Almaty, November 21, 2025.  The two-day innovation marathon, "AI in Engineering Hackathon 2025," officially kicked off today at the Inretnational  Engineering Technological University (IETU).

      The opening ceremony featured key representatives from the industry and the university. They not only welcomed the participants but also outlined specific applied challenges and expressed their expectations for the future solutions.

     The Rector of IETU, Associate Professor, and Corresponding Member of the National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Darkhan  Akpanbetov, wished the participants success and voiced his hope for breakthrough solutions. The IETU Rector noted that such events unite ideas and talents, creating a powerful platform for innovation.

He particularly highlighted the recurring statement made by the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: "Artificial intelligence will be the driving force of this transformation... Our main goal is to transform Kazakhstan into an advanced, civilized state."

Elena Eduardovna Li, President of the "Alliance for Innovation and Industrial Development" Association and Founder of the "Dolce Group" of companies, emphasized that such initiatives are a direct response to the Head of State`s challenges.

Representatives of the partners focused on the sectoral demand for AI:

T.B. Khasenov, Director of "Sea Star Tourism" LLP, pointed out problems in the tourism sector that require AI-driven solutions.
M.S. Kunurbayeva, Head of the "Salamat" Universal Branch at "Bereke Bank" JSC, stressed the necessity of AI in the banking sector.
A. Aktau, Director of "Data Group" LLP, showed particular interest in resolving problems using AI.
The key challenges of the hackathon were presented by B.T. Imashev, Director of the Strategic Analysis and Corporate Development Department at "Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund" JSC, who emphasized the practical value of the solutions.
"Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund" JSC, DATA GROUP, "Bereke Bank" JSC, "Nception Labs" LLP, B-Apps, "Sea Star Tourism" LLP, DEMETRA, and "Dolce-Pharm" LLP.
The competition has brought together 47 teams of engineers, programmers, and researchers from higher education institutions in Almaty. They will have 24 hours to develop breakthrough AI solutions aligned with national priorities.

AI in Economics: Development of intelligent systems for financial analysis and optimization of economic processes.
AI in Education: Creation of systems to improve the educational environment and campus management.
AI in Ecology: Application of AI to solve environmental problems and develop sustainable technologies.
The winners will receive a modern, high-specification laptop.
We wish all participants of the "AI in Engineering Hackathon 2025" at IETU the best of luck in developing breakthrough AI solutions that meet national priorities!