Alem Tech Fest 2026, an international festival dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence, robotics, and engineering technologies among young people has launched in Astana. The festival gathered teams from around the world, including participants from Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Estonia.
The event runs from February 11 to 13 and features competitions based on FIRST standards, as well as contests involving drones, humanoid robots, and other disciplines aimed at building practical skills in STEM and AI. El.kz correspondent attended the festival and shared the impressions with our readers.
The goal of the event is to promote international exchange of experience, strengthen ties between schools, universities, and industry, and foster a culture of teamwork and innovation.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
The event opened with the performance of the national anthem of Kazakhstan.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
Among the distinguished guests were representatives of the government and business community. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev highlighted the importance of the event for young people.
“The current generation is very talented. There is strong interest among participants in the development of digitalization. I wish everyone fair competition, victories, and great prospects", he said.
Robots, drones, and AI in action
Competitions run daily from morning till evening across a wide range of categories, including FLL Challenge, FTC, Physical AI Championship, RoboCup Rescue and Soccer, FPV Simulator Racing, and much more. Separate categories such as FLL Discover and Explore are designed for younger school students.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
An educational forum is also taking place as part of the festival, featuring lectures on archaeology, project launches, and startup culture. Speakers from all participating countries are scheduled to present.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
Participants' voices
The festival is not only about competitions, but also about the stories of young inventors.
Sultan Akhmatov from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) represents his team in the FLL (First Lego League).
Photo: Artem Churssinov
Their LEGO-built robot is designed to extract artifacts. It is equipped with shovels for digging, drills, sensors to identify artifacts, and grabbers with a lift mechanism for collecting rare finds.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
“We started working on the robot in September last year. We also brought a game robot. There are eight people on our team,” Sultan said.
A team from Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Code Socking Team, is competing in the FTC (First Tech Challenge) category.
“This is a basic model with modifications for shooting artifacts into a ring. There are six of us, all 9th-graders, and four already have competition experience. This is our first year, but we plan to win and go to the championship in the United States,” the team said.
Alem Tech Fest is inspired by global initiatives such as the FIRST Robotics Competition, founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen to promote STEM among young people. In Kazakhstan, events like this support the country’s national digitalization strategy.
Photo: Artem Churssinov
According to the Ministry of Digital Development, Kazakhstan invested more than 100 billion tenge in AI and education in 2025, making the festival a key step in workforce development. The festival not only identifies talent, but also inspires young inventors: winners will earn the chance to compete at world championships, while all participants receive certificates and invaluable experience.