A modular, three-pillar partnership framework designed to position Halyk Bank as the anchor of Central Asia's innovation economy — with an affiliated venture fund deploying capital across the ecosystem it creates.
8.3M SuperApp MAUs, the largest banking balance sheet in the region, and a distribution network that every fintech in Central Asia wants access to. Halyk is already the gravitational center — the question is how to formalize it.
Global banks are deploying AI against credit, fraud, operations, and customer experience. First movers compound advantages; laggards pay licensing fees to vendors who captured the category first. Central Asia has no incumbent AI bank yet.
A Plug and Play anchor partnership converts vendor relationships into strategic positioning: sourcing the startups, shaping the ecosystem, and — through an affiliated fund — owning equity in the companies that power Halyk's growth.
Plug and Play has designed this partnership as a modular framework. Each pillar delivers standalone value and can be adopted alone on its own terms, or combined with others for compounding impact. Overlaying the entire framework is an affiliated investment fund, creating a direct path from partnership activity to strategic investment.
A Plug and Play Office embedded within Halyk to foster pilots, integrations, and partnerships across the bank's priority verticals.
Curated startup sourcing into the Halyk SuperApp, applying an App Store model where Halyk controls distribution.
Applied AI training programs designed to upskill Halyk's workforce, accelerating enterprise-wide AI adoption.
A Plug and Play-managed venture fund with Halyk as cornerstone LP, deploying capital into the startups powering its ecosystem across Central Asia and beyond.
An embedded innovation hub that turns Halyk's priority challenges — credit decisioning, fraud detection, operational automation — into structured engagements with the world's best AI startups. Sourced by Plug and Play, evaluated by Halyk, deployed into the bank.
Joint workshops with Halyk business units to frame challenges, prioritize use cases, define success KPIs, and assign business owners.
Global sourcing from Plug and Play's 100k+ startup database. Longlist of 15+ shortlisted to 4–6 validated against Halyk's criteria.
Desirability, viability, and feasibility scoring. Dealflow sessions with Halyk stakeholders. Evaluation committees secure internal buy-in.
Scoped PoC execution with Plug and Play managing stakeholder alignment, legal setup, SOW, integration, testing, and evaluation.
A Plug and Play-operated innovation hub positioned within Halyk's ecosystem, serving as the central node for AI startup engagement, corporate partnership activity, and technology evaluation across priority verticals.
Six curated dealflow rounds per year. Each cycle: 25+ startups sourced, longlist of 15 reviewed, shortlist of 6 presented in 15–30 minute sessions with Halyk's business and technical stakeholders.
In-person events diving into single priority topics. Up to 40 startups sourced per theme, 6 presenting live to stakeholders, external keynote speakers, and 1:1 meetings with Halyk's technical teams.
Plug and Play coordinates scope definition, SOW, legal, integration planning, KPI tracking, real-environment testing, and final evaluation — delivering decision-ready reports to Halyk leadership.
A public open-call challenge hosted on a dedicated Halyk-branded website. 200–300 global applications on average, 30+ countries, full marketing and selection process managed by Plug and Play.
In-depth, confidential reports analyzing specific market trends with 3–5 technology deep-dives, VC activity mapping, relevant use cases, and strategic takeaways — tailored to Halyk's focus areas.
Plug and Play's proprietary innovation software. Centralize the startup database, track engagements, manage collections and voting across Halyk business units, and monitor trends in priority industries.
Showcase Halyk PoCs to the global Plug and Play network. Individual agenda coordination, stage placement, and introductions to the 550+ corporate partner network — positioning Halyk internationally.
A seat on the AI CoE Strategic Committee, giving Halyk influence over focus areas, roundtable themes, and the direction of the broader Central Asian innovation agenda Plug and Play is building.
| Week | Module | Format & focus | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–3 | Challenge Identification & Internal Alignment | Workshops with Halyk business units, problem framing, opportunity sizing, technical feasibility, stakeholder alignment, KPI definition. | Prioritized challenge list, clear problem statements, business owner assigned, success KPIs defined. |
| Weeks 4–7 | Startup Scouting & Market Mapping | Global scouting, ecosystem outreach, longlist creation, technology screening, initial technical and business validation. | Curated longlist, technology landscape overview, shortlist aligned with Halyk's needs. |
| Week 8 | Dealflow Presentation & Selection | Startup pitch sessions, evaluation committees, internal validation, technical and procurement pre-checks. | Selected startups for PoC exploration, evaluation consensus, internal buy-in secured. |
| Weeks 9–10 | PoC Definition & Business Case Design | Joint Halyk–startup workshops, scope definition, technical integration planning, KPI definition, legal and procurement alignment. | PoC scope defined, execution roadmap, budget approved, success metrics agreed. |
| Weeks 11–12 | PoC Ramp-Up & Integration Preparation | Technical onboarding, data access preparation, governance setup, risk assessment, operational planning. | PoC ready to start, technical integration validated, execution team aligned. |
| Weeks 13–24 | PoC Execution | Real-environment testing, pilot execution, periodic reviews, performance monitoring, iteration cycles, stakeholder reporting. | Validated solution performance, KPI tracking, business impact assessment. |
| Final phase | Evaluation & Scaling Decision | Results analysis, ROI assessment, internal presentation, scaling roadmap (procurement, rollout, or partnership). | Go / no-go decision, scale-up roadmap, potential commercial agreement. |
Convert the SuperApp from a banking interface into Central Asia's open platform for fintech and lifestyle. Halyk controls distribution; the ecosystem builds on top. Global developers compete for placement the same way they compete for iOS.
