Almaty has become Kazakhstan’s highest-ranked city in the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026. It climbed 62 places to 291st globally, overtaking Astana in 332nd. Almaty’s score increased by 70.1%, changing the leadership within a national ecosystem built around two relatively closely matched hubs.
Almaty scored 1.971 against Astana’s 1.578, a lead of approximately 25%. These are city scores and cannot be compared directly with the population-adjusted national score. Astana’s growth rate is not specified in the report section used here.
| Ecosystem | Global rank | Score | Score change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almaty | 291 | 1.971 | 70.1 |
| Astana | 332 | 1.578 | Not specified |
A new leader, with a substantial second hub
A lead of one quarter of Astana’s score is meaningful, but it differs from ecosystems where the leading city is ten or more times larger by score. Kazakhstan retains two locations worth assessing separately when looking for partners, staff and business opportunities.
Astana lost 17 places. That movement alone does not establish a fall in funding or company numbers. Ranking changes measure relative position; investment analysis requires transaction data rather than the overall table.
The country retains its regional position
Kazakhstan remains Central Asia’s highest-ranked country, in 71st place globally. Its national score rose 26.5%, despite a one-place decline. This is a separate result that cannot be inferred solely from the movements of Almaty and Astana.
Among Central Asian cities, Tashkent now leads and Almaty ranks second. Country leadership and city leadership therefore identify different locations. For founders, choosing an operating base requires a more detailed comparison than selecting a country by its headline rank.
What businesses should assess next
For an Azerbaijani company, both cities belong on an initial shortlist. Access to sector-specific customers, relevant partners and local staffing costs should determine the next comparison. An ecosystem index cannot establish where an individual product will secure its first contract.
Almaty’s score points to strong momentum. Follow-on funding, overseas sales and outcomes after support programmes would help assess its durability. The change of leader adds a competitive dimension within Kazakhstan without making one city the universal choice for every startup.
