By: Seraphina Quinn
At this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 in San Francisco, the Central Asian Innovation Hubs made a powerful debut, spotlighting innovative talent from Central Asia. In a collaborative effort, IT Park Uzbekistan and Astana Hub jointly represented a diverse lineup of startups, uniting under this initiative to promote investment opportunities and support growth for emerging companies from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Through renowned events like TechCrunch Disrupt, IT Park Uzbekistan and Astana Hub aim to increase Central Asia’s status as a strategic technology hub, fostering connections with Silicon Valley investors and industry leaders.
“With a young population exceeding 82 million and a median age of 29, Central Asia is positioning itself as a prime location on the global tech map, with significant potential for new unicorns and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. In Uzbekistan alone, a database of 400 promising startups has potential to make a global impact, showcasing products with opportunities to expand into foreign markets.
Photo Courtesy: IT Park Uzbekistan
Through the Central Asian Innovation Hubs alliance, which was created by the initiative of IT Park Uzbekistan and Astana Hub, regional startups are gaining valuable support to enter new markets and attract foreign investment. This year, in collaboration with AstanaHub, 8 startups from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were presented at the INMerge Innovation Summit in Azerbaijan, 16 are currently participating at TechCrunch Disrupt, and another 16 will join Web Summit Lisbon in November, totaling 40 regional startups introduced to top global investors. Furthermore, around 30 startups are set to participate in prestigious global programs like Draper University’s Hero Training, the Stanford HealthTech Accelerator, and the Alchemist Accelerator, which are expected to strengthen the region’s startup ecosystem and its international investment appeal,” highlighted CEO of IT Park Farkhod Ibragimov.
Photo Courtesy: IT Park Uzbekistan
Representing a range of sectors, from artificial intelligence to health tech, fourteen startups were featured in the Central Eurasia Pavilion, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub – the largest pavilion at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024.
Uzum, Uzbekistan’s largest digital ecosystem, presented its wide-ranging services, spanning e-commerce, express delivery, banking, fintech, and business development. Uzinfocom, a unified integrator, highlighted its expertise in delivering fast, scalable IT solutions for complex projects, from intricate implementations to nationwide rollouts.
BILLZ demonstrated its leadership in retail automation and SME financing solutions across Central Asia. Smartup introduced its cloud-based software, designed to automate and manage distribution, production, trade marketing, warehousing, and financial accounting. Call24, a trusted partner in customer service optimization, showcased tools to support personalized, high-quality communication. Datagaze, a cybersecurity solution for medium to large enterprises, emphasized its data leak prevention capabilities through access monitoring and control. Point.ai presented its software for customer support services, which centralizes data to streamline issue resolution. GeoMotive demonstrated its marketplace for DOOH advertising, offering a unified ecosystem of tools focused on strategic, ROI-driven advertising.
Several innovative startups from Kazakhstan also showcased their projects at the conference. These included Yaya, a subscription service designed for children’s entertainment centers; Arlan Biotech, a pioneering startup developing AI-powered nanobodies; Call2action, a service specializing in smart voice messaging; pwron.ai, an AI assistant that provides real-time, data-driven market research with expert support for research and strategy development; Parqour, a software platform aimed at streamlining parking operations and enhancing customer experience; Bult, an innovative Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution for rapid deployment, scaling, and management of applications; FOREST HERO, a ClimateTech startup dedicated to addressing global climate change and combating deforestation; and TrustExam.ai, an online learning and knowledge assessment system featuring automated proctoring.
“We have launched several new initiatives, including the Hero Training program in partnership with Draper University, which offers startups opportunities to access Silicon Valley. Since the program’s launch last year, 27 startups have completed the program, and this year, 10 more are enrolled for intensive acceleration, preparing to scale for the global market, including the U.S. We also supported the Silkroad Innovation Hub, a project that unites Central Eurasia as a single region in Silicon Valley, fostering cross-border tech entrepreneurship.”
Photo Courtesy: IT Park Uzbekistan
These efforts culminated in the first-ever CESV conference for Central Asian startups, which brought together 1,500 attendees and showcased over 100 startups. At this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt, Silkroad Innovation Hub is featuring innovations from 24 startups, including 16 projects from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as part of the Central Asia Innovation Hubs. This joint initiative between IT Park Uzbekistan and Astana Hub reflects the growing tech landscape of the region,” said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.
A Supportive Ecosystem for Startups in Central Asia
Central Asia has taken significant steps to support and develop its tech sector, with Uzbekistan at the forefront of these initiatives. Located between Europe and Asia, Central Asia is a region of increasing strategic and economic importance. With a young population and a focus on modernization, it is evolving into a hub for innovation, technology, and growth.
As a bridge between East and West, Central Asia offers unique possibilities in trade, energy, and connectivity. Its location, abundant resources, and skilled workforce make it a promising area for future development and global influence.
IT Park Uzbekistan is leading initiatives for the nation’s tech future, with early results visible: Uzbekistan’s first unicorn, Uzum, emerged this year, with more than 400 prospective startups on the horizon. Investments have already reached over $148 million. Through 56 university-based incubation centers, IT Park is fostering future unicorns and advancing the startup landscape. Additionally, IT Park is a founding partner of the Plug and Play office in Uzbekistan, which facilitates integration of startups into the global market.
Demonstrating commitment to the innovation ecosystem, the government of Uzbekistan has introduced a range of supportive policies for its startup ecosystem, including a Regulatory Sandbox aimed at accelerating growth, building international partnerships, and developing local talent. Key reforms include the creation of the IT Park Venture Fund to support startups entering foreign markets and provisions for access to loans at incentivized rates.
Published By: Aize Perez
