Abstract
This study assesses Kazakhstan’s position in global innovation development and evaluates key features of its innovation policy using international benchmark indicators and qualitative interpretation. The analysis draws on the World Bank’s Doing Business project (until its discontinuation), WIPO/INSEAD/Cornell’s Global Innovation Index (GII), and the World Economic Forum’s competitiveness benchmarking to examine trends, identify strengths and weaknesses, and interpret policy implications. The results indicate that Kazakhstan performs relatively strongly in digital public services and selected infrastructure measures, while persistent weaknesses remain in R&D intensity, university–industry collaboration, cluster development, and venture financing, factors closely linked to commercialisation outcomes. The paper argues that regulatory improvements and state-led digitalisation are necessary but insufficient for sustained innovation upgrading unless accompanied by stronger innovation linkages, scale-up finance, and capability-building mechanisms. Policy recommendations emphasise institutional quality, targeted support for R&D collaboration and technology transfer, and measures that expand the financing and scaling capacity of innovative firms. Keywords: innovation policy, national innovation system, Kazakhstan, Global Innovation Index, business environment, digitalization, competitiveness.