Before launching Solomon, Sultonsho Nazarshoev worked in software development. Today, he is building an AI platform that automates compliance, fraud monitoring, and financial transaction investigations. The solution is designed for enterprise clients and can be deployed on their own infrastructure.
In an exclusive interview for Astana Hub and Digital Business's joint project “100 Startup Stories from Central Eurasia”, Sultonsho shared how the business concept has evolved, why the team made it possible to deploy the platform within a client's secure environment, and what Solomon is gaining from its participation in the Central Eurasia Market Entry 2026 accelerator.
“It’s important to focus on solutions that deliver real value to financial institutions”
– Sultonsho, what were you doing before launching Solomon?
– Before Solomon, I worked in software development and digital product creation. I was involved in various IT projects, which gave me experience at every stage – from the initial idea through to implementation.
That experience taught me to test hypotheses quickly, stay in constant contact with potential users, and avoid making the architecture more complicated than necessary. The biggest lesson I learned was to always start with a specific customer problem. Whatever you're developing, it should address a clear need and deliver practical value. That's exactly the approach we're taking with Solomon.
– How did the idea for the project originate? Who did you speak with to identify the problem you're trying to solve?
– We took a close look at the market and saw the challenges that professionals at financial institutions face every day. Analysts have to work with data scattered across different sources, piece together signals from multiple systems, and manually prepare documents for audits and regulatory reporting. We saw an opportunity to bring all this routine work into one convenient workspace and enhance it with modern AI tools.
We conducted a series of in-depth customer discovery interviews with banking professionals and compliance specialists. These conversations helped us narrow our focus. Rather than trying to build a large, all-purpose system covering every process, we decided to concentrate on specialized solutions for analytics, fraud monitoring, and investigations.
– What do compliance specialists at banks actually do? What does their day-to-day work involve, and how can Solomon help?
– Compliance specialists make sure banks follow the law, regulatory requirements, and internal policies. For example, they screen customers and companies, review financial transactions, identify suspicious activity, and look for potential links to fraudulent schemes.
Let's say a bank's system flags an unusual transaction. A compliance specialist needs to find out who sent the money, who it's going to, whether the people or companies involved are connected, and whether there's a reason to investigate further. To do that, they have to search different databases, review transaction histories, check sanctions lists, and cross-reference information from multiple sources.
We're developing Solomon to automate some of that work. The platform combines tools for customer screening, transaction monitoring, and relationship analysis. AI helps gather and organize information, identify potentially relevant details, and prepare materials for further investigation. However, the system doesn't decide whether a violation has occurred. The bank's specialists still make the final assessments and decisions.
– What are you currently focusing on with Solomon?
– We're combining expertise in software development, product management, and financial technology. As we grow, we're bringing in specialists with relevant experience to make sure we carefully address security requirements, system integrations, and the practical needs of bank analysts in their day-to-day work.
Right now, our priorities are product quality, in-depth user feedback, and proving the value of our solution through real-world use cases. We're also paying close attention to the security and integration requirements of financial institutions. For banks, it's especially important to know where customer data is stored and processed, and who has access to it. That's why we've made it possible to deploy Solomon directly within a client's own infrastructure.
“AI handles the analytical work, but the final decision always rests with a human”
– How important is it for financial institutions to be able to deploy the solution on their own infrastructure?
– Solomon is designed for on-premises deployment, meaning the software runs on the client's own infrastructure. This is particularly important in the financial sector, as it allows organizations to take their internal data security policies and applicable regulatory requirements into account. Whether the solution meets specific requirements, however, depends on how it's configured, the client's infrastructure, and the details of the implementation.
We always work with each client to agree on the specific configuration, how the system will be used, and how data will be processed. Our main goal is to avoid transferring sensitive data outside the agreed secure environment wherever possible, or keep such transfers to an absolute minimum.
– What are the key components of the product, and how do they help analysts with their work?
