The AccLab network, supported by the Governments of Qatar and Germany, leverages local innovations and validates their potential to accelerate development
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan officially joined a global network of 92 UNDP innovative accelerator labs (AccLab) to test and scale new solutions to address global and local development challenges. The AccLab network, supported by the Governments of Qatar and Germany, leverages local innovations and validates their potential to accelerate development.
The AccLab will leverage innovative methods such as sense-making, collective intelligence or solutions mapping, and will present a new service offering by UNDP to the Government of Kazakhstan.
The establishment of AccLab under the UNDP comes at the right time as digitalization becomes a key driving force for social and economic development of the country, with digital transformation of public service delivery being one of the top priorities on public agenda.
According to Yakup Beris, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, ‘’The Accelerator Lab will focus on helping improve livelihoods through digitalization. We’ve already established strong partnership with the Government on improving access of citizens and businesses to digital public services. Also, given country’s massive potential for saving energy and harnessing renewable energy sources and in line with its vision to pursue sustainable economic growth, the Lab will also continue to build upon the momentum created with regard to the transition to green economy’’.
“We strive to digitalize all processes at a maximum level, so that every citizen in Kazakhstan could feel the change that comes through digitalization in their everyday life. As of today, we have already digitized 90 percent of all public services, and people are getting used to receiving public services on their smartphones. Development of technological entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan also stands at a crucial moment. Since 2018, the international techno park Astana Hub has been creating favorable conditions for the setup and growth of technology start-ups and technology companies in Kazakhstan,” said Bagdat Mussin, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan.
The launch event was attended by young innovators, representatives of the global Accelerator Lab network, and disruptors from private and public sectors in the country. The Accelerator Lab Kazakhstan will work to identify grassroot innovations and support them by providing opportunity and infrastructure to scale. Know-how sharing will be a crucial component in the hunt for these solutions, as products and services discovered by other AccLabs will also be considered, leveraging worldwide expertise.
The Accelerator Labs network was officially launched by UNDP in July 2019 in New York.
