Rights of an Individual Entrepreneur (ИП), business registration and obtaining government support

This instruction provides a practical step-by-step plan on how to register as an ИП, what rights you gain, where to look for subsidies and grants, which documents to prepare and how to maximise your chances of receiving state business support in Kazakhstan in 2026. I include real cases from work with Kaspi sellers, links to working tools and steps you can complete yourself in 2–8 weeks depending on the programme.

1. Rights of an individual entrepreneur (ИП): what really matters

Understanding which rights an individual entrepreneur (ИП) is guaranteed is a basic step before asking for money from the state or a bank. Practical rights you should have available immediately after registration:

• The right to carry out commercial activity under your own BIN/IIN — to sign contracts, receive payments to a bank account, and issue invoices.
• The right to participate in state and private tenders and to submit documents for small business grants.
• The right to hire employees, formalise labour relations and receive compensations/subsidies for creating jobs (under certain programmes).
• The right to use benefits and simplified tax regimes if your business meets the SME criteria.
• The right to partial cost reimbursement (equipment, rent, training) when participating in some government programmes.

The exact wording of rights depends on status (ИП vs ТОО) and chosen tax regime. For marketplace work, including Kaspi Магазин, the ИП status with a simplified tax scheme and an active settlement account in a bank is usually sufficient.

If you sell on marketplaces — I recommend reading the guide for ИП for trading on a marketplace, which outlines typical Kaspi requirements and recommendations on accounting and cash operations.

2. State support programs for business in Kazakhstan (2026)

In 2026, the small business support framework in Kazakhstan includes several channels: funds (for example, the Fund for Support of Entrepreneurs), programs through regional administrations, project grants, and compensations via state banks. Main directions:

• Direct grants for launching or scaling a business — one-time non-repayable cash assistance subject to conditions.
• Subsidies — partial compensation of costs (renovation, equipment purchase, logistics).
• Reimbursable loans with preferential rates (often with interest partially subsidized by the state).
• Training and acceleration programs with the possibility to receive small startup grants after project defense.
• Employment compensations — payments for creating new jobs in rural areas and in priority sectors.

Main contact points: regional entrepreneurship support centers, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (Atameken), and the Fund for Support of Entrepreneurs — both as a financing channel and methodological support. For trade and operational financing it’s useful to review materials on marketplace financing.

Timing example: applying for a grant — 1–2 weeks (document preparation), review — 4–8 weeks, contract signing and transfer of funds — another 1–4 weeks. In real Kaspi seller cases the average wait from application to disbursement is 6–10 weeks.

Who to work with — short contact list

• Regional entrepreneurship support center (RCES)
• National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken"
• Fund for Support of Entrepreneurs (official programs and competitions)
• Commercial banks with preferential lending programs

Kaspi sellers who went through fund programs recommend communicating via the fund manager and having a ready financial plan — this speeds up verification.

3. Types of subsidies and grants: checklist and sample amounts (2026)

State programs differ by mechanics and amount. Below is a practical classification with typical requirements and approximate amounts that sellers encounter in 2026.

1. Non-repayable grants for startups

   What it is: a one-time non-repayable payment to open a business or test an idea.

   Typical amounts: 300,000 — 3,000,000 KZT depending on region and sector. In some competitions — up to 5–6 million KZT for projects with strong expertise.

   Requirements: registered individual entrepreneur (ИП), work plan, cost estimate, proof of co-financing of 10–30% in some programs.

2. Subsidies for small business development (compensation of part of costs)

   What it is: compensation of loan interest, part of equipment cost, or costs for marketing/training.

   Typical terms: compensation of 30–70% of costs, cap — 1–10 million KZT depending on program and region.

   Example: a Kaspi electronics seller received 50% compensation for packaging equipment — about 1.2 million KZT.

3. Payments for job creation

   What it is: incentives for employers to hire staff, especially in priority regions.

   Typical scheme: a fixed rate per employee for the first 6–12 months (for example, 50,000–150,000 KZT/month per employee in some programs) or a one-time compensation for wages and training.

4. Grants for digitalization and export

   What it is: support for bringing business online, implementing CRM, integrating with marketplaces, and paying for digital services.

   Typical amounts: 500,000 — 4,000,000 KZT; sometimes part of funds goes to pay developers’ and marketing services.

