ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025: key outcomes of the technology week

Tashkent was the venue for the premier IT event of the year — ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025 — with IT Park Uzbekistan acting as both the organizer and co-organizer for several key events. The week highlighted the swift expansion of the national technology sector and its growing integration into the global innovation landscape.

The events organized by IT Park Uzbekistan during ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025 attracted over 1,500 participants, including more than 850 representatives from foreign companies and organizations across 87 countries. Throughout the week, more than a dozen significant events took place, encompassing international forums, summits, workshops, and B2B sessions.

As a result of the week's initiatives, nine international memorandums were signed with partners from the United States, Iran, Korea, Kazakhstan, Jordan, and Estonia. Investment checks amounting to 896,200 US dollars were recorded, while agreements totaling 10 million US dollars were established during discussions with venture funds.

More than 20 foreign companies announced their intentions to establish offices in Uzbekistan. Additionally, the One Stop Shop program has already assisted in onboarding 15 new foreign members from Canada, the United Kingdom, Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Turkey, India, Georgia, Egypt, and CIS countries, who collectively aim to create over 1,000 new jobs.

Technological integration across the region

A standout feature of the week was the “Eurasian Technoparks” pavilion — a collaborative effort involving IT Park Uzbekistan (IT Park Capital, IT Park Ventures, IT Park University, Enterprise Uzbekistan), Astana Hub (Astana Hub Ventures, Tomorrow School), the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic (AI Academy, IPROFI.PRO), the Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan (Recepta, Adviad, DMP), and the Startup Academy of Turkmenistan (Kinestex).

At this venue, startups and technoparks from the region presented their programs and products, laying the groundwork for a cohesive digital space across Eurasia.

Simultaneously, the “Tech Alliance” alley showcased 17 IT Park members who displayed their outsourcing and BPO solutions. During this event, IT Park launched the “BPO Community” initiative — a new program designed to position Uzbekistan as a dependable partner in the realm of digital outsourcing services.

Outsourcing without borders

At the “Shared Services & Offshore Outsourcing 2025” conference, experts explored Uzbekistan's rise as a new global outsourcing hub. The discussions highlighted the country's potential in human capital, tax incentives, and visa advantages for IT Park members.

The second day of the conference focused on practical sessions, where IT Park specialists offered comprehensive guidance to foreign companies on effectively setting up a business in Uzbekistan, covering aspects from company registration to banking operations.

The format included presentations, practical advice, and open discussions. For many companies, this served as an opportunity to assess specific actions and potential obstacles before entering the Uzbek market.

Uzbekistan–Japan: focus on education and export

At the “Uzbekistan–Japan ICT Forum,” participants engaged in discussions about IT outsourcing and the training of Japanese-speaking professionals. Special emphasis was placed on the proposal to create an educational hub in Tashkent aimed at training IT specialists for the Japanese market. This initiative is anticipated to function not only as a talent development project but also as a tool for digital diplomacy, fostering connections between Central and East Asia.

Game development: from local studios to global IPs

The “Game GAP 2025” forum gathered representatives from prominent game studios, including Tencent, Voodoo, Grimore Entertainment, East Games, among others. The discussions revolved around the future of indie development, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the opportunities for Uzbek-made games to penetrate global markets.

In the aftermath of the event, four companies—Hello World, BeNice Games, RedBall Dynamics, and IndieGO—announced their intentions to establish offices in Uzbekistan.

For local studios, this forum served as a strong indication that Uzbekistan can function not only as a base for outsourced development but also as a source of original products and intellectual property that can compete on a global scale.

Technological partnership with Korea

The primary goal of the “Uzbek-Korean BPO Forum” was to present the BPO sector not just as a segment of export services but as a cornerstone for technological collaboration between the two nations.

The outcomes were significant: six agreements, three pilot outsourcing initiatives, and three memorandums of understanding were executed — involving IT Park Uzbekistan and DGICT, KIBWA, as well as between VERYWORDS and IT Hub Samarkand.

The forum showcased Uzbekistan’s shift from being merely a service provider to becoming a co-developer, where international collaborators engage in business not just within the country but alongside it.

Venture Capital and the Startup Ecosystem: Transforming Numbers into Strategy

The “Startup & Venture Summit” emerged as the focal point of ICT WEEK, uniting investors, startups, and corporations. The summit effectively demonstrated that Uzbekistan’s venture ecosystem has progressed from its initial stage to a growth phase.

