQal.ai, founded by students Nurmukhamed Zibatkaliyev and Bakhyt Momunov, claimed first place. The startup leverages artificial intelligence to develop an innovative road condition monitoring system.
“We assist the government in identifying road defects, monitoring contractors' work, and optimizing repair planning. Our startup was established in November last year, and since then, we've conducted several pilot projects and launched in Almaty. We plan to expand to other regions of Kazakhstan and introduce new features, such as displaying road signs. We’ve participated in the Astana Hub, Terricon Valley, and MOST BI accelerators, where we received valuable feedback. In November, we plan to travel to Singapore to learn how other countries address similar challenges,” said Nurmukhamed Zibatkaliyev, co-founder of JolQal.ai.
Third place went to Azerbaijan's startup FarmForward, which focuses on food security and sustainable agriculture, offering technologies to optimize farming processes and increase crop yields.
The Build with AI for Sustainable Growth project reflects the shared vision of StrategEast, Google, Astana Hub, and the USAID Future Growth Initiative to advance technological innovation and create sustainable solutions for Central Asia and the Caucasus.
