IT Park Uzbekistan became the best knowledge zone in the Asia-Pacific region

IT Park Uzbekistan won the Knowledge Zone of the Year — Asia-Pacific category at the 2026 Global Free Zones of the Year Awards, an international award organized by fDi Intelligence, a specialized publication of the Financial Times Group.

The award recognizes IT Park Uzbekistan’s achievements in developing a competitive technological ecosystem, attracting international companies and investments, and strengthening the country’s human capital in the field of digital technologies. The recognition also reflects Uzbekistan’s extensive efforts in developing technological education, training specialists, and supporting innovation.

The annual Global Free Zones of the Year Awards honors economic zones worldwide for their effective strategies in attracting business and investment. In 2026, the award included three categories: industrial zones, knowledge zones, and emerging zones. The Knowledge Zones category covers territories specializing in information technology, financial and business services, as well as other high value-added sectors.

Developing a Competitive Human Capital in Digital Technologies

Investment in human capital is one of the key areas of Uzbekistan’s digital transformation. National educational initiatives, together with IT Park Uzbekistan’s training programs, are helping to form a new generation of technology specialists oriented toward the international market.

According to the latest data from IT Park Uzbekistan, 1.7 million young people have been trained under the One Million Uzbek Coders project, and 1.3 million people have participated in the Five Million AI Leaders initiative.

Additionally, under the program for compensating expenses on international IT certifications, 4,926 young specialists received support. More than 18 billion Uzbek som were allocated to reimburse expenses for obtaining internationally recognized IT certifications and training. Under the IT-Talents program, an additional 3.17 billion Uzbek som was allocated to support educational institutions whose graduates are employed by IT companies focused on exports.

Initiatives such as ICT4Girls, startup incubation programs, and national technology competitions promote entrepreneurship and expand opportunities for youth and women in the technology sector. The development of advanced digital skills is also supported by 20 artificial intelligence laboratories at universities.

These initiatives demonstrate the joint efforts of IT Park Uzbekistan and national institutions to strengthen digital education, train qualified specialists, and build a sustainable talent pipeline for the technology sector. The development of education and human capital was also among the areas presented for evaluation in IT Park Uzbekistan’s application for the international award.

Expanding Uzbekistan’s Presence in the Global Technology Market

IT Park Uzbekistan continues to strengthen the country’s position as a developing center for technology and outsourcing. Today, the ecosystem includes more than 4,100 resident companies, including over 1,200 companies with foreign investment. These companies provide employment for more than 56,000 specialists, contributing to job creation and the development of Uzbekistan’s technological human capital.

More than 1,100 exporting companies operate in markets across 102 countries, strengthening Uzbekistan’s integration into the international technology economy.

According to the latest data from IT Park Uzbekistan, information and communication technology exports exceeded $1.1 billion, reflecting the expansion of the country’s international business activity.

Competitive tax incentives, developing infrastructure, and international partnerships enable IT Park Uzbekistan to continue attracting foreign technology companies and creating new opportunities for export-oriented businesses.

International Recognition and Development Prospects

Uzbekistan’s technology ecosystem is gaining increasing international recognition. In the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, Uzbekistan was named Country of the Year 2026 and recognized as the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in the world with a growth rate of 227.3%. Over two years, the country rose 31 positions to take 79th place in the global ranking, while Tashkent reached 229th place among global startup cities.

According to the analytics platform Dealroom, the total valuation of Uzbekistan’s ecosystem reached $4.3 billion in 2026, reflecting the expansion of technology entrepreneurship and investment activity.

The recognition of IT Park Uzbekistan by fDi Intelligence marks another important milestone in the development of the country’s internationally competitive technology sector, built on a favorable investment policy, expanding digital infrastructure, and growing human capital.