The Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University welcomed a high-level delegation from NVIDIA, led by Vice President for Global AI Infrastructure Growth Nico Caprez, as part of an official visit to the university.
The delegation also included prominent technology leaders and entrepreneurs: Alexander Yesayan, Co-founder of Team Telecom Armenia and Chairman of the Board, as well as CEO of Mandal AI and Board Member at WITSA; Razmig Hovaghimian, Co-founder and CEO of Viki; Askar Almukhametov, UC Berkeley EECS student and Strategic Representative for NVIDIA and Firebird in Kazakhstan; Elnar Salpekov, entrepreneur and founder of education-focused initiatives; and Abailoran Almukhametov, Project Manager at Kastador.
The visit took place in the presence of the Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek and Nazarbayev University leadership, and formed part of a broader institutional engagement aimed at strengthening cooperation in AI infrastructure, research, and innovation ecosystems.
During the visit, ISSAI Founding Dr. Huseyin Atakan Varol presented the institute’s research agenda and its role as a leading artificial intelligence hub in Central Asia. He highlighted ISSAI’s long-standing collaboration with NVIDIA technologies and emphasized that Nazarbayev University was the first academic institution in Central Asia to deploy NVIDIA DGX systems, which continue to support large-scale model training and advanced AI research.
A significant part of the discussion focused on the strategic vision of the newly established School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (SCAI). ISSAI presented SCAI as a key platform for advancing education and research in artificial intelligence, data science, mathematics, computer science, and robotics, designed to bridge fundamental science with industrial applications.
He further emphasized the importance of global industry partnerships in achieving this vision, noting that collaboration with leading technology companies is essential for developing a sustainable innovation ecosystem. In this context, ISSAI expressed interest in deepening engagement with NVIDIA. The discussions also covered opportunities for expanded collaboration in high-performance computing, generative AI, and applied research, including projects in edge AI, federated learning, and AI-enabled educational technologies.
The visit concluded with participation in the DeepTech Bäige startup competition held at the NU Onergy Creative Hub. The NVIDIA delegation interacted with student finalists presenting innovations in fields such as agri-tech, robotics, energy systems, biomedical AI, and autonomous technologies, underscoring the growing depth of Kazakhstan’s student innovation ecosystem and its alignment with global AI development trends.