   Practical priority: integration with Kaspi Магазин, connecting Kaspi Pay, purchasing services for photos and SEO of product cards.

5. Subsidies for small agribusinesses and manufacturers

   Often include procurement of seeds, machinery, packaging, and certification. Amounts and conditions vary greatly by sector and regional priorities.

Important: in 2026 most programs require an electronic dossier and digital submission via e-gov or specialized fund platforms. Prepare commercial proposals from suppliers and invoices for the estimate — this speeds up approval.

4. Conditions for receiving state aid: what they check

State bodies and funds look not at the idea but at the numbers and compliance with formalities. Here’s what they check first:

• Registration of business activity — proof of ИП status with registration date and BIN/IIN. This is a basic criterion for most payments.
• Tax and financial discipline — absence of significant tax arrears and payments due.
• Business plan and estimate — detailed cost items, proof of market demand and break-even calculation.
• Receipts and commercial offers — preliminary contracts with suppliers, proforma invoices, invoices.
• Certificates and permits, if the activity requires certification or licensing.
• Compliance with sector priorities — priority is given to projects in sectors that are priorities for the region.

Practical note: submit all digital documents as PDFs, scans of signatures and seals, and electronic signatures (ЭЦП) where required. This reduces time spent on revisions and visits to the Public Service Center (ЦОН).

Typical reasons for refusal and how to avoid them

• Incomplete document package — prepare a checklist and verify before submission.
• Unconvincing budget — make conservative calculations and attach commercial offers.
• No market proof — add demand analysis, links to sales on Kaspi or other platforms.
• Non-compliance with program format — study criteria before applying and consult fund managers if needed.

If you sell on Kaspi, use sales data (reports) as proof of demand. The article How to find profitable products for Kaspi will help collect the right statistics.

5. Steps to receive financial support: step-by-step instructions

Below is a practical instruction with checklists. I rely on experience advising Kaspi sellers and working with fund programs in 2024–2026.

1. Step 1. Register as an individual entrepreneur (ИП)

   Actions:

   • Choose the form — ИП (optimal for small retail and Kaspi sellers).
   • Register via e-gov, the Public Service Center (ЦОН) or through a legal service. Registration usually takes 1 business day if documents are ready.
   • Open a settlement account at a bank, connect Kaspi Pay or another acquiring method to accept payments.

   Useful: if you plan to trade on Kaspi, simultaneously set up a shop and connect delivery methods — details in the instructions on opening a shop on Kaspi.

2. Step 2. Gather and verify financial and legal documents

   Actions:

   • Extract from the registry, copy of registration certificate, IIN, bank account document.
   • Tax reporting for the last 6–12 months (if available).
   • Copies of lease agreements if renovation/rent is included in the estimate.
   • Commercial offers from suppliers, equipment invoices, specifications.

   Tip: assemble documents into a single PDF package. This will save time during submission and speed up communication with the fund manager.

3. Step 3. Prepare a business plan and management model

   Actions:

   • Describe the product, market, target audience and sales channels (including Kaspi.kz).
   • Create a financial model: sales forecast, break-even point, plan for using grant/subsidy funds.
   • Specify performance indicators: revenue plan, margin and job creation targets.

   Practical hint: use real product cards and sales data from Kaspi as proof of demand. The article on creating a price list for Kaspi will help prepare the commercial part.

4. Step 4. Choose a suitable program and submit the application

   Actions:

   • Compare programs by amount, co-financing requirements and timing. Regional programs are often simpler than national competitions.
   • Submission — electronically via the fund’s portal or in person to the manager.
   • State clear goals for using the funds: procurement, marketing, digitalization, certification, etc.

   Tip: attach links to product cards on Kaspi and sales extracts in the application — this increases experts’ trust.

5. Step 5. Go through evaluation and prepare additional materials

   Actions:

   • Expect requests for additional documents: explanations on the estimate, supplier confirmations.
   • Invite an accountant/lawyer if the fund requires specific reporting forms.
   • If the project goes to a competitive defense — prepare a 7–10 slide presentation with figures.

6. Step 6. Sign the contract and report after receiving the funds

   Actions:

   • The contract with the fund usually includes a spending plan and reporting deadlines (1–12 months).
   • Keep all receipts and acceptance certificates, prepare interim reports according to schedule.
   • Be ready for selective on-site inspections by the fund.

