Uzbekistan and MIT KSC discuss the Country’s Integration into the Global Innovation System

A delegation from the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, headed by Executive Director Dina H. Sherif, undertook a working visit to Uzbekistan.

The MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship is a global academic institution of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), established in 2007 and located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Center focuses on promoting innovation-driven entrepreneurship in emerging markets as a means to achieve prosperity that is sustainable, inclusive, and locally owned.

Dina H. Sherif has been at the helm of the Center since 2019. Under her guidance, the Center has assisted over 600 innovators from 67 countries; companies founded by alumni of the program have collectively served more than 17 million customers globally. Ms. Sherif, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, previously led the Entrepreneurship Center at the American University in Cairo.

During the visit, meetings took place with the Ministry of Digital Technologies, IT Park Uzbekistan, the Academy of Sciences, prominent universities, as well as with startups and members of the country's venture community. Following these discussions, the involved parties expressed their willingness to foster long-term collaboration aimed at enhancing Uzbekistan’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Meeting with the Ministry of Digital Technologies

Sherzod Shermatov, the Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, engaged with Dina H. Sherif to explore opportunities for a strategic partnership in developing the nation’s startup and DeepTech ecosystem, along with effective methods for enhancing international scientific and technological collaboration.

Key areas identified for partnership included the establishment of research centers focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing, energy technologies, and autonomous systems. The Minister emphasized that these sectors are in line with the strategic direction established by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to promote high-tech industries and digital products.

During the meeting, an overview of Uzbekistan’s current startup environment was provided: over 750 startups are currently operating in the country, with more than 147 having secured local and international investments. Uzbekistan has also made its way into the top 100 global startup ecosystems.

The parties affirmed their commitment to developing practical collaboration in research, education, and technology entrepreneurship.

Meeting with IT Park Uzbekistan

The discussions concentrated on strategic priorities for potential long-term collaboration, encompassing the development of innovation policies, support for DeepTech startups, the formation of private capital, and the international positioning of Uzbekistan.

IT Park Uzbekistan, recognized as the largest technology park in Central Asia, boasts 14 regional branches and 6 international offices. It acts as a vital development institution for the nation’s digital ecosystem and IT exports, offering residents tax and customs incentives, infrastructure support, and talent development initiatives.

Potential collaborative areas included educational programs for public officials and policymakers, incubation and acceleration initiatives utilizing MIT methodologies, and strategies to attract MIT-affiliated applied research entities to Uzbekistan.

Visit to the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The MIT Kuo Sharper Center delegation visited the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the foremost scientific institution in the country, established in 1943 and currently comprising 36 research institutes, 210 laboratories, and over 5,700 researchers. The delegation was greeted by Vice Presidents Sirojiddin Mirzaev and Shakhlo Turdikulova.

Conversations focused on enhancing integration with international innovation ecosystems. The parties examined opportunities for collaborative programs in the digital economy, artificial intelligence, green technologies, and biotechnology, as well as methods for attracting MIT-affiliated applied research centers to Uzbekistan.

Following the meeting, both sides agreed to establish a competitive research environment.

Meetings with Universities

During the visit, Dina H. Sherif engaged with representatives from two prominent universities in Tashkent. At Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent (TTPU), Rector Olimjon Tuychiev welcomed the delegation. Founded in collaboration with Politecnico di Torino, the university offers international engineering programs in close partnership with major industrial companies, including UzAuto, BYD, MAN, and SamAuto. Discussions revolved around institutional mechanisms to support startups, the commercialization of DeepTech projects, and the integration of young entrepreneurs into global innovation networks.

At Central Asian University (CAU), the delegation explored applied research platforms such as AI Lab and Med Lab, which operate at the intersection of technology and healthcare.

The discussions focused on enhancing applied research collaboration, fostering innovation-driven initiatives, and incorporating university-led projects into wider international innovation ecosystems.

The university offers English-language programs in collaboration with European institutions through Erasmus+. In 2025, CAU was recognized as the leading private higher education institution in Uzbekistan and was ranked among the top 1000 universities in the Round University Ranking.

AI Startups Roast Session

On the first day, an AI Startups Roast session took place—a public pitch review format that featured expert assessments of business models and their scalability potential. Ten Uzbek AI companies presented to Dina H. Sherif and the IT Park Uzbekistan team: Tass Vision, Growy AI, Promptlab, Screenix AI, Sales Doctor, Tuzuk AI, Freyt, Moliy AI, TTLK, and Geomotive.

Each team received comprehensive feedback regarding the viability of their business models, their readiness for international investment, and their potential for entering global markets.

Roundtable with Venture Funds and Business Angels

A roundtable discussion convened representatives from Uzbekistan’s venture capital sector. Key participants included major market players: IT Park Ventures (which has a portfolio of over 70 startups focused on export-oriented IT products), UzVC (the national venture fund and regulatory architect), AloqaVentures (the corporate venture fund of AloqaBank, specializing in FinTech, GovTech, and E-commerce), SQB Ventures (the venture arm of Sanoat Qurilish Bank), UC Ventures (the investment vehicle of Uzcard), Yoshlar Ventures, United Ventures, and DOMiNO Ventures, a regional fund that specializes in AI and DeepTech.

The discussion centered on the interaction between public and private capital as a means for systemic ecosystem development, the establishment of a local investor base, and the preparation of startups for international funding rounds.

Fireside Chat “Innovation Ecosystem & Global Growth”

The two-day program concluded with a public Fireside Chat featuring Dina H. Sherif, which brought together startup founders, venture investors, and representatives from government institutions. The conversation focused on the development of integrated innovation systems and how emerging ecosystems can facilitate global scaling for their companies.

Participants examined structural barriers to global expansion faced by startups from developing ecosystems, models of public-private collaboration in innovation policy, and practical insights drawn from international experiences.

Outcomes of the Visit

The delegation from the MIT Kuo Sharper Center's visit represented a significant milestone in the advancement of Uzbekistan’s innovation ecosystem. Both parties demonstrated their willingness to engage in long-term collaboration in the areas of research, education, and technology entrepreneurship, thereby granting Uzbekistan access to cutting-edge methodologies for developing sustainable ecosystems, cultivating technology leaders, and enhancing the synergy between science and business.

Collaboration with the Kuo Sharper Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology bolsters Uzbekistan’s standing on the global technology and innovation landscape. For many years, MIT has played a pivotal role in shaping the worldwide agenda for innovation and entrepreneurship, and partnering with its esteemed center allows Uzbekistan to connect with a global network of intellectual and entrepreneurial resources, thereby fostering trust among investors, universities, and technology firms.