Activat VC
Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital firm founded in 2014 that invests pre-seed and seed capital (up to $100,000 per startup) into early-stage IT startups across Central Asia, the Caucasus, and selectively the USA, providing smart money (capital plus expertise and partnerships) through a community-driven model with scouts, an investor club, and educational programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAstana, Kazakhstan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Activat VC does
Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital firm founded in 2014 by Marat Tolybai that operates on a 'smart money' principle, providing capital, expertise, and partnership networks to early-stage IT startups rather than purely financial investment. The firm targets pre-seed and seed stage startups across Kazakhstan, Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan), the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia), and selectively in the USA, with stated investment checks up to $100,000 per project and syndicate structures for larger rounds through its Activat Invest Club. Since inception, Activat VC has deployed capital into 20+ portfolio companies spanning AI/ML, fintech, retail tech, HR tech, agritech, and marketing technology, and has recorded three exits: ZYPL.AI in 2024 (the firm's first), BILLZ in 2025, and Glorri.
The firm operates a community-driven deal sourcing model anchored on a 9-person core team, a network of 7+ regional venture scouts, recurring startup pitch events (Clash of Startups in partnership with Yandex Qazaqstan and IT Park Uzbekistan), and structured founder and investor education programs (a 41-lesson Startup Course and a 12-lesson Venture Investment Course). Activat VC runs an integrated ecosystem through its sub-brands: Activat Invest (an investor club), Activat Startup (a Telegram-based founder community), 1st Angel Club, School of Business Angels, and an Advisory Board program that provides portfolio mentoring. Distribution channels include direct applications via apply.activat.vc, the Activat Invest Club onboarding flow, scout referrals, and event-driven sourcing, with partnerships across Astana Hub, BI Group, United Ventures, UC Ventures, IT Park Uzbekistan, BGlobal Ventures, and White Hill Capital extending its regional reach.
The business model generates revenue primarily through venture capital returns (equity stakes with a stated 3-year or 2-round exit discipline), supplemented by co-investment syndication via the Activat Invest Club, educational course fees, and event/program-related income. A 9-person core team with functional coverage across investment (Chief Analyst), finance (CFO with prior holding-company CFO experience), legal (Melbourne-trained commercial lawyer), technology (CTO with 10+ years software experience), PR/marketing (Head of PR & Marketing with National Bank of Kazakhstan background), and investor relations (formerly Director of the MOST business incubator) supports the operation. Activat VC is privately held with no parent company, and its revenue, fund size, and AUM are not publicly disclosed.
Activat VC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Activat VC
- Legal name
- Activat VC
- Website
- https://activat.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital firm founded in 2014 that invests pre-seed and seed capital (up to $100,000 per startup) into early-stage IT startups across Central Asia, the Caucasus, and selectively the USA, providing smart money (capital plus expertise and partnerships) through a community-driven model with scouts, an investor club, and educational programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Activat VC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Geography-Focused Venture Capital (Regional/Emerging Markets) (FSANAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB), Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where Activat VC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Astana
- HQ country
- Kazakhstan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Activat VC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Returns: Activat VC generates returns through equity stakes in early-stage startups. The company invests up to $100,000 per project (with syndicate deals for larger amounts), takes equity in exchange for investment, and exits within 3 years or 2 rounds. Successful exits include Zypl.AI (first exit in 2024) and BILLZ (exited in 2025).
- Co-Investment and Club Fees: The Activat Invest Club enables co-investment in larger rounds, where Activat VC can write larger checks alongside club members. The club also functions as a community for angel investors, generating relationship-based deal flow and network effects.
- Educational Courses: Activat VC offers online courses for venture investors (12 lessons) and startup founders (41 lessons), generating educational content revenue and attracting potential deal flow at the earliest stages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Early-stage investment (Pre-seed/Seed): up to $100,000 per startup |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Activat VC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital firm founded in 2014 that invests "smart money" — capital combined with operational expertise and a partnership network — into early-stage (pre-seed and seed) IT startups across Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus region, with typical ticket sizes of up to $100,000 per project and exits targeted within 3 years or 2 rounds. The firm also operates an Activat Invest club for angel co-investors, online venture and startup educational courses, an Advisory Board for portfolio mentoring, and a venture scout program for deal sourcing.
Product overview
Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital company operating since 2014 with a 'smart money' investment approach, providing not only capital but also expertise and established partnerships to early-stage IT startups. The company offers a suite of investment and support services including a startup investment fund, the Activat Invest investor club for venture education, an introductory startup course (41 lessons), a venture investment course (12 lessons), Advisory Board strategic mentorship, and Scouting services. Their portfolio contains over 20 companies across Central Asia, Caucasus, and the USA, spanning sectors including AI/ML, fintech, retail tech, HR tech, agritech, and marketing technology. Investment amounts typically do not exceed $100,000 per project, with investments focused on Pre-seed and Seed stages in Kazakhstan, Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan), Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Activat Invest: Investor club for venture investing
- Activat Startup
- 1st Angel Club
- Clash of Startups
- Startup School
- Venture Investment Course
Products and services
- Activat VC Investment Services Venture capital investment service providing smart money (capital, expertise, and partnerships) to early-stage IT startups in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus region. Typical ticket size is up to $100,000 per project at pre-seed and seed stages, targeting exits within 3 years or 2 rounds.
- Activat Invest Club
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 20 startups invested in since 2014, with 3 successful exits (BILLZ, Zypl.AI, Glorri). Approximately $400,000 invested across 6 projects in 2024 alone.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Activat VC
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Activat VC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Activat VC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- United VenturesminorActivat VC and United Ventures signed an official memorandum of cooperation to explore joint investment opportunities and knowledge sharing across the Central Asian venture ecosystem.