Data from the international platform Dealroom indicates that the valuation of Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem has surged 13 times in recent years, reaching 3.9 billion US dollars. The summit highlighted the country’s top 30 startups and marked the official launch of the global ecosystem platform Uzbekistan.dealroom.co.

The European fund DOMiNO Ventures announced the creation of the first international venture fund in Central Asia, valued at 20 million US dollars, with UzVC acting as the anchor investor.

AloqaVentures unveiled deals totaling 750,000 US dollars, while IT Park Ventures announced a collaboration with AWS Activate, which provides startups with access to Amazon’s cloud services and funding programs.

Memorandums of cooperation were established between United Ventures and Astana Hub Ventures, as well as between United Ventures and Yoshlar Ventures — a crucial advancement toward creating a cohesive venture framework for Central Eurasia.

A key highlight was the “Cross-Border Capital Dialogues” roundtable, which convened 45 venture funds, including 25 international investors and business angels. The discussions centered on co-investment strategies, the establishment of cross-border funds, and the expansion of Uzbek startups into foreign markets.

Moreover, a B2B session took place where over 70 startups interacted with more than 20 accelerators, hubs, consultants, and corporations. This session led to five preliminary partnership agreements and numerous new connections that could evolve into investment deals in the upcoming months.

A significant announcement was made regarding the forthcoming “Central Eurasian Venture Forum,” which is set to occur in Tashkent in the spring of 2026, featuring participation from investors hailing from the United States, Singapore, Korea, the UAE, and the surrounding region.

Additionally, during ICT WEEK 2025, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov and CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan Abdulakhad Kuchkarov convened with startup founders from Uzbekistan who are currently advancing their projects internationally.

The meeting included ten Uzbek founders, representing startups that are thriving in foreign markets. They conveyed their plans to establish back offices in Uzbekistan and hire local talent, thus enhancing the national IT ecosystem, fostering service exports, and reinforcing connections between the global and domestic tech sectors.

Clash of Startups: a new generation of founders

One of the most vibrant events of the week was the “Clash of Startups: Tashkent” pitch competition, which attracted over 130 teams. Eleven startups progressed to the finals, where they showcased their projects to a panel of judges from prominent venture funds and business angels, including IT Park Ventures, DOMiNO Ventures, MOST Holding, and AloqaVentures.

Three projects were declared winners, sharing the IT Park Ventures prize pool of 50,000 US dollars:

MoonAi — 25,000 US dollars for AI-driven data analytics and automation solutions; GetMobi — 15,000 US dollars for a mobile marketing optimization platform; Femmy — 10,000 US dollars for a startup focused on women’s health.

All three winners have already begun discussions with investors and accelerators to investigate opportunities for expansion into international markets.

Global Startup Awards: the year Uzbekistan made history

A significant highlight of ICT WEEK was the regional final of the Global Startup Awards — the largest international competition in the world, featuring teams from eight countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Mongolia. For the first time ever, Uzbekistan emerged as the leading winner, achieving a record number of awards.

• Ecosystem Hero of the Year — Rakhimakhon Nugmanova (Uzbekistan)

• Best Fintech Startup — MoliyAI (Uzbekistan)

• Investor of the Year — UzVC (Uzbekistan)

• Startup of the Year — Hyper APP (Uzbekistan)

• People’s Choice Award — EDU AI (Uzbekistan)

• Best Green Tech Startup — CATEXTRA (Uzbekistan)

• Founder of the Year — Akmaljon Musaev (Uzbekistan)

• Best Newcomer — OINA AI (Kazakhstan)

• Best Health Tech Startup — Aidentis (Kazakhstan)

• Best Accelerator/Incubator Program — KBTU (Kazakhstan)

• Diversity Role Model of the Year — Assem Bolatzhan (Kazakhstan)

• Best Coworking Space — Ololo (Kyrgyzstan)

• Best Youth Startup — Coursemon (Pakistan)

The winners will represent their respective countries at the global final in Copenhagen, where they will compete against the world's leading startups.

Web Summit Spotlight: Tashkent Emerges as a New Hub for Technological Dialogue

On September 27, Tashkent made history by becoming the first city in the CIS to host the “Web Summit Spotlight,” a significant extension of one of the globe's most influential technology events. This gathering attracted over 400 participants, including 90 international experts, investors, and corporate representatives from more than 30 nations.

