The unified small business support program 'Isker aimaq', launched by the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund in December 2025, has already approved over 300 projects totaling more than 21 billion tenge, reports infohub.kz.
In 2026, funding is planned to increase nearly 20-fold to 400 billion tenge, which would support about 5,000 projects.
The program targets micro and small businesses, including entrepreneurs in rural areas and single-industry towns. A key feature is its regional approach: priority lending directions are determined by akimats (local administrations) together with the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs 'Atameken', taking into account each region's economic structure.
According to the fund, the program has already supported projects in various sectors. In Zhambyl region, a company that has been processing sheep skins and producing fur products for over 20 years received financing. The enterprise processes about 46,000 skins annually, produces around 20,000 fur items for KTZ, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense, and exports to Russia and Uzbekistan.
In Kyzylorda region, an individual entrepreneur secured 110 million tenge to purchase paddy rice. The loan was issued at 22%, with the state subsidizing 8.8 percentage points, bringing the entrepreneur's final rate to 13.2% per annum. The enterprise processes up to 150 tons of rice per day and exports to Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Afghanistan.
In North Kazakhstan region, a medical equipment manufacturer received a loan of 100 million tenge for three years to purchase components. This will increase production from 5,000 to 10,000 units per year and create five new jobs.