This year, Dina Kalibekova is graduating from Nazarbayev University, but she is already working as a Product Manager at the fast-growing startup Rette (formerly Defect AI), which was recently accepted into the StartX accelerator program at Stanford University. Ahead of International Women’s Day, the NU Press Office shares the success story of our student, highlighting the importance of telling stories about young Kazakhstani women who create innovative products and improve the lives of thousands of people.
Today, it is almost impossible to imagine modern life without AI. From school education to everyday services, artificial intelligence is being integrated across virtually every sector. Rette is an intelligent platform that helps healthcare organizations maintain documentation in compliance with the orders of the Ministry of Health and the clinical protocols of Kazakhstan. The system analyzes records within seconds and reduces manual review time by up to 95%, allowing doctors to focus on patients rather than paperwork.
Dina joined the project as an intern at an early stage of the product’s development. Over time, she shifted her focus to the product side and today works as a Product Manager. In this role, she contributes to the product’s development and to increasing its value for clinics and doctors by analyzing user needs, setting priorities, and participating in strategy development and scaling.
Despite her professional achievements, Dina is still a fourth-year Mathematics student at the School of Sciences and Humanities at NU. Choosing mathematics after completing the university’s preparatory program was a deliberate decision: Dina opted for a fundamental discipline that became a foundation for her further growth.
“My genuine appreciation for mathematics developed gradually — as the courses became more complex and I immersed myself in the fundamental foundations of the discipline. Studying mathematics changes the way you think: it broadens your perspective and brings greater structure to how you analyze problems and make decisions,” the student notes.
Studying at NU opens many opportunities. From her first year, Dina completed internships at international companies. Through her current work, she also had the chance to participate in the international technology forum TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 and spend several months in Silicon Valley, immersing herself in the ecosystem of global technology solutions.
Dina views artificial intelligence as a tool that augments human capabilities rather than replaces them. In her view, AI is not just a technological trend but a fundamental shift in how we work with information, make decisions, and design processes.
“Interest in AI is growing in Kazakhstan: new educational programs, accelerators, and initiatives are emerging. More and more job openings require an understanding of artificial intelligence technologies. The ecosystem is developing, and today young people have far more opportunities to enter the technology sector than before,” Dina says.
The technology sector has traditionally been considered male-dominated, and many young women struggle to find role models and the confidence to pursue careers in the field. Dina finds inspiration in the fact that the community of women in tech is becoming increasingly open and supportive.
“More women are becoming visible — as experts, leaders, and startup founders. This changes perceptions of the industry and creates role models for those who are just starting out. It is important not only to receive support but also to become part of it yourself: to be visible, share your experience, and support others,” she says.
Dina hopes to work on products that go beyond the local market and create global impact. She believes that professionals from Kazakhstan and Central Asia are capable of developing world-class solutions.
“In challenging moments, I remind myself that growth is rarely comfortable. Difficulties are part of building resilience rather than barriers,” the student notes.
Ahead of March 8, Dina Kalibekova encourages girls and women to try themselves in different roles, ask questions, and learn through experience: “Periods of uncertainty are a natural stage of growth. You don’t have to know right away who you want to become. What matters far more is maintaining curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn — that is already a strong foundation for future growth.”
