Ayazhan Uteuova is the founder of AU HUB, a social and creative space in Astana. Today, it is much more than a venue for events — it is an ecosystem that brings together entrepreneurs, creatives, experts, women, volunteers, and social project founders.

“I want to make the path from an idea to a result shorter. AU HUB is a space where people come together, support each other, and turn ideas into real projects.”

The story of AU HUB did not begin with a ready-made premises or substantial capital. The idea developed gradually through Ayazhan Uteuova’s many years of experience in NGOs, business, and social projects.

For many years, she organized meetings, educational programs, and creative projects in rented venues. Gradually, a community formed around her — people who wanted to learn, create their own projects, and interact with one another. However, the lack of a permanent space made it difficult to build a sustainable system.

To better understand the specifics of this type of business, Ayazhan spent about six months working at a coworking space as an employee, studying its operations from the inside. After that, in November 2023, she decided to launch the first version of AU HUB.

At the initial stage, the entrepreneur invested approximately 30 million tenge of her own funds. The space was developed gradually: first, renovations were carried out within the available budget, and then, over the course of a year, Ayazhan tested demand, studied the needs of visitors, and refined the business model.

This period became an important stage in the project’s development. Instead of scaling immediately, Ayazhan first tested the viability of the concept in practice.

After a year of operation, it became clear that the model was in demand and had strong potential for further development.

At that point, the entrepreneur decided to move from rented and temporary solutions to her own space. The support of the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund played an important role in this step.

To develop the business, Ayazhan used two support instruments — an interest rate subsidy and a bank loan guarantee.

The financing was primarily used to purchase the premises, as well as to complete renovations and purchase furniture, technology, and equipment, including televisions, projectors, and equipment for meeting rooms and work areas.

According to the entrepreneur, the interest rate subsidy made the monthly payments more manageable for the business, while the Fund’s guarantee helped her obtain the necessary bank financing.

As a result, AU HUB acquired its own asset and gained the opportunity to develop without constant dependence on rental premises.

Today, AU HUB brings together several areas.

AU Coworking is a space for work, meetings, learning, and collaborative projects.

AU Creative supports representatives of the creative industries, artists, and craftspeople. This area includes the “Uly Dala Murasy” project and the QAZCREATIVE digital platform, which helps creatives showcase their work, find clients, and monetize their creativity.

AU Women brings women together for learning, networking, mutual support, and joint initiatives.

AU Kino hosts film screenings and the “Film Immersion” project. The space’s collection includes more than 300 films, which are discussed with viewers with the participation of experts.

AU Gallery organizes exhibitions and fairs featuring works by Kazakhstani creatives.

AU HUB also hosts educational programs, workshops, forums, festivals, networking events, volunteer activities, and community initiatives.

Another dedicated area is the Civil Society Development Center, which organizes meetings and educational programs for citizens and NGOs.

The key feature of the AU HUB model is the combination of space and community. Here, a person can come not only to attend an event, but also to present their own idea, find like-minded people, build a team, and take the next step toward making it happen.

At the beginning, AU HUB had three permanent team members. Today, the company employs eight people.

At the same time, the entrepreneur has maintained a flexible operating model: experts, designers, hosts, contractors, and volunteers are brought in for specific projects.

Since AU HUB began operating, more than 10,000 guests have visited the space, over 200 events have been held, and residents are developing more than 50 projects.

For the founder, growth is not only about numbers. One of Ayazhan’s key achievements is that AU HUB no longer depends on her constant involvement in day-to-day operations.

The team manages processes independently, while the entrepreneur focuses on her role as founder, speaker, and expert.

The AU HUB journey showed the entrepreneur that sustainable growth does not necessarily require large investments from the very beginning.

First, Ayazhan tested the idea, studied the market and customer needs, invested her own funds, and only after confirming demand did she move to the next stage — attracting bank financing and purchasing her own premises.

“You don’t have to risk everything at once: a small test gives you knowledge that cannot be gained from calculations alone. But if the test confirms demand, don’t be afraid to take the next step,” the entrepreneur says.

Another important change was her attitude toward credit financing.

Previously, Ayazhan preferred to generate income first and then invest her own funds in developing new projects. However, the AU HUB experience showed that when a business model has already been tested, the risks have been calculated, and the financial burden is manageable, credit can become an effective tool for growth.

In the coming years, the AU HUB team plans to continue automating and systematizing its processes, develop AU Creative, AU Kino, AU Gallery, and AU Women, and scale QAZCREATIVE to all 20 regions of Kazakhstan.

Another area of development is cooperation with tour guides and the organization of creative workshops for visitors to Astana. Guests will have an opportunity to meet Kazakhstani artisans and discover the country’s culture and contemporary creativity.

The entrepreneur’s strategic goal is to turn the experience accumulated through AU HUB into infrastructure for the development of Kazakhstan’s creative sector — helping creatives monetize their ideas and creating new opportunities for collaboration.

The story of AU HUB is an example of how an idea tested through small steps can gradually develop into a sustainable business and a fully-fledged ecosystem.

“When there are people around you who believe in you, share their experience, and help you take action, an idea becomes reality faster.”       Astana, 25V Alikhan Bokeikhan Street, next to EXPO

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