Regional Stage of the Republican Grand Tournament “I Am an Entrepreneur”
On April 20, 2026, the Regional Stage of the Republican Grand Tournament “I Am an Entrepreneur” was held at the Kazakh-American Free University, bringing together talented and proactive youth from the region. Students from schools and colleges attended the university and presented their projects in various areas of entrepreneurship.
The event provided an effective platform for exchanging ideas, receiving expert feedback, and developing entrepreneurial competencies. During the tournament, participants presented startup projects, discussed current business trends, and engaged in informal networking to facilitate professional networking.
Particular attention was paid to projects focused on the development of technology, environmental initiatives, and the social sphere, reflecting modern sustainable development priorities. The ideas presented demonstrated the participants’ high level of preparation, creativity, and commitment to the practical implementation of their business ideas.
83 applications from 19 colleges and 12 schools were submitted to participate in the tournament. A total of 128 people from 10 districts and the regional center participated in the tournament. A total of 83 projects were presented, including 38 team projects and 45 individual projects. Of these, 28 projects were in Kazakh and 55 were in Russian.
The Regional Grand Tournament was held in 10 categories:
1. Social Entrepreneurship;
2. Trade;
3. Hospitality and Catering;
4. Manufacturing, Technology, and Agriculture;
5. Show Business, Culture, and Art;
6. Design and Creative Industries;
7. Education, Information, and Digital Technologies;
8. Medicine, Health, and Beauty Industry;
9. Tourism.
10. Transport, Logistics, and Ecology.
Highly qualified specialists from the Atameken Chamber of Entrepreneurs (East Kazakhstan Region branch), VK Development Group, “ARU TRAVEL AGENCY” JSC, “TD DARS” JSC, “Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund”, “Niet Woman”, IE “Perizat Rakhatovna”, and IE “Sembina”were invited to evaluate the projects.
Tournament participants and winners, as well as their academic supervisors, were awarded participation certificates and first, second, and third-degree diplomas.
The winners of the regional stage of the Republican Grand Tournament “I Am an Entrepreneur” among schoolchildren and students of technical, vocational, and postsecondary education institutions in the following categories were:
«Toursim» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | Aizere Yerbolova | Ecotourism project of Assubulak village | LazzatShukirkhan | Assubulaksecondary school |
| 2 | 2 место | Ayaulym Temirbek | “QAZAQ NOMAD EXPERIENCE” project | GulnarZhakasheva | Higher college of Amanzholov East Kazakhstan university |
| 3 | 2 place | 1. DilnazSovetkhanova2. TolganayNurlanova3. Aknur Erlankyzy | Altai city – the Tourist Pearl of East Kazakhstan | NazimAlderbaeva | Secondary school # 9 of the city of Altay |
| 4 | 3 place | 1. DmitryZelenkov2. YekaterinaKostina | Altay-Forest-Glamps | AnarAuespayeva | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 5 | 3 place | Valeriya Samoilova | Competence Center for Tourism at the Altai Higher College | Inara Asubaeva | Altay higher college |
| 6 | 3 place | 1. Ksenia Kolesova2. ArseniyOkonechnikov3. Anna Anikina | The Silver Trails of the Irtysh tourist project | Svetlana Matsola | M.V. Inyushinsecondary school # 1 (Serebraynsk) |
«Social Entrepreneurship» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | Maksim Vatsuro | “EcoHelp: ImprovementthroughRecycling” | Maria Orlova | Ust-Kamenogorsk Construction and Technical College |
| 2 | 2 place | 1. Murat Rustamov 2. Aleksandr Pak 3. Mikhail Borisov | Funeral Services “On the Last Journey” | Saltanat Rashid | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 3 | 2 place | AnastassiyaKutsobina | Taste of Care: Meal Delivery for Children with Special Needs | Yulia Latsis | “Kwanson” Kazakh-Korean college |
| 4 | 3 place | 1. MarzhanYerikzhankyzy 2. InabatZeinelova | “Limitless Opportunity” project to develop the creative potential of special children | Shynar Nabieva | Higher college of Amanzholov East Kazakhstan university |
«Education, Information and Digital Technologies»Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | RadomirKrasilnikov | “Project for the development of an unmanned aerial system for monitoring and extinguishing steppe and landscape fires (reconnaissance, detection, localization, and fire suppression)” | BakytzhanMakarimov, DinaraSydykaeva | Ust-Kamenogorsk Higher Polytechnic College |
| 2 | 2 place | 1. ArlanOnalbekov2. NurmukhametYbyrayuly | Confident Step | GulimTleulessova | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 3 | 2 place | 1. Denis Abramovsky 2. ArseniyBudanov | AI Encyclopedia | Ivan Pozdeev | Ust-Kamenogorsk Higher Polytechnic College |
| 4 | 3 place | 1. Danil Polyakov 2. Viktor Bobrov | From Image to Web-Project | ZhanarShegirova | Ridder College |
| 5 | 3 place | AkmarzhanNurbolkyzy | Smart Kundelik | DinaraLukpanova | Comprehensive school №49″ of Ust-Kamenogorsk |
| 6 | 3 place | 1.VladimirEikhman 2. NikolayPucheglazov3. AleksandrianaKrezhanovskaya | 24 RentTech-rent of electronics | Danil Kuzyutin | Technical and Economic College of Information Technology |
