Kazakhstan’s Healthcare Startup Ecosystem: From AI Diagnostics to Digital Access

Kazakhstan’s healthcare sector is in the middle of a transformation. Supported by Astana Hub, the Ministry of Digital Development, and growing venture interest, a new wave of startups is emerging to tackle structural challenges — access, efficiency, and prevention. In 2025, Dealroom even launched a dedicated Kazakhstan startup map, officially putting local healthtech innovation on the global radar.

Where the Momentum Is

Over the past five years, several healthtech niches have matured:

1. Telemedicine & Access

• 103.kz – A widely used super-app that allows users to find doctors, book appointments, and check medicine availability.

• Dariger Online – Teleconsultations that bring licensed doctors into rural and urban homes alike.

• Damumed – The official nationwide patient app for digital appointments, results, and treatment plans.

2. AI Diagnostics & Imaging

• CerebraAI – An AI platform that flags ischemic strokes on CT scans; already deployed in Kazakh hospitals and expanding internationally.

• Retina Project – AI-enabled portable ophthalmoscopes for early diabetic retinopathy screening.

• VideoOculograph – Eye-movement–based diagnostics for non-invasive neurology.

3. Assistive Tech & Rehab

• SEZUAL – Acoustic echolocation technology that helps blind and low-vision users navigate independently.

• MED365 – Automated pre- and post-shift health screening terminals used in industrial workplaces.

• DAG-JIM – Sensorized rehab and fitness platform gamifying recovery.

4. Health IT & Workflow

• MedElement – A cloud hospital information system powering hundreds of clinics.

• MedData.ai – AI-driven management and workflow tools for hospitals.

• SMART-RIS – Radiology information system digitizing diagnostic imaging.

5. PharmTech & E-Pharmacy

• i-teka – A medicine price-comparison app covering thousands of pharmacies.

• Aibomed – A digital pharmacy/e-commerce startup showcased at Astana Hub.

6. Wellness & Mental Health

• 1Fit – Kazakhstan’s homegrown “all gyms in one” membership app.

• Kale Coach – A digital assistant for workplace mental wellbeing.

• DAIsy (HealthTalk.ai) – AI for mental-health triage and patient monitoring.

Frameworks Driving Healthcare Growth in Kazakhstan

1. Public-Private Integration
   Kazakhstan’s healthtech ecosystem is unique: solutions like Damumed and 103.kz link directly to the national healthcare system. Startups thrive when they align with government digitalization priorities (e.g., eGov services, electronic medical records).

2. AI as a First-Class Citizen
   With CerebraAI, MedData.ai, and ARLAN Biotech, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a regional hub for AI-driven diagnostics. This mirrors a global trend but is accelerated locally by high unmet needs in rural access and stroke prevention.

3. Industrial Health & Preventive Screening
   Startups like MED365 show how health innovation ties into Kazakhstan’s industrial economy. Pre-shift health exams, workplace wellness, and occupational safety are natural adoption channels for scaling B2B healthcare solutions.

4. Cross-Border Scaling
   Companies like CerebraAI are already exporting solutions to Uzbekistan, Europe, and the U.S. This suggests a clear pathway for other Kazakh healthtech startups: prove locally, scale regionally, expand globally.

Systems to Grow in the Kazakh Healthcare Ecosystem

For startups and investors, three systems stand out as growth enablers:

• Ecosystem Market Maps – Mapping credible healthtech players clarifies niches and helps investors spot clusters (AI diagnostics, telehealth, rehab).

• Corporate Pilots → Public Partnerships – Piloting in private hospitals, then transitioning into public sector adoption, is the most effective way to reach scale.

• B2B2C Expansion – Partnering with insurers, industrial employers, and corporates provides financial sustainability while extending access to patients.

Why This Matters for Founders & Investors

Kazakhstan is still early in its healthtech journey, but the ingredients for scale are here:

• Strong state support for digital healthcare.

• Early successes like CerebraAI proving global competitiveness.

• Increasing investor attention (e.g., Astana Hub pitch days, Dealroom ecosystem tracking).

Startups that align with these frameworks will find themselves not just building tools, but redefining how healthcare is delivered in Central Asia.

My Role in This Ecosystem

I’ve supported 500+ startups in 35 countries, including healthtech founders navigating new markets, fundraising, and go-to-market. My work with ecosystem maps, AI adoption frameworks, and growth playbooks gives founders and investors in Kazakhstan a clear system to expand faster and de-risk growth.

👉 If you’re a Kazakhstan-based founder, hospital partner, or investor looking to:

• Map opportunities in healthtech,

• Build a clear go-to-market or fundraising strategy, or

• Connect with international growth channels,

then I’d love to explore how we can work together.

✅ Call to Action: Reach out via GrowthVybz to discuss how to accelerate your healthtech journey in Kazakhstan’s fast-evolving ecosystem.