Kyrgyz builds maternal health startup with global ambitions
Women founders worldwide face steeper hurdles in securing startup funding, and Kyrgyzstan’s young tech ecosystem is no exception
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (MNTV) — Women founders worldwide face steeper hurdles in securing startup funding, and Kyrgyzstan’s young tech ecosystem is no exception.
In emerging markets, only 11% of seed funding goes to startups with women on their founding teams, according to the International Finance Corporation.
Despite those odds, a new generation of female entrepreneurs is emerging in Central Asia with global ambitions. Among them is Gulnaza Khalmanbetova, founder and CEO of Mama Space, a digital platform designed to support women through pregnancy and early motherhood.
The idea for Mama Space grew out of personal experience. Khalmanbetova said complications during her second pregnancy, including surgery in the fifth month, nearly ended in tragedy.
“During one of the surgeries, I promised myself that if everything went well for me and my unborn son, I would do everything possible to ensure that every mother could find support and not be left alone with her problems,” she said.
Mama Space offers a pregnancy tracker covering every stage of gestation, along with a library of medically reviewed articles and educational videos. An artificial intelligence-powered chatbot answers user questions using evidence-based information, and the platform hosts an online community where mothers can connect for peer support.
Given its health focus, the startup works closely with medical professionals and partners with the Kyrgyz Association of Obstetricians, Gynecologists and Neonatologists to ensure the accuracy of its content.
Khalmanbetova previously worked in the international development sector, an experience she said helped her navigate the organizational and networking demands of launching a startup. Like many founders in early-stage ecosystems, she assumed multiple roles — from programming and business development to graphic design and social media management — while still holding a full-time job.
The company moved swiftly from concept to launch. Its minimum viable product was completed within three months.
Mama Space has since earned a series of regional and international recognitions. In June 2024, it won the “Unicorn from KG” incubation program organized by the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic, securing a place in a five-week training program at Draper University in Silicon Valley.
In September 2024, the startup placed second in the Central Asian finals of She Loves Tech, a global competition for women-led technology ventures. In February 2025, it ranked among the Top 10 in the Aurora Tech Award organized by inDrive, selected from more than 2,000 applications across 116 countries.
In December 2025, Mama Space was named Best Women-Founded Startup at the Digital Startup Awards in Tashkent.
The company’s initial goal is to become Central Asia’s leading parenting app, but Khalmanbetova said her ambitions extend well beyond the region.
“Mama Space is not just a business for me — it’s my way of caring, supporting and holding space for mothers,” she said. “While many startups are driven by profit, I am driven by impact. I truly believe that real sustainability grows from meaningful impact.”
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