In the words of Assem Tazhieva: “It is essential to support women’s technological projects aimed at addressing social issues”

Assem Tazhieva, a 36-year-old entrepreneur from Kazakhstan, is the founder of the social startup Ozim Platform. This mobile application provides valuable information for parents of young children, including those with disabilities. Mrs. Tazhieva is one of the participants of the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023 satellite event, which will take place on October 27 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

I have been working on inclusion issues since 2015. After earning a master's degree, I began working as a research assistant, focusing on creating conditions for inclusive education in Kazakhstan. Being a mother of a child with disabilities, I personally experienced the lack of resources available to parents in a similar situation. This experience inspired me to come up with the idea of launching a mobile application for parents, as many of them encounter a scarcity of scientifically based information about the development of children with disabilities. I strongly believe that the role of parents in inclusion is vital, which is why my project is dedicated to supporting parents.

I assembled a team, and in 2021, we introduced the mobile application, promoting it not just as a social project but also as a technological innovation. We completed training and started attracting funding to improve it. Parents receive information in various formats, including videos with experts and scientific articles in accessible language. We adapt scientific evidence to make it as understandable as possible for everyone. At the same time, we do not provide direct recommendations on how to raise a child with disabilities but rather discuss existing methods, allowing parents to draw their own conclusions. Through user research, we learned that parents are interested in the stories of other families. Consequently, we launched blogs within the mobile application and created a forum where they can raise topics important to them and engage in discussions. We introduced a subscription plan for the mobile application at a nominal fee and now we aspire to enter the Central Asian market.

I am very delighted to participate in the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023 satellite event in Kazakhstan. Such acceleration programs provide invaluable lessons on working with investors, promoting products, and scaling up your business. As a founder, I wonder what lies ahead. We are strategically planning our next steps, with one of our priorities being mandatory participation in acceleration programs to increase opportunities for promoting this product. It is essential to support women's technological projects aimed at addressing social issues.

Before embarking on a business endeavor, always remember that if you believe in your business and its significance, you will undoubtedly succeed!”