A major new initiative aimed at boosting women-led businesses across the Turkic world has been launched in Kazakhstan, offering entrepreneurs access to a $500 million investment fund and new opportunities for international expansion.

The Turkic World Academy of Women’s Cooperation was officially unveiled during the New Vision 2026 Global Forum in Almaty, bringing together business leaders, policymakers and innovators from across the Turkic region, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

Backed by the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the OTS Council of Turkic Women Entrepreneurs, the Academy is designed to help women entrepreneurs create joint ventures, expand exports and strengthen economic ties between Turkic nations.

One of the initiative’s most significant advantages is access to the Turkic Investment Fund, which has a capital base of $500 million. The fund is expected to support promising cross-border projects and accelerate business growth throughout the region.

Women already play a vital role in the economies of Turkic countries. They lead nearly 48% of small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan, around 40% in Uzbekistan and 24% in Azerbaijan. Yet many still face challenges when scaling their companies and entering international markets.

The Academy aims to address those barriers by creating a unified platform for collaboration, technology exchange and regional branding. During its first year, organizers expect to attract more than 1,000 participants representing at least 100 companies focused on joint export-oriented projects.

Lazzat Ramazanova, Chair of the OTS Council of Women Entrepreneurs, stressed that cooperation is the key to assisting smaller businesses compete globally. She said that the Academy will unite entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye around shared economic goals.

Four priority sectors have been identified for collaboration: agro-industry, light manufacturing, information technology and cross-border trade. Organizers believe these industries offer the greatest potential for creating regional value chains and boosting exports.

The announcement comes amid growing momentum within the Organization of Turkic States. At the recent OTS Informal Summit in Turkistan, leaders focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and stronger regional cooperation. Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also announced plans to establish a Center of Turkic Civilization in Turkistan.