At “Startup Alley,” 20 startups showcased their innovative solutions, and speakers included representatives from Plug and Play Tech Center, Google for Startups, Golden Gate Ventures, Rasmal Ventures, GB Ventures, La French Tech Warsaw, Endeavor AI, Heartfelt Ventures, Domino Ventures, Topham Guerin, Snoonu, and other esteemed global brands.

Panel discussions addressed crucial themes shaping the global tech landscape:

— global venture investment trends and their effects on emerging markets;

— international corporate strategies for market entry;

— Central Asia’s position in the global technological value chain;

— artificial intelligence, XR technologies, and corporate innovation.

Speakers collectively concluded that Eurasia is becoming a new growth center, with Uzbekistan identified as its technological core. Regulatory reforms, the IT Park ecosystem, and a welcoming stance towards foreign investment were emphasized as vital elements making the country a “new magnet” for global technology capital.

Data from StartupBlink presented at the summit indicated that Uzbekistan has entered the global top 100 startup ecosystems for the first time, achieving the top position in Central Asia and ranking second globally in terms of growth rate.

Tashkent exhibited a remarkable 132% growth, emerging as the fastest-growing technology city in the region.

The results of the Web Summit Spotlight were unmistakable: Uzbekistan has firmly positioned itself on the global innovation landscape. For international investors, it serves as a new entry point to Eurasia; for local startups, it offers a route to global integration; and for the nation, it marks a significant achievement in digital advancement.

Investors Room: capital in motion

The “Investors Room” format became one of the most eagerly awaited segments of ICT WEEK — where swift startup presentations led to actual investment agreements. From 250 submissions, 55 startups were chosen to showcase their projects to 28 venture funds and business angels from Uzbekistan, Europe, the United States, and the Middle East.

The session was organized into two tracks:

Alpha — investments ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 US dollars, featuring 19 funds and business angels including UzVC, SQB Ventures, AloqaVentures, IT Park Ventures, Yoshlar Ventures, Imkon Ventures, Sarmo Ventures, Togo-X Capital, Sabah Fund, CS Angels Club, Fuad Taghiyev, AV Ventures, Yellow Rocks VC, Caucasus Ventures, Doha Tech Angels, Tanay VC, Big Sky Capital, Oxora, and Orbit Startups;

Beta — investments up to 25 million US dollars, involving nine funds: AloqaVentures, Sturgeon Capital, Most Ventures, Alchemist Doha, Golden Gate Ventures, Yandex, AUIC, Purple Ventures, and Heartfelt Capital.

Subsequent to the session, Yoshlar Ventures invested in three projects — Inter AI (38,000 US dollars), Hisobchi AI (37,500 US dollars), and Educoin (20,700 US dollars). Additionally, soft commitments totaling 10 million US dollars were secured for two more projects, and over ten startups received invitations for follow-up discussions at venture fund offices.

Global mindset: the new competency of Uzbek entrepreneurs

In addition to major forums and investment sessions, ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025 featured a series of practical workshops that showcased how the local ecosystem is learning not only to attract capital but also to function according to international standards.

The inaugural session, “Investor Readiness: How to Attract Investments from Global Funds,” took place at Startup Garage and attracted more than 100 participants — ranging from early-stage founders to established startups. The training focused on strategies for cultivating relationships with investors across various markets.

Experts from Silkroad Angels Club, Academia Park London, Lumia Partners, and Heartfelt Ventures provided their perspectives on securing funding from the United States, Europe, and the Gulf region.

The educational segment concluded with a comprehensive workshop titled “Founders without Borders: How to Create Scalable Startups,” which attracted over 400 participants at the School 21 campus.

Three specialists from Stanford and Silicon Valley — representing Stanford Continuing Studies, Crunchbase, and MIT — engaged in discussions about scaling strategies, attracting global investments, and achieving product-market fit in international markets.

Both workshops represented a pivotal moment in ecosystem evolution: a shift from local startups to companies with a global focus.

ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025 was not merely a series of conferences; it showcased the nation's emerging digital identity. In recent years, Uzbekistan has transitioned from being an observer to a creator, evolving from a technology consumer to a producer and partner with global leaders.

For businesses, the week served as a significant indicator of trust: international firms reaffirmed their commitment to the local market, while startups found new avenues for capital access. For citizens, it heralded a new reality — the IT sector has grown from a niche industry to a fundamental pillar of the national economy, contributing to job creation and export potential.

Information partners included Aniq.uz, Daryo.uz, Frank.uz, Kursiv.uz, Nova 24, The Tech, UzbekFintech, Weproject, Vzglyad.uz, and the radio station Oriat Dono.