This article highlights project management issues in the context of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation. The global crisis is forcing the government and industrial companies to be selective in defining priorities and support successful projects that have already shown results in practice. Based on research by experts from the Higher School of Economics, UNESCO and Accenture, following key areas have been identified for digital transformation: building a digital data management system, global relevance of research in digitalization, as well as the separation between industry and science in the transition to advanced innovative technologies. Kazakhstani industrial enterprises are experiencing a turning point in the implementation of advanced innovative technologies and R&D results. For industrial enterprises, the implementation of innovative projects is similar to R&D based on several factors: 1) the solution has to be assessed in terms of applicability; 2) it is usually implemented for the first time; 3) revision is necessary, taking into account the business needs, legislation, labor protection fire safety, ecology, etc. To scale up and leverage lessons learnt from successful projects, the Autonomous Cluster Fund has created a new tool – the Smart Industry Management Platform (SIMP). The SIMP platform is the result of 5 years of fruitful cooperation with industrial enterprises. Currently, one of the main priorities of the Autonomous Cluster Fund is to focus on developing the local Industry 4.0 ecosystem by helping industrial enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation. Using the platform approach in order to implement Industry 4.0 components in Kazakhstan will allow to develop new points of growth of the national economy, and ensure the integration of Kazakhstani companies into global value chains in the medium term.
