Atameken Fest has been launched in Nur-Sultan. It is a unique platform for young and successful entrepreneurs told their success stories, shared experience and gave advice to future entrepreneurs. Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs presented a new programme for youth ‘Zhas Kasіpker’ and spoke about the benefits of business literacy.

The festival was attended by about 2,000 young people, novice entrepreneurs, and the main event was the launch of the educational online platform ‘Atameken Academy’ for beginners and active entrepreneurs.

 “We can say with confidence that there are no analogues to such a large-scale Festival in our country. This is a cool youth party, where you can get a lot of useful acquaintances, a lot of tips and life hacks on personal growth, achievement of goals,” the author of the Atameken Academy startup and Atameken Fest, founder of the Rocket Study educational centers network Arslan Darimov said.

Thanks to the online platform, participants will be able to continue receiving useful information and communicate within the community of the Academy, develop together and go to a new level.

Arslan started the business from school. Having received an educational grant to an American university, the young man realized that he did not want to leave country.

 “I did not pass the UNT, refused the grant to the American university and went down to the most extreme point. The teachers predicted that I was destined to become a janitor,”Arslan Darimov said.

As a schoolboy, the young man began tutoring and teaching English, and later opened a small office. Today Arslan Darimov is the owner of 16 schools in Kazakhstan and Omsk.

The guest of the festival, chairman of the board of Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan JSC Umut Shayakhmetova admitted that she performed for the first time in such a format. The speaker admitted that when creating her personal success story, she understood “the world is her oyster”.

“Unlike Arslan (Arslan Darimov, - ed.), I was an excellent student who had always been involved in public work. We worried about the collapse of the Union, I studied in Moscow, nobody knew if that was truly path. But I had known for sure that I was ready to take the responsibility for the family and would not sit and wait,”Umut Bolatkhanovna confessed.

Her career got better and better: from specialist to deputy chairman, from deputy chairman to chairman of the board. In 2009, a crisis hit Kazakhstan. Prices fell for everything: real estate, grain, oil.

“There were a lot of doubts. Could a young woman manage a bank in a global crisis? Why not? I was young, my youngest child was 1 year old. I agreed to be appointed to the post. I was morally ready but said that if I wouldn’t cope with work I would take me off,”Umut Shayakhmetova said.

Umut Shayakhmetova presented a new program for young people. The bank has allocated 1 billion tenge for people up to 30 years without collateral at 5% per annum. The conditions are simple - believe in your business plan. Also, the bank has programs to support women's entrepreneurship, there is active support for small and medium-sized businesses, and a digitalization program.

“We are ready not only to help and sponsor you, but also to hire you,” Umut Shayakhmetova concluded.

Another youth program, the start of which will be given in July, is Zhas Kasіpker. This is an opportunity for 100 thousand students and people up to 29 years old to study entrepreneurship, get a grant or a profitable loan and start a business. The project will work in Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Shymkent.

 “It is clear that everyone is sitting and do not know where they will be in 5-7 years. After school, many young people cannot get a job and choose the type of activity. Atameken is concerned about this issue,” Eldar Jumagaziev, deputy dhairman of the Board of Atameken, said.

According to Eldar Zhumagaziev, you need to understand who is a physicist, a chemist, and who can become an entrepreneur since school.

On September 1, Basics of Entrepreneurship course will be taught in all schools of Kazakhstan in an elective form and next year the subject will be introduced in colleges and universities.

 “In general, all this will ensure creation of enterprise ecosystem. We set a goal to form a layer of entrepreneurs. You know, I remember the phrase from the film: “If you are on the verge of a divorce, then you have a career peak”. This means that the career will always take a lot of time. We are planning to hold festivals of this format in all regions,” Eldar Jumagaziev said.

Famous Kazakhstani young entrepreneurs, Yuframe project participant Arman Yusupov, SABYRZHANAYRIN founder Rustem Ermekbay, founder of MIRASKIN Miras Imanmadir supported the initiative to teach business literacy to young people.

Famous public figure in Instagram Temirkhan Asylbek did not immediately become a successful entrepreneur.

“Prior to my popularity on the Internet, I started with sushi delivery, bought equipment, hired a cook, but we did not work a single day. It is necessary to develop business plan. Think first then do. Remember, trends are passing,”Temirkhan Asylbek said.

He noted that today there are many young people among entrepreneurs, and it is difficult to compete with them.

In conclusion, Temirkhan Asylbek gave some tips to beginners. First, always believe in yourself. Secondly, any business requires investments. This means you need to lend some money from your parents, relatives or take a loan, but the main thing is not to give up. Thirdly, be patient and work hard. The most important thing is to love your job.

The full video of Atameken FEST is available here: part 1, part 2

Atameken FEST is a unique platform that will become an annual event for the youth of Kazakhstan. This is a platform where young and successful entrepreneurs gather, who share not only their success stories, but also clear case studies and unique business lifehacks.