Participants of the Karaganda Hackathon Developed Solutions to Combat Corruption

AI models, digital portals, and mobile apps for volunteers – these were just some of the anti-corruption solutions presented by participants of the recent HackCor Hackathon held in Karaganda. Over the course of 36 hours, teams worked intensively on their projects, competing for cash prizes while striving to redefine transparency in government processes. Here’s a look at the winning projects and why events like this are so important. 

HackCor Hackathon: What It Is and Why It Matters

The HackCor Hackathon is a tech marathon organized by Karaganda’s startup ecosystem, Terricon Valley. Events like this are regularly held in the region to provide young developers, students, and early-stage startup teams with real-world challenges, helping them gain hands-on experience and build solutions ready for practical use.

This edition of the hackathon was held in partnership with the Karaganda Region Department of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main objective: to create technologies that can help fight corruption. The hackathon focused on real and complex problems that demand not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of ethics, transparency, and the critical role of digital tools in government structures.

The first challenge involved designing an AI module to detect suspicious government procurements. Teams had to build algorithms capable of automatically analyzing procurement data and flagging potential corruption risks. The second challenge focused on building a mobile app for anti-corruption volunteers.

Projects were evaluated by leading IT professionals from international tech companies, alongside representatives from anti-corruption agencies. The panel of expert judges included renowned engineers and strategists such as Mikhail Filimonov from BigTech, German Urikh from Apple, Sergey Polyashov from Microsoft, Ivan Sinitsin from Ozon, Georgii Perepechko from Signal Ocean, Sergei Filippov, Artem Sentsov, and Sergei Nasibian. From the public sector, Nurmukhammed Tazhigulov, Head of the Prevention Department of the Anti-Corruption Service for the Karaganda Region, also played a key role in the evaluation process. Their combined expertise ensured that each project was assessed not only for its technical robustness but also for its practical relevance and ethical alignment with the goals of transparency and accountability.

In total, more than 200 participants across 62 teams joined the hackathon. Students and professionals from Karaganda and other regions of Kazakhstan took part. To ensure transparency, all teams were anonymized with numbers, and the final evaluations were conducted live and online. 

The Winners: Practical Tech for Public Good

In the first challenge, which focused on procurement analysis, Team #49 from Pavlodar took first place. Members Zhapar Zhiger, Kahimalaev Baraat, Popandopulo Aristid, and Tuleubaev Adil developed a web tool called XGuard. Using machine learning, XGuard automatically identifies corruption risks in procurement processes. The project was praised for its accuracy and functionality, earning the team the grand prize of 300,000 KZT.

Team #34, comprising Aschat Aubakirov and Alexander Sherstobitov from Shymkent, won second place and 200,000 KZT for building an AI model based on mathematical analysis of procurement data.

The People’s Choice Award went to two teams:

• Team #62, Daniyar Khamza and Nurlibek Taubakabyl, who created a web application for procurement risk evaluation and generated 10,000 synthetic data samples.

• Team #57, featuring Aylin and Yasmin Seyfullina, Zhanat Nurtas, and Maxim Bormin, built an intuitive interface that organizes risk data into a clear and accessible format. 
  

In the second challenge – focused on volunteer engagement – Team #27, made up of Zhorabek Alimzhan and Yerassyl Bazarbayev, took first place with their platform SENIM, designed for anti-corruption volunteers.

Team #55, Artem Pinigyn and Ivan Yefremov, came in second, receiving 200,000 KZT for their adaptive mobile app, compatible across all devices and tailored for both staff and volunteers.

The People’s Choice Award for the second challenge went to Team #32, Artem Kuznetsov and Bogdan Nekrasov, for their app Anticor. The app provides volunteers with streamlined access to platform functions and ensures secure, user-friendly engagement with anti-corruption data. 

Shaping a New Generation of Civic Tech Leaders

HackCor Hackathon proved to be more than just a competition—it became a platform where young talent proposed actionable solutions to one of society’s most pressing challenges. Participants demonstrated impressive teamwork, rapid prototyping, and confident public pitching skills.

The projects showcased the potential for early-stage corruption risk detection and, with further development, could be integrated into the operations of government agencies.

“We saw students, budding developers, and even high schoolers building technology that can truly impact transparency and public trust in government systems. These are the kinds of initiatives that shape the next generation of professionals,” said Sabir Niyazov, CEO of Terricon Valley.

Such hackathons not only inspire participants but also foster a culture of accountability in the digital space – paving the way for new initiatives, startups, and collaborations between the public sector and the tech community.