– At its core, Solomon combines analytical tools, data-source capabilities, and AI modules that support investigations. Analysts can access everything in one interface, including know your customer (KYC) checks, know your business (KYB) checks, know your transaction (KYT) monitoring, and automated fraud detection.
The platform accesses regulatory databases, politically exposed persons (PEP) databases, and international sanctions lists. Traditionally, when investigating complex cases, analysts have to manually review information from different sources, cross-check facts, identify connections between the parties involved in transactions, and prepare reports. Solomon is designed to automate some of this work and reduce the time spent on initial analysis. Processing times depend on how complex the case is, how much data is available, and how the platform is implemented. AI helps specialists with the analytical work, but the final decision always rests with a human.
– Has the concept behind Solomon changed during development?
– Yes, we've refined our positioning along the way. Initially, we explored broader opportunities for automating banking infrastructure, but over time we narrowed our focus entirely to compliance and investigation analytics. Having such a clear specialization helps us better understand what users actually need.
We're not trying to replace banks' existing core systems. Our goal is to complement them with smart tools that help specialists find the information they need faster and handle complex, unusual cases more efficiently.
“In B2B, the quality of your connections always matters more than the quantity”
– What types of companies are you targeting with Solomon, and where do you see the greatest potential?
– Our primary target customers are banks, microfinance institutions, and payment service providers, as well as other companies with strict requirements for transaction screening and risk management.
Looking at the Kazakhstan market, we see a lot of potential in the microfinance sector. There are more than 200 registered microfinance institutions in the country. They actively issue microloans online through digital platforms while also having to comply with strict regulatory requirements for customer verification.
Another promising area is where fintech and telecom meet. Financial products are just starting to emerge in this space, and the compliance infrastructure is still being developed.
– How do you approach working with potential clients?
– For us, it's important to have meaningful conversations with the teams responsible for compliance, risk management, and IT transformation. We work with each potential client to identify a specific problem, discuss what a pilot project could look like, and agree upfront on how we'll measure its success.
Our business model is based on software licensing, along with specialized services for implementation, advanced customization, and technical support. We work out the pricing and terms individually for each client, depending on the scope of integrations, the features they need, and their security requirements.
– How do you attract clients, and who are your competitors?
– In B2B, the quality of your connections always matters more than the quantity. Alongside reaching out directly to relevant departments, we're actively building partnerships with system integrators, hardware vendors, and consultants who know the financial sector's infrastructure inside out.
There are strong, well-respected players in both international and regional markets. Our goal is to offer clients a straightforward on-premises deployment architecture, tools that help them process cases faster, and clear workflows designed around their specific needs.
“The program gives us a chance to better understand the requirements of local financial institutions”
– You're currently taking part in Astana Hub's Central Eurasia Market Entry 2026 accelerator program. What are you getting out of the experience?
– Kazakhstan is a strategically important and fast-moving market for us. Taking part in the program gives us a chance to better understand the requirements of local financial institutions, get feedback from industry experts, and build long-term partnerships.
Our main goal is to build a sustainable B2B product and prove its value in real-world use cases. We believe that decisions about how quickly to grow and when to bring in additional resources should be based entirely on customer needs and proven demand.
– What are you gaining from the program at this stage?
– The program has given us a real boost and helped us better define what Solomon can offer different market segments. Industry events and private meetings have been especially valuable. For example, the regular IT-Tea sessions with experienced investors and industry experts give us a chance to hear tough but constructive feedback.
Taking part in international events like Digital Bridge also helps us connect with related sectors, including credit bureaus, brokers, and major business ecosystems. Talking with industry experts gives us a better sense of which product ideas are worth pursuing and where we could expand next.
– Where do you see Solomon in three years?
– We want to build a reliable, flexible platform that can be easily adapted to the requirements of different financial institutions and regulatory frameworks. For us, sustainable growth, consistently high implementation quality, and strong customer trust matter far more than making big public promises.
In the long run, we plan to steadily expand the platform's capabilities and our range of partner integrations, while staying firmly focused on data security, practical value, and measurable business results for our clients.