   Practical case: a seller from Almaty received a 1.5 million KZT grant for marketing and digitalization but lost part of the funds due to missing acceptance certificates from the contractor. Conclusion — contracts and acceptance certificates are mandatory.

6. How to increase approval chances: concrete techniques

Below is a set of concrete techniques that help secure government payments:

• Prove demand with numbers: export sales from your Kaspi account and attach 3–6 months of reports. This works better than mere “marketing explanations.”
• Reduce fund risk: propose a checklist of control points and transparent reporting, indicate co-financing of at least 10%.
• Use ready commercial offers from suppliers — this reduces the likelihood that the fund commission will request additional calculations.
• Contact the local fund coordinator before submission — many procedures are resolved at the regional level.
• Structure the budget by KPIs: indicate which metrics will improve after investments (revenue growth, LTV, conversion). See methodology links in the guides on competitive intelligence and marketplace analytics.

AWW can help automatically generate sales reports, set up a repricer and triggered WhatsApp mailings — these data and tools are useful when preparing an application and proving effective use of funds.

7. Mistakes Kaspi sellers make when applying for subsidies and how to avoid them

• Mistake: no proof of sales. Solution: export statements and statistics, attach links to product cards.
• Mistake: spending the estimate without contracts. Solution: everything you spend must be backed by a contract and an acceptance certificate.
• Mistake: inflated forecasts. Solution: provide realistic forecasts and minimal risk margins.
• Mistake: activity does not match program conditions. Solution: check selection criteria in advance and, if necessary, change the application format.

8. Practical examples (cases) from 2024–2026

Short cases to show how it looks in practice:

• Case 1: a household electronics seller from Shymkent. Received a non-repayable grant of 1.2 million KZT for packaging equipment and certification. The application included a 6-month sales export from the Kaspi account and a supplier commercial offer. Result: Kaspi sales grew by 28% in three months after implementation.
• Case 2: an individual entrepreneur in food processing. 60% subsidy for purchase of refrigeration equipment — 2.8 million KZT. Condition: creation of two jobs. The report included employment contracts and payrolls; the subsidy was paid in full.
• Case 3: a clothing seller on Kaspi. Received a 400,000 KZT grant for digitalization: creating product cards, SEO and targeted ads. Used AWW for bulk uploading cards and analytics, which reduced catalog upload time threefold.

9. What to do if refused — Plan B

Refusals happen. Standard course of action:

1. Request a written motivation for the refusal from the fund.
2. Fix the noted deficiencies and submit an appeal or a revised application — many funds allow corrections within 30 days.
3. Look for alternatives: regional programs, grants from chambers of commerce, competitions from private funds and investors.
4. Consider a preferential loan as a temporary solution — banks often offer programs for ИП with state support.

If your business already sells on Kaspi, switching to paid advertising mode (as a test) and demonstrating growth through ads can help show momentum and reconsider the application.

10. Resources and pre-submission checklist

Short checklist before submitting an application for any grant or subsidy:

• Registration as ИП and an open settlement account
• Tax extract or confirmation of no debts
• Business plan and estimate with commercial offers
• Market proof: sales exports, links to Kaspi product cards
• Reporting plan and KPIs (for 3–12 months)
• Copies of lease agreements/licenses if necessary

Preparation resources:

• Cargo delivery for Kaspi sellers — logistics for importing goods.
• How to find profitable products for Kaspi — demand analysis and niche selection.
• Complete guide to advertising on Kaspi — to justify marketing expenses in the estimate.

For automation of accounting, price monitoring and bulk uploading of product cards use tools like repricers and analytics. See the repricer and marketplace analytics. AWW helps collect these data automatically and generate reports for funds.

Conclusion: practical roadmap

In short — an action plan for an entrepreneur who wants to get a subsidy or grant:

1. Register as ИП and open an account.
2. Gather financial documents and sales exports (Kaspi).
3. Prepare a realistic business plan and estimate with commercial offers.
4. Choose a suitable fund program and submit an application.
5. Maintain contact with the regional manager and prepare reports on schedule.

State programs in 2026 have become more digital and KPI-oriented. Preparation and correct packaging of the application are your 70% of success. Use real Kaspi sales as proof of demand, systematize documents and, if necessary, delegate report preparation to AWW specialists or an accountant.