Business Cup, NASA Space Apps, and Startup Week: Opportunities for Startups in November 2026

Business Cup Hackathon 2.0
AIESEC at Nazarbayev University, together with the Kazakh technology company Zimran, whose products are used in more than 200 countries, is hosting the second Business Cup. This time, the format is stricter: instead of four days, teams will have 24 hours. On November 14, participants will receive a real business case, and within a day they must study the problem, develop a solution, prepare the design, and present a working product. Zimran specialists will assist the teams. The prize fund is 5,000,000 tenge, and top participants may receive a job offer from the company. Bachelor’s and master’s students can participate.

Application deadline: November 9
When: November 14–15
Where: Astana, Nazarbayev University

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026
The world’s largest hackathon for space and science, organized annually by NASA. Over the weekend of November 14 and 15, teams in hundreds of cities around the world will spend 48 hours creating applications, games, data visualizations, and prototypes based on open data from NASA and partner space agencies. This year, participants were offered 14 challenges across three difficulty levels. Participation is free, and teams can consist of up to six people. During registration, teams must choose a local hub, either offline or online. Registered teams may advance to the global selection.

When: November 14 and 15

D-Prize
An international competition for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to launch a new organization and scale proven solutions to poverty in healthcare, education, agriculture, and other sectors. Top projects receive up to $20,000 to launch a pilot. The competition does not follow a “winner takes all” model: typically, D-Prize funds at least 15 applications. To apply, you need a two-page project concept and a resume.

Application deadline: November 15

Global Sustainability Challenge
The NU Impact Foundation invites students from Central Asia to the international Stanford Dorrell School of Sustainability competition. Teams propose solutions in one of two tracks: sustainable energy or climate change adaptation. Students of any major and level of study, from bachelor’s to PhD, can participate. The total prize fund exceeds $35,000, and participants may also enter Stanford University’s EcoGlobal program. In the previous season, more than 3,000 students from 91 countries participated in the competition.

Application deadline: November 22

AI for Good Innovation Factory 2026
The International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency, is hosting a pitch competition for startups using artificial intelligence to solve global challenges. Selected teams will pitch online on December 8 to a jury of investors and tech company founders. The winner will secure a spot in the Innovation Factory finale at the AI for Good Global Summit 2027 in Geneva, along with a booth, the opportunity to speak at the summit, access to the 2027 acceleration program, and mentoring sessions with jury members.

Application deadline: November 23

Techstars Startup Week Tashkent 2026
Techstars Uzbekistan is concluding the year with a festival that organizers call the largest startup event in Central Asia. Over 5,000 participants, more than 50 speakers, and over 100 investors are expected. Each of the three days focuses on a specific theme: November 24 is dedicated to corporate innovation, November 25 to startup founders, and November 26 to the creative economy. On Founder’s Day, there will be a startup battle as part of UzVC’s Startup Growth Programme, a meeting with venture investors, and networking. Founders can register separately under the Startup category.

When: November 24–26
Where: Tashkent

INMerge Innovation Summit 2026
For the sixth time, INMerge—an innovation summit organized by PASHA Holding—will take place in Baku. It brings together startups, investors, corporations, and government representatives from Azerbaijan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Europe. Last year, the summit attracted more than 5,000 participants and over 150 speakers. The 2026 speaker lineup includes former Nike CMO Greg Hoffman, Nobel laureate Joel Mokyr, and former CBO of Google X Mo Gawdat. The application window for startups to pitch has already closed, but founders can attend as participants to connect with investors and corporate partners.

When: November 30 and December 1
Where: Baku, Baku Convention Center

AloqaVentures
AloqaBank’s venture fund from Uzbekistan accepts startup applications year-round. The fund invests at the Pre-Seed stage, ranging from $10,000 to $250,000. Priority areas include Smart Business, e-commerce, FinTech, and artificial intelligence, but the fund is open to considering other sectors. To apply, you need to complete a company presentation template and a questionnaire on the website. A response is sent via email within 10 business days.

Application period: applications are accepted year-round