- White Hill CapitalminorAt Baku ID forum, Azerbaijan's Agency for Innovation and Digital Development and White Hill Capital announced a new joint venture fund. Activat VC has relationships with White Hill Capital as part of the broader regional venture ecosystem.
- Yandex QazaqstancoreActivat VC and Yandex Qazaqstan co-organized the 'Clash of Startups' event in March 2025, where startups pitched to a jury of venture capital experts. Yandex Cloud provided cloud service grants to winners (6M KZT to BookEat and UGC Match, 3M KZT to Qutty Band). The partnership surfaces early-stage startups and positions Activat VC as a key ecosystem player.
- BI GroupcoreActivat VC signed a memorandum of cooperation with BI Group, Kazakhstan's largest construction holding company. The partnership aims to identify and support technology startups that can contribute to the development of BI Group's ecosystem, including through programs like BI Synergy Sprint and BI EdTech Challenge.
- BGlobal VenturesminorActivat VC and BGlobal Ventures co-organized the School of Business Angels in Astana (December 2024) and Almaty (December 2025), training new angel investors and building the regional investor community.
- IT Park Uzbekistan / IT Park VenturescoreActivat VC partnered with IT Park Uzbekistan and IT Park Ventures to organize the Clash of Startups: Tashkent event in September 2025 as part of ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025, identifying and showcasing regional startup talent.
- UC VenturesminorA memorandum of cooperation was signed with UC Ventures (Uzbekistan venture fund) during ICTWEEK Uzbekistan, facilitating cross-border deal flow and co-investment opportunities between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
- Kazakhstan Venture Market Players (Ethical Code)minorActivat VC initiated and co-signed the Ethical Code of Kazakhstan's venture industry along with other market players, establishing standards for due diligence, investment transparency, and founder treatment.
- Caucasus VenturesminorCaucasus Ventures is identified as a key venture fund in the Caucasus region. Activat VC has invested in two Azerbaijani startups (ePoint and Glorri) and maintains relationships with local venture funds including Caucasus Ventures for deal sharing and regional ecosystem development.
- Astana HubcoreAstana Hub is Kazakhstan's largest international IT startup technopark. Activat VC works closely with Astana Hub for deal sourcing, event co-organization, and startup support. Astana Hub has helped create international representations for Kazakhstani startups in San Francisco, Dubai, and Shanghai.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Activat VC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- United Ventures: Regional VC active in Central Asia with whom Activat signed a cooperation memorandum. Comparable in stage focus and geographic mandate.
- UC Ventures: Uzbekistan-based venture fund that signed a memorandum with Activat VC for cross-border deal flow and co-investment. Both target Central Asian early-stage IT startups.
- Accelerate Prosperity: Central Asia-focused early-stage VC fund backed by the Aga Khan Development Network, investing in IT and fintech startups across Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and broader Central Asia. Direct competitor for early-stage Central Asian IT deals.
- White Hill Capital: Azerbaijan-focused venture fund partnered with Azerbaijan's Agency for Innovation and Digital Development. Operates in the Caucasus region Activat also covers and competes for Azerbaijani startup deal flow.
- MOST Ventures: Kazakhstan-based early-stage VC and accelerator fund (formerly MOST Business Incubator) operating in the same Central Asian market, targeting pre-seed and seed IT startups. Activat's IR Manager Anuar Lenzat previously directed MOST, illustrating the tight ecosystem overlap.
- Caucasus Ventures: Key venture fund focused on the Caucasus region. Activat has invested in two Azerbaijani startups (ePoint, Glorri) and shares deal flow with this peer in the Caucasus.
- BGlobal Ventures: Regional VC that co-organizes the School of Business Angels with Activat in Astana and Almaty. Targets angel-stage and early-stage deals in Central Asia with a comparable community-led model.
Broad incumbents
- Beenext: Global early-stage VC with emerging-market exposure that has historically backed founders across Central and South Asia. Larger and better-capitalized, providing a benchmark for Activat's next-stage scaling ambitions.
Regional players
- Astana Hub: Kazakhstan's largest international IT startup technopark and government-backed accelerator. Not a direct VC competitor, but a critical deal-sourcing partner and ecosystem anchor for Activat.
- IT Park Ventures: Uzbekistan's state-backed IT park and venture arm that partnered with Activat on the Clash of Startups: Tashkent event. Operates at the intersection of government program and venture investment in Central Asia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Activat VC social profiles
Digital presenceActivat VC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Activat VC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Activat VC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Activat VC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments27 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Activat VC
What does Activat VC do?
Activat VC is a Kazakhstan-based venture capital firm founded in 2014 that invests "smart money" — capital combined with operational expertise and a partnership network — into early-stage (pre-seed and seed) IT startups across Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus region, with typical ticket sizes of up to $100,000 per project and exits targeted within 3 years or 2 rounds. The firm also operates an Activat Invest club for angel co-investors, online venture and startup educational courses, an Advisory Board for portfolio mentoring, and a venture scout program for deal sourcing.
Is Activat VC a public or private company?
Activat VC is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Activat VC founded?
Activat VC was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Activat VC based?
Activat VC is headquartered in Astana, Kazakhstan, in the Asia region.
How does Activat VC make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Venture Capital Returns are the primary driver. The others are co-Investment and Club Fees and educational Courses.
Who are Activat VC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are United Ventures, UC Ventures, Accelerate Prosperity, White Hill Capital, MOST Ventures, Caucasus Ventures and BGlobal Ventures. Beenext is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Astana Hub and IT Park Ventures.
Does Activat VC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Activat VC.
What industry is Activat VC in?
Activat VC's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAE, Geography-Focused Venture Capital (Regional/Emerging Markets), with a secondary code of FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.