The AIFC investment platform – VentureRocket Eurasia launches a fundraising campaign for a new startup project

The AIFC member, an Uzbekistan-based retail startup BILLZ Ltd. is raising funds on the VentureRocket Eurasia platform.  

BILLZ (https://billz.uz/) is a software solution that helps both manage and boost online and offline retail businesses. The product offers a set of intuitive and easy-to-use tools that serve to analyze sales, manage goods, staff, and finances, attract more customers, and even educate the team on the retail processes. 

“We help small and medium-sized businesses achieve maximum efficiency, saving time and money by providing them with easy-to-use technology to simplify daily work processes, as well as customer management and intelligent analytics tools. More than 500 retailers are already using our solution. Fundraising will help to work out the technical aspects of our product and its further scaling on a regional and global level”, – said Rustam Khamdamov, CEO and co-founder of BILLZ Ltd. 

In 2020, BILLZ Ltd. has received its first investments from the British VC fund Sturgeon Capital. In 2021, the fund also continues with follow-on investments, participating in a new round.

” BILLZ is a good example of how the company can improve the digitalization and retail automation industry, which is making a significant contribution to the economy and employment in the region. At the same time, the startup is headed by one of the most talented management teams in Central Asia”, – added the Sturgeon Capital’s investment director, Robin Butler. 

The VentureRocket Eurasia (VRE) is licensed and incorporated by the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA). The AIFC Tech Hub and a global R&D and innovation company Titanium Technologies, have founded the platform earlier this year. BILLZ is the second technological startup launching its fundraising campaign on the VRE. 

“It is a considerable step for the Central Asian VC market to have a new tool of investing in startups. VRE not only serves as a platform for raising capital but also unites investors, startups, and other ecosystem players in one place. We firmly believe VRE will give a new impulse for VC development in the region and invite funds, VC and angel investors to join our platform”, – shared Arslan Kudiyar, the CEO at VentureRocket Eurasia. 

Reference:

Astana International Financial Centre was established on the initiative of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev as part of the National Plan “100 steps to implement five institutional reforms”. On July 2, 2020, as part of the meeting of the AIFC Management Council, the Center’s Development Strategy was adopted until 2025. According to it, the vision of the AIFC is to become a leading international financial centre in the region, including Central Asia, the Caucasus, the EAEU countries, Western China, Mongolia and Eastern Europe. 

The mission of AIFC is to promote the sustainable long-term development of the region. As the Head of State noted, K.Tokayev, “The AIFC with its unique capabilities can act as a universal platform connecting the countries of the region.” www.aifc.kz 

AIFC Tech Hub is the meeting point for global start-ups, entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, experts, and specialists in the field of innovation. Technology development in the AIFC includes programs to support startups, corporate innovations, the venture capital market, specially developed rules and a regulator that allow testing products and solutions in the field of technology. https://tech.aifc.kz/ 

VentureRocket Eurasia is a startup ecosystem management and investment platform, set up by the AIFC Tech Hub and the global research and innovation company, Titanium Technologies (https://titanium-tech.net/). 

This is the first co-investment platform for startups in Central Asia that aims at attracting regional and global capital providers. For investors, this platform is an opportunity to connect with vetted startups, invest with other partners, and enter a global network of other ecosystem members to get startup support services from them. https://venturerocket.vc/