Uzbekistan launches a new system for supporting student startups: what grants and investments are available

In 2026, Uzbekistan launched a new startup support system designed to cover projects at all stages — from idea to scaling. A separate track of the program is dedicated to students: starting in September, student accelerators will be established at universities, universities will be able to invest in student projects, and winners of the republican contest for innovative ideas will receive grants of up to 100 million sum.

Let’s examine how the new system is structured and what opportunities it offers to students and young entrepreneurs.

Student accelerators will launch in September

Starting September 1, 2026, Uzbekistan will launch the “Universities — Startup Generators” program. Universities, in collaboration with IT Park Uzbekistan and venture funds, will create student accelerators.

Students will also have access to internships and exchange programs with international accelerators and universities. Startup managers and trackers will work within the accelerators to help teams develop their projects.

Thus, a university will become not only an educational platform but also a place where a student can form a team, test an idea, and prepare a project for market entry.

Universities will be able to invest in student projects

Universities will gain the right to invest their own funds into startups created by students and scientific staff. Through incubation centers and accelerators, they will be able to direct up to $20,000 per project.

These are investments, not grants. The funds can be used, for example, for developing an MVP, testing the product, or attracting initial users.

At the same time, teams will receive not only funding but also support from specialists who will help prepare the project for the next stage.

Winners of the innovative ideas contest will receive grants

Winners of the annual republican contest “The Most Innovative Idea” among state universities will be awarded a grant of 100 million sum. The republican stage will cover 10 categories, with a total prize fund of 10 billion sum.

Thus, the contest is designed for projects that are still in the idea stage, whereas university investments are intended for more promising teams undergoing acceleration.

Startup support will begin in school

The state system starts not only with universities. Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, events titled “Hour of Mastery and Business” will be held for students in grades 9–11 and students of secondary vocational and professional education institutions.

Participants will be able to present their projects at the “Best Startup Idea” contest. According to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations, winners of the district stage will receive up to 5 million sum, and winners of the regional stage — up to 10 million sum.

Projects will also be presented to representatives of the business and scientific communities.

Separate investments are available for young entrepreneurs

More mature projects will be able to participate in the annual “Young Entrepreneurs” championship.

According to the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, up to 100 of the best business and startup projects will be able to attract investments of up to 1 billion sum each. Financing will be provided through the State Target Fund for the Development of Youth Entrepreneurship and the venture fund Yoshlar Ventures.

Additionally, projects will receive compensation for expenses related to expert financial and marketing services.

Additional tools are available for digital startups

Winners of ideathons and hackathons will be able to receive funding from state venture funds in the form of convertible loans. One of the conditions is participation of the project in an incubation or acceleration program.

The “Digital Startups” program also operates for digital projects, offering separate grant financing.

Starting April 1, 2026, participants will be able to obtain the status of an IT Park Uzbekistan resident without the requirement for a minimum export volume and enjoy corresponding benefits.

The state will help with MVP development

Support does not end after the first round of funding. Starting in 2027, R&D centers with laboratories, equipment, experts, and testing grounds are planned to be created in youth technoparks and universities.

For promising projects, an R&D voucher will be available, allowing compensation of up to 50% of expenses for creating an MVP, but no more than $50,000. During the testing phase, up to 10 projects per year are planned to be selected.

This is intended to address one of the most challenging stages for technology startups — the transition from an idea or prototype to a full-fledged product.

What kind of startup ecosystem does Uzbekistan want to create

All these tools are part of a broader program for developing the startup ecosystem.

According to Resolution No. PP-59, by 2030, Uzbekistan plans to increase the number of startups to 5,000 and attract $2 billion in venture investments. The authorities also aim to commercialize 2,000 youth startup ideas and bring at least 400 projects to international markets.

A separate goal is the creation of companies of various scales: 500 startups valued at over $1 million, 100 valued at over $10 million, and 25 valued at over $100 million.

As a result, the system should cover the entire project journey — from a school idea and a student team to an MVP, investments, and entry into international markets.