Young female entrepreneurs dominate the startup scene in Kazakhstan, according to recent data.
Ready for some mind-blowing stats? Listen up! According to the Institute of Public Policy, women make up a whopping 55.4% of young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan, rocking the entrepreneurial world! And it's not just the urban areas where we're seeing this trend – the rural areas are right there with 'em, with women claiming 54.5% of the entrepreneurial pie.
But wait, there's more! The number of young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan has been on a rollercoaster ride since 2020, skyrocketing by an astonishing 60.4%! If you break down that number, you'll see that an impressive 40% of individual entrepreneurs under 35 are young guns just like you.
So, what's causing this surge in youth entrepreneurship? Well, between the first quarter of 2020 and the same quarter in 2025, the number of young individual entrepreneurs grew by a whopping 2.4 times—from 293,590 to a staggering 698,920! And guess what happened in 2022? A 68% increase in youth entrepreneurship! That's what we're talking about, folks!
Three-quarters of these young entrepreneurs are city slickers, ride the urbanization wave that's swept over the nation. But don't be fooled. Only 4.7% of them are farming, foresting, or fishing – that's laughably low compared to the overall population.
So, where are all these young Kazakhs putting their entrepreneurial skills to work? It looks like they're focusing on three main areas:
- Trade and repair of motor vehicles: It seems like young entrepreneurs are living their best lives fixing cars and selling goods.
- Provision of other types of services: From beauty parlors to tech support, these entrepreneurs are offering a diverse range of services.
- Transportation and warehousing: Young entrepreneurs are making their mark in this competitive industry.
Now, here's where things get interesting. We don't have hard numbers, but it's rumored that the Kazakhstan Government and international programs like the EBRD’s Women in Business Programme II and Youth in Business programme are helping to give young female entrepreneurs a boost—increasing their numbers by a reported 15%. And don't forget about those green-minded entrepreneurs targeting green technology and energy efficiency, thanks to support from programs like the EBRD’s GEFF Kazakhstan II.
So there you have it: Kazakhstan's youth entrepreneurship scene is on fire, and women are leading the charge! If you've got the drive, now's the time to join this exciting, growing movement!
[1] EBRD – European Bank for Reconstruction and Development[2] World Bank – The World Bank Group[5] CB Insights – CB Insights News & Analysis on Technology, Business,Markets, Fintech, Cloud, AI, Venture Capital, Banking, Healthcare, Startups, Fintech, Biotech, Robotics, IoT, Digital Transformation[Photo credit: Shutterstock]
- In Kazakhstan, the Institute of Public Policy reports that an astounding 55.4% of young entrepreneurs are women, making waves in the entrepreneurial world.
- Despite the prevalence of this trend in urban areas, women in rural areas also claim 54.5% of the entrepreneurial market in Kazakhstan.
- Since 2020, the number of young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan has risen by 60.4%, with 40% of individual entrepreneurs under 35 being the new generation of business leaders.
- Between 2020 and 2025, the number of young individual entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan has grown by approximately 2.4 times, from 293,590 to 698,920.
- Small-business sectors like trade and repair of motor vehicles, provision of various services such as beauty parlors and tech support, and transportation and warehousing are attracting most young entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan.
- The Kazakhstan Government and international programs, including the EBRD’s Women in Business Programme II, Youth in Business programme, and GEFF Kazakhstan II, are rumored to be assisting young female entrepreneurs, possibly increasing their numbers by 15%.
