Kazakhstan is preparing for the launch of Decentrathon 5.0 the country's largest multi-location hackathon, which will gather the technological community across the republic. In this article El.kz explores why Decentrathon 5.0 is vital not only for developers but for the entire digital ecosystem of Kazakhstan.
"This is one of the largest IT events in the country, which for several years has been uniting developers from all regions of Kazakhstan. This format allows us to consolidate human capital and strengthen expertise in the field of artificial intelligence. In accordance with the priorities outlined by the President within the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, the involvement of the professional community in the development and popularization of domestic digital solutions takes on special significance. The global trend toward approaches is intensifying, and it is important that it becomes part of our national practice. This will provide an additional impetus to the quality and relevance of technological products,"Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy PM and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasised.
Not only Astana and Almaty
This season, the project will cover 20 cities. The list includes not only the usual IT hubs but also Taraz, Turkestan, Kyzylorda, Zhezkazgan, Konayev, Uralsk, and other locations that rarely find themselves at the center of a major technological conversation.
This is where it gets interesting. Kazakhstan's digital environment has long lived with a bias toward a few major hubs. Such formats attempt to break this old geography not through words, but through the direct involvement of people in the work.
The Hackathon as a mirror of engineering demand
Organizers expect over 3,000 developers to participate. This is no longer a niche event for a dozen enthusiasts; it is an indicator that a significant demand has accumulated in the country for platforms where solutions can be rapidly assembled, ideas tested, and where teams can move from "discussion mode" to "building mode."
Separately, the participation of 1,500 teams has been announced. Such density is important not just as a pretty statistic, but as a sign that the technological environment is maturing. It shows a community that doesn't just want to hear about the future but wants to build it with their own hands facing deadlines, competition.
AI and Blockchain
Participants are offered two key tracks. The choice is telling: these are not just buzzwords for presentations, but the fields where state interest, market expectations, and the struggle for new competencies are currently concentrated.
AI in Kazakhstan today is no longer promoted as an abstract topic about the future, but as part of the official state line. This is evident from the launch of a dedicated ministry and the fact that 2026 has been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence by Presidential decree.
The story with Blockchain is more complex and therefore more interesting. It has long been surrounded by excessive noise, speculation, and unnecessary romanticism, but the hackathon format allows for the quick separation of real engineering work from the usual marketing fog.
A New Format
The kickoff event will take place on March 27 in Shymkent. Organizers promise an opening ceremony, a festive program, merch, and all the mandatory external attributes of a major launch. But after that, participants will have to transition from the "atmosphere" to the substance.
Following the launch, teams will go online for 9 days. This is usually where the magic of banners ends and reality begins conference calls, revisions, sleep deprivation, arguments over every hypothesis, and the attempt to bring a raw prototype to a state that isn't embarrassing to show at the final presentation.
The State’s Perspective
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development supports the project not just as another event for the calendar. In its official position, the emphasis is placed on human capital, strengthening expertise, and involving the professional community in the development of domestic digital solutions.
"If the world is increasingly using crowdsourcing approaches, Kazakhstan also needs its own skill for collective technological assembly, rather than an eternal dependence on external, ready-made products", Zhaslan Madiyev emphasised.
A test of maturity, not just enthusiasm
Decentrathon 5.0 is interesting precisely because its scale demands a stricter look not as an industry holiday, but as a test of whether the Kazakhstani IT environment can work in a distributed, fast, and truly collaborative manner.
If this structure works, it won't just be the hackathon winners who benefit. The very regional fabric of technological Kazakhstan will win, as developers from different cities stop being points on a map and begin to form a unified network. And that is far more important than any merch.