Engineer of the Year
The strongest individual contributor — shipping the work the industry stands on.
Who it's for
Backend, frontend, mobile, infra, ML — any senior+ engineering role.
Represented by
To be announced
QAZAQ IT AWARDS 2026
Apply for theQAZAQ IT AWARDS 2026
8 nominations. The best specialists and projects of Kazakhstan's IT industry.
Nominations
8 categories where leaders are found
The jury looks for the best specialists and teams in Kazakhstan's 2026 IT scene.
Apply for this nomination
Tech Founder of the Year
Founder who turned an idea into a product with real revenue and a team.
Who it's for
CEO or co-founder of a product company in traction or scale-up stage.
Represented by
To be announced
Product of the Year
A product that changed user behavior or unlocked a new segment.
Who it's for
Product teams and companies that launched or substantially updated a product in 2026.
Represented by
To be announced
Designer of the Year
The designer whose work sets the bar for the country's IT scene.
Who it's for
Product, UX or brand designers with shipped work in 2026.
Represented by
To be announced
Data / AI Specialist of the Year
Someone turning data and models into real business value.
Who it's for
Data Scientists, ML Engineers, AI Researchers with production systems shipped.
Represented by
To be announced
Tech Educator of the Year
The person growing the next generation of engineers and product people.
Who it's for
Mentors, instructors, course authors, meetup and bootcamp organizers.
Represented by
To be announced
Rising Star
A young specialist already setting the tone for the years to come.
Who it's for
Under 25, fewer than 3 years in the industry, with a clear real-world result.
Represented by
To be announced
Women in Tech Leader
powered by Women in Tech Kazakhstan
A woman who has made a significant contribution to technology, products and the professional community, inspiring others through leadership and expertise.
Who it's for
Founders and CEOs, CTO/CIO/CPO, product and engineering managers, engineers, Data/AI specialists, designers, tech leads, community leaders, educators and researchers.
Represented by
To be announced
Why join
What participation gives you
Industry recognition
An award from the key players in Kazakhstan's IT community.
Media reach
Winner profiles get picked up by media, social, and insider channels.
Networking
Direct access to jury, ambassadors and partners of the awards.
Access to leaders
Intros to funds, founders and product teams at top companies.
Ambassadors
Awards ambassadors
Industry leaders who represent QAZAQ IT AWARDS 2026 and help find the strongest candidates.
Asel Marchenko
Deputy Chair, National Payment Corporation JSC
Ambassador
Aibolat Kulatay
Director, Thousand IT
Ambassador
Agiis Konkabaeva
Chief AI & Transformation Officer, Beeline Kazakhstan
Ambassador
Arman Shokparov
Founding Partner, People Consulting and On Point
Ambassador
Aida Dusova
Director, Almaty Hub
Ambassador
Pavel Koktyshev
CEO, MOST Holding
Ambassador
Zhanargul Izimova
Senior executive, 20+ years in fintech and the Big Four
Ambassador
Bakht Niyazov
Venture investor, founder of Justart VC
Ambassador
Kanat Israilov
CEO, Freedom Speech
Ambassador
Ekaterina Rekhert
Founder, DataBoom data analysis school
Ambassador
Timeline
What happens and when
August
Applications open
October 25
Applications close
November 3
Short List announced
Digital Day 2026
Awards ceremony
Submit application
Fill out the form
All fields are required. The jury will review your application and contact those who make the Short List.