Joint workshops with Halyk product and digital teams to map opportunity areas across the SuperApp and identify high-value placement categories.
Plug and Play sources vetted fintech and lifestyle startups globally, matched to specific SuperApp opportunity areas and integration readiness.
SuperApp SDK readiness review, security and compliance screening, data access architecture, and integration feasibility assessment.
Revenue share, distribution agreements, user acquisition cost models, and storefront economics — aligned with Halyk's long-term platform thesis.
Embedded deployment as mini-apps, service modules, or API-driven features. Performance tracking, user acquisition support, and cohort expansion.
Quarterly mapping sessions with Halyk's product and digital leadership to identify SuperApp gaps, user journey pain points, and category-level deployment opportunities ahead of sourcing cycles.
Targeted global sourcing from Plug and Play's 100k+ startup database, filtered for fintech, insurtech, travel, e-commerce, and lifestyle verticals with validated API or mini-app deployment capability.
Plug and Play manages curation criteria, placement logic, category taxonomy, and quality control — ensuring the SuperApp storefront maintains the standards of a premium platform experience.
Technical sessions between Halyk engineering and selected startups, SDK documentation, sandbox access coordination, data architecture reviews, and compliance pre-checks before production deployment.
Commercial structuring support for each deployment: storefront fees, transaction-level revenue participation, subscription economics, and user-referral models aligned with Halyk's long-term thesis.
An annual public "App Store" innovation challenge, inviting global developers to compete for featured SuperApp placement. Marketing, selection, and finalist deployment managed end-to-end.
Quarterly showcase of newly launched mini-apps to Halyk leadership and the broader Plug and Play network — driving cross-border attention to the SuperApp as a regional platform.
Post-launch monitoring of user adoption, retention, transaction volume, and revenue share — with quarterly performance reviews and data-backed decisions on renewal, expansion, or sunset.
Plug and Play markets the Halyk SuperApp as Central Asia's open platform — attracting global developers seeking regional distribution and reinforcing Halyk's 8.3M MAU lead over competitors.
| Week | Module | Format & focus | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | Platform Opportunity Mapping | Workshops with product and digital leadership, user journey analysis, gap identification, category prioritization, commercial thesis alignment. | Prioritized deployment categories, placement logic defined, storefront taxonomy drafted. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Developer Sourcing & Screening | Global scouting filtered by vertical and integration readiness, technical screening, business model validation, longlist review. | Shortlist of 10–15 developers aligned with opportunity categories. |
| Weeks 7–8 | Demo Day & Selection | Live demos with Halyk product, engineering, and commercial stakeholders. Evaluation committee scoring. Selection of deployment cohort. | First deployment cohort selected (3–5 partners), internal alignment secured. |
| Weeks 9–12 | Commercial & Integration Design | Revenue share negotiation, SDK access, sandbox setup, data architecture, compliance screening, legal templates. | Commercial agreements signed, integration specifications finalized. |
| Weeks 13–20 | Build & Technical Integration | Joint engineering sprints, iterative QA, security audits, sandbox-to-production migration, final testing. | Production-ready mini-apps, integration validated, launch readiness confirmed. |
| Weeks 21–24 | Launch, Marketing & Cohort Review | Coordinated storefront launch, in-app marketing, user acquisition support, and first-month performance review. | Live deployment, adoption metrics established, readiness for next cohort. |
| Ongoing | Cohort 2, 3, 4… & Platform Governance | Quarterly cadence of new deployment cohorts, performance reviews, renewal decisions, storefront governance. | Continuously expanding SuperApp ecosystem, maturing platform economics. |
A structured, multi-tier AI upskilling program delivered by top American universities — deployed across Halyk business units and priority sectors. Pilots flow from the AI CoE directly into the classroom as live case studies, and graduates flow back into the bank as AI-literate operators.
Program architecture with American university partners. Three tiers: executive strategy, technical deep-dive, and operational deployment.
Enrollment from Halyk business units, mapped to learning tracks. Applications, pre-assessments, and cohort mixing for cross-functional exchange.
Hybrid 5-day intensive: 3 days of applied case studies with AI CoE startups, 1 day of faculty instruction, 1 day of certification ceremony.