«Medicine, Health, Beauty Industry» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | 1. AnastassiyaStoyakina 2. BatyrkhanNurmukhamet | Educational website for people with hearing impairments | NazgulAkbayeva | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 2 | 2 place | 1.Ivan Timonin 2. Anna Ladygina | Maternity school “Hive of Joy” | AnastassiyaKromm | Altay higher college |
| 3 | 3 place | Aruzhan Muratova | Manicure and pedicure service | AraylymKarimova | Burabay secondary school |
«Show Business, Culture, Art» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | Miras Rysbek | “Development of street infrastructure for traditional types of recreation (rushing)” | ShyrailymSembina | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 2 | 2 place | 1. ShyngusKaiyrgazy 2. Margarita Bulatova | «TUMAR ART» – national handmade products from recycled wood | 1. ShagalaToleubek 2.DanagulSeisebayeva | Assubulaksecondary school |
| 3 | 2 place | Violetta Sorokina | “ForYou – Music That Tells Your Story.” A personalized music gift studio. | Anara Issanova | East Kazakhstan College of Arts named after People’s Artists the Abdullin Brothers” |
| 4 | 3 place | AruzhanAdilbekova | Creation of a street art zone with elements of environmental improvement | AizhanAkhmetova | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
«Transport, Logistics and Ecology» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | 1. AdemiYertaykyzy 2. AiymNurzhankyzy | Ertis Logistic | YergazyNukayev | Eastern Technical and Humanitarian College |
| 2 | 2 place | 1.Aiym Kadyr, 2. AruzhanAzamat | «EcoTire» | GulnaraAlzhanova | Regional Specialized School-Lyceum-Boarding School for Gifted Children |
| 3 | 2 place | 1. YeldosSovetbekov 2. Rauan Mussin | “Smart traffic lights that optimize traffic flow” | 1. KarakatRakhymzhanova 2. NazerkeMyrzakhmetova | Oralkhan BokeyLyceum No. 44 |
| 4 | 3 place | Yernat Zhanibekuly | Production of eco-packages (biodegradable) | ShakhramSoltanbekova | D.SerikbayevHigher College |
| 5 | 3 place | BatyrkhanKassymkhanov | Innovative road surface that generates electricity through energy-road-motion | Meruert Seitova | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
«Production, Technologies, Agriculture» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | Kirill Sherudilo | Quail farm | Yelena Baigonyssova | Y. AltynsarinGlubokovskayaSecondary School |
| 2 | 2 place | 1. AlenaMoisseyenko 2. ZlataSamorodova 3. MadiyarMarkhatuly | EcoGreen: Growing Microgreens at Home as an Eco-Friendly Urban Agribusiness | MeiyrliRamazanova | Higher college of Amanzholov East Kazakhstan university |
| 3 | 2 place | 1. Rukhiya Tolegen 2. Aikhanym Sainova | Smart Helmet | 1. KarakatRakhymzhanova 2. NazerkeMyrzakhmetova | Oralkhan BokeyLyceum No. 44 |
| 4 | 3 place | Anna Astapova | Opening of a bakery in the native village of Khlebny Khutor | Yekaterina Yudina | KumashNurgaliyev Higher College |
| 5 | 3 place | 1. DaniyarImangazinov2. Artur Kazakov | Robotic assistant system for the Ministry of Emergency Situations: search, reconnaissance, and fire suppression | Bakhytzhan Makarimov, DinaraSydykayeva | Ust-KamenogorskHigher PolytechnicCollege |
| 6 | 3 place | 1. DanagulNurakhmetova 2. Anna Saburova | Production and sale of drinking water for a healthy lifestyle “Bastau water” | Tatyana Klinovitskaya | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
«Hotel Business, Catering» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | 1. Ildar Avtudinov 2. MargulanKemeshov | KEL Doner | Madina Kizatova | Eastern Technical and Humanitarian College |
| 2 | 2 место | 1. Dana Nazymbekova 2. Aida Kindikuzhina | “CoffeeDonna” | Madina Kizatova | Eastern Technical and Humanitarian College |
| 3 | 3 place | Irina Martynova | Investment project: Family cafe “Milano” | Assel Ilyukhina | Ridder college |
«Trade» Nomination
| № | Place | Participant’s Full Name | Project Name | Supervisor | Name of Organization |
| 1 | 1 place | MalikaToleukhanova | Creating an accessible environment for outdoor intellectual recreation (chess and togyzkumalak) | ShyrailymSembina | Ust-Kamenogorsk college of economics and technology |
| 2 | 2 place | Margarita Ulyanova | Opening of kids’ clothes store | Yelena Kostubayeva Yelena Kirsh | ShemonaikhaCollege |
| 3 | 3 place | 1. AidanaSagatbekova 2. YenlikBakhytbekkyzy | Qyrmyzyshop | Dinara Bopayeva | Secondary Specialized School No. 45 |
«Design(Types), Creative Industries» Nomination
The expert committees for the following nominations were chaired by: Altynai Toleuhan for “Social Entrepreneurship” and “Hotel Business and Catering”; Perizat Rakhatovna for “Trade” and “Design and Creative Industries”; Maria R.Datsaeva for “Manufacturing, Technology, and Agriculture”; Arailym K. Sembina for “Show Business, Culture, and Art” and “Transport, Logistics, and Ecology”; Kristina I. Makartseva for “Education, Information, and Digital Technologies”; and AizaZh. Turgambaeva for “Medicine, Health, and Beauty Industry” and “Tourism.”
The regional stage of the Republican Grand Tournament “I Am an Entrepreneur” demonstrated that young people have a keen interest in business, a desire for self-fulfillment, and a desire to develop in this field. Such initiatives not only support aspiring entrepreneurs but also shape the region’s future business environment.
Business Department
