"The role of women's entrepreneurship is exceedingly significant now," says Aizhan Anuarova.
"I believe that all gender stereotypes will soon become absolete."
Anuarova is one of 10 women who wowed a panel of judges at a competition for female entrepreneurs held in Kazakhstan for the first time, AFP reports.
The competition, organized by UN Women and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Y'z Holding, was open to women between the ages of 18 and 34 from 10 countries in Central Asia.
The 10 startups that made it to the finals "were the most promising potential for development and scaling," says Dina Amrisheva, head of UN Women Kazakhstan.
"It is the first time such an event is taking place in our country, structured in the format of a pitch competition," she adds.
The startups ranged from health care to education to information technology and social entrepreneurship.
The winners will now move on to the next phase of the competition, which will see them pitch to global investors in Istanbul in 2024.
"I am immensely proud of our participants, displaying a forward-thinking approach, innovative ideas, and contributing to digitalization," Amrisheva says.
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