Formal joint certification from Halyk and university partner. Graduates entered into an alumni network tracked across the bank.
Post-program measurement: AI projects initiated by alumni, deployments into BUs, internal mentorship. Feeds back into curriculum evolution.
Curriculum co-design with top American universities. Faculty selection, content development, executive-caliber instructors, and formal accreditation-backed certification pathways.
Executive track (AI strategy, governance, risk), technical track (model deployment, MLOps, evaluation), and operational track (AI-enabled workflows, change management) — matched to Halyk's functional map.
Five-day intensive modules, four cohorts per year, 25–40 participants per cohort. Scalable format allowing for expansion in cohort size, calendar coverage, and new industry verticals over time.
Three days dedicated to real AI case studies — powered by startups sourced through Pillar 1. Participants engage directly with founders, creating a pipeline for the affiliated fund to evaluate.
Dedicated tracks for bank employees across credit, risk, operations, technology, retail, corporate, and treasury — equipping them with AI capabilities directly applicable to their roles.
Formal joint certification from Halyk and the partner university. Digital credentials integrated with LinkedIn, professional recognition, and alumni distinction on Halyk's internal platforms.
A tracked alumni program with quarterly events, advanced modules, mentorship pairings, and cross-cohort knowledge sharing — creating a compounding AI-literate community inside Halyk.
Quarterly measurement of alumni outcomes: AI projects initiated, BU deployments sourced through graduates, internal mentorship hours delivered, contributions to the AI CoE pipeline.
| Phase | Module | Format & focus | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4 | Curriculum Architecture | University partnership selection, program design workshops, faculty curation, case study sourcing from AI CoE pipeline, content production. | Three-tier curriculum finalized, faculty secured, Cohort 1 syllabus ready. |
| Weeks 5–7 | Enrollment & Cohort Formation | Application process, pre-assessments, business unit liaison, cohort mixing for cross-functional exchange, pre-reading and pre-work. | Cohort 1 of 25–40 participants enrolled and primed. |
| Week 8 | Cohort 1 Delivery (Hybrid 5-day Intensive) | 3 days applied case studies with AI CoE startups, 1 day faculty instruction (executive/technical/operational), 1 day certification ceremony. | Cohort 1 certified, alumni enrolled, learnings captured. |
| Weeks 9–11 | Post-Cohort Deployment Tracking | Project initiation support for alumni, mentorship pairings, AI CoE pipeline contribution, BU deployment coordination. | First wave of alumni-driven AI initiatives underway. |
| Quarterly | Cohort Repetition & Curriculum Iteration | Four cohorts per year. Curriculum refreshed based on new case studies from AI CoE. New verticals and advanced modules added over time. | ~120 graduates annually, expanding impact year over year. |
| Annual | Program Review & Expansion | Impact measurement, ROI assessment, new vertical addition (fintech, insurtech, gov, retail), expansion of alumni program. | Proven framework, growing cohort capacity, strategic positioning secured. |
A dedicated Plug and Play-managed venture fund with Halyk as cornerstone LP, deploying capital directly into startups sourced and validated through the AI Center of Excellence and SuperApp integration pipeline. The fund aligns long-term incentives between the bank and its technology partners — Halyk captures equity upside rather than licensing at arm's length.
Plug and Play-managed venture fund with Halyk as cornerstone LP. Investment pipeline flows directly from partnership activity: startups that pass the AI CoE dealflow and SuperApp integration process become primary investment targets, de-risked by prior commercial validation inside the bank.
Halyk captures equity upside in the companies powering its SuperApp features, embedded services, and internal AI capabilities — rather than licensing solutions at arm's length. This aligns long-term incentives between the bank, its technology partners, and the regional ecosystem it is building.
The fund targets both Central Asian founders building for the local market and international startups seeking regional expansion through Halyk's distribution. This dual mandate positions Halyk as Kazakhstan's anchor investor while maintaining access to global innovation.
Detailed fund proposal
Explore the full CVC & CVCaaS framework — fund structures, investment process, service components, portfolio support, and commercial models.
Halyk engages as the Anchor Partner of the AI Center of Excellence — underpinning the center's commercial foundation while gaining structured access to a curated ecosystem of startups, research, and innovation opportunities across the region.
The commercial and strategic backbone of the AI CoE. Large corporates, institutional sponsors, and strategic industry leaders shaping the agenda.
Supporting tiers that Halyk can help curate — mid-sized corporates, investors, universities, and early-stage founders populating the ecosystem around the anchor.
Investment on request
Commercial terms are tailored to the specific combination of pillars Halyk chooses to activate and the scope of each engagement. We'd welcome the opportunity to propose a detailed commercial structure once priorities are aligned.
Indicate which pillars align with Halyk's current priorities, and we'll return with a tailored scope and commercial structure. Any of the team below is the right starting point.