IT Park and ADB discuss the development of regional IT infrastructure and the establishment of a national startup ecosystem

Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, the CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, convened a meeting with a delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which was headed by Mirzo Iskandar Gulyamov, the Acting Country Director of the ADB Resident Mission in Uzbekistan. Following their discussions, both parties reached an agreement to further develop a collaborative project focused on enhancing regional IT infrastructure and establishing a national startup ecosystem.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), an international financial institution established in 1966, comprises 68 member countries. Its primary objective is to promote socio-economic development across the Asia and Pacific regions. The ADB's headquarters are situated in Manila, Philippines, and its annual project financing surpasses USD 20 billion.

During the talks, significant emphasis was placed on advancing regional IT infrastructure. Plans are underway to introduce new IT hubs and campuses in five regions of Uzbekistan: Khorezm, Bukhara, Tashkent region, Andijan, and Jizzakh. Each campus is intended to function as a contemporary center for IT firms and startups, featuring office spaces, coworking areas, training classrooms, and laboratories.

The discussions also included a review of the Enterprise Uzbekistan initiative, which aims to establish an institutional and regulatory framework. This framework will incorporate a “Tech Sandbox” for testing fintech and other innovative solutions, along with an online portal for applications. Additionally, it will offer services in digital justice and dispute resolution, as well as technology and legal consultancy.

The creation of a national startup ecosystem and the development of a digital platform to support entrepreneurs were also key topics. IT Park expressed its willingness to collaborate with ADB to further refine each initiative, outline subsequent steps, plan relevant activities, and leverage the successful experiences of past projects as a basis for implementation.

Partnering with ADB will allow IT Park Uzbekistan to significantly expand its operations throughout the regions, bolster the national startup ecosystem, and foster favorable conditions for the integration of Uzbek IT companies into the global market.