In the world of tech investment, the biggest gains don’t come from following the herd. They come from identifying the next peak before everyone else starts climbing it.
If you read our recent analysis, you know that Uzbekistan has been the star performer of the last three years. But as that market matures, smart leaders are asking: “Where is next?”
The answer lies in two distinct, rapidly rising powerhouses: Kazakhstan and Georgia.
These aren’t just “backup plans.” In 2025, they have emerged as primary destinations for high-value technical talent. Each offers a completely different value proposition, and understanding the difference is the key to unlocking their potential.
Read More: English Proficiency in Central Asia’s Tech Talent: What to Expect
Kazakhstan: The Enterprise Engine
Uzbekistan is building a tech scene on ambition. Kazakhstan is building it on assets. Kazakhstan is the economic giant of Central Asia. It has the unique advantage of channeling oil wealth directly into digital infrastructure. It is a top-down approach versus a bottom-up one, and the 2024-2025 numbers show that the heavy spending is starting to move the needle.
- The Scale: The IT services market in Kazakhstan reached 1.74 trillion tenge (approx. $3.6 billion) in 2024. That is a massive volume of work, driven by a digital transformation that is lightyears ahead of many Western nations. (Have you seen their “Kaspi” super-app? It makes Venmo look like a relic).
- The Talent Pipeline: The government isn’t just talking. They are executing a plan to train 100,000 IT specialists by 2025. They have attracted international universities and built the massive “Astana Hub” to house them.
- Why Hire Here? Stability. Kazakhstan offers a level of corporate maturity that is hard to find in emerging markets. If you need Enterprise Java developers, heavy backend architects, or cybersecurity experts who understand banking standards, this is your market.
Note: It is getting expensive. Wages grew by over 21% last year. You are paying for quality, but compared to the US or EU, it is still a steal for the caliber of engineering you receive.
Georgia: The Western Gateway
Cross the Caspian Sea, and you find a completely different vibe. Georgia (the country, not the state) has become the darling of the digital nomad world, and for good reason.
In the first half of 2025, Georgia’s IT export revenue grew by an eye-watering 55%. This is a market in hyper-growth.
But the type of talent here is what makes it special.
- The “Western” Factor: Georgia has aggressively aligned itself with the West. English proficiency is exceptionally high among the youth. The culture is entrepreneurial, creative, and design-focused.
- The Expat Hub: Tbilisi has become a sanctuary for tech talent from all over the region (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus) who wanted to move West. This means you have a concentration of senior, battle-tested engineers sitting in one city.
- Why Hire Here? Agility. Georgia is perfect for Product-led growth. If you need a Product Manager who can interview your US customers, a UI/UX designer who understands Western aesthetics, or a frontend team that needs to collaborate in real-time with Europe, Georgia is the unmatched choice.
The Hidden Costs of Hiring in a Hyper-Competitive Market
The Next Frontier Strategy
The window to get into these markets early is right now.
- Kazakhstan is rapidly becoming the “Poland of Central Asia,” high-quality, enterprise-focused, and steadily increasing in price.
- Georgia is becoming the “Portugal of the East,” creative, Western-facing, and booming with expat talent.
Most of your competitors are still fighting over scraps in India or complaining about the prices in Latin America. They haven’t looked at a map of Central Asia in years.
This is your advantage.
At Truss, we aren’t just watching these frontiers. We are building infrastructure on them. We have the legal entities, the recruiting networks, and the local knowledge to help you land the best talent in Almaty and Tbilisi before the rest of the world catches on.
The frontier is open. Let’s go.
