AIFC Connects Creative Projects with Private Capital at Astana Finance Days 2026
Creative Pitch Day 2026 featured 19 projects across film, music, game development and digital content. Following the pitch session, investors and project teams signed 9 letters of intent.
On 10 September 2026, as part of the 9th Astana Finance Days 2026: Delivering Impact. Capital in Action, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) held the panel discussion “Creative Industries as an Emerging Asset Class: Unlocking Investment in Film, Music, Gaming, and Digital Content” and the pilot investment pitch session Creative Pitch Day 2026.
The events brought together representatives of creative businesses, venture capital funds, digital platforms, industry organisations and strategic partners. The programme focused on transforming creative projects and intellectual property into commercially viable and investable assets.
The panel featured Aizatulla Hussein, Founder of ōzen; Olzhas Akparov, Chief Business Development Officer at Cyber Temple; Julia Kushnir, Head of Business Development Department in Eastern Europe and Central Asia at TikTok; and Askar Bilisbekov, Chief Executive Officer of Alem Capital Management Limited. The discussion was moderated by David Tuganov, President of the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan.
The participants discussed value-creation mechanisms for intellectual property in music, gaming and digital content, indicators of sustainable market demand, and the conditions creative businesses need to attract private capital. Attention was paid to financing music rights, promoting Kazakhstani gaming products internationally, using digital-platform data to assess audiences, and the criteria investors apply when evaluating creative companies.
The discussion highlighted that intellectual property can be treated as an investment asset when the underlying rights are clearly defined and protected, demand is measurable, the monetisation model is sustainable, and the team is capable of scaling the product. Depending on a project’s stage of development, financing may take the form of publishing or project finance, equity investment, future-revenue-sharing models, or financing backed by future income generated from intellectual property. The participants also considered the potential of emerging instruments, including the tokenisation of music rights.
The discussion continued with Creative Pitch Day 2026, a pilot investment session aimed at establishing direct interaction between creative entrepreneurs and potential investors. The organisers received more than 100 applications, of which 63 projects aligned with the programme’s industry focus. Following the initial review, 32 projects advanced to the next stage, while 19 projects were selected for the final shortlist and presented to investors.
Creative Pitch Day was not designed to select a single winner. Instead, investors independently identified the projects they wished to consider further. Following their presentations, the teams received professional feedback on their business models, monetisation strategies, intellectual property protection, the structure of their investment proposals, and their potential to enter international markets.
The session brought together representatives of Tolqyn Film Fund, Creative Capital Fund, JAS Venture Studio, Qazaq Creative, Grand Games, Alem Capital Management, MOST Ventures, Creata Venture Studio, White Hill Capital, Rise Venture Studio, the Creative Industries Alliance of Kazakhstan, as well as the Baiterek National Managing Holding JSC.
Following the pitch session, 9 letters of intent were signed, providing a framework for continued engagement between investors and project teams. The next stage may include further meetings, the submission of financial and legal documentation, project due diligence, discussions on financing structures, and the conclusion of investment or strategic agreements.
“At Astana Finance Days, it was important for us not only to initiate a discussion on creative industries as a new asset class, but also to translate that discussion immediately into practical action. Creative Pitch Day demonstrated that Kazakhstan is developing a pipeline of projects ready for substantive engagement with investors. The 9 letters of intent signed confirm genuine interest from private capital and lay the groundwork for further work on potential transactions,” said Zhanbolat Kakishev, Chief Product Officer of the AIFC Authority.
The panel discussion and Creative Pitch Day marked another step in the AIFC’s efforts to develop financial solutions for creative industries. The results and participant feedback will be used to improve project selection and support mechanisms, develop specialised financial instruments, and strengthen cooperation between creative businesses, investors and development institutions.
Reference:
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is an independent jurisdiction where investors and business meet emerging opportunities of Kazakhstan and Central Asia in a transparent and sustainable environment backed by the principles of English Common Law. www.aifc.kz
AIFC Press Office,
Ainur Issabayeva, press secretary
E-mail: [email protected]
