The IT community from Central Asia: Microsoft Developers Community Uzbekistan

We interviewed the community that is shaping a new generation of digital leaders, uniting Microsoft-stack specialists, and creating a space for learning, experience sharing, and developing the technological ecosystem in Uzbekistan. Read more below.

Voriskhon Ganikhujaev, city — Tashkent, project manager, researcher, founder, LinkedIn

About the Community

Microsoft Developers Community Uzbekistan, MDCU — a community of technology specialists created by a group of enthusiasts to popularize Microsoft technologies and develop the local engineering environment.

Our mission is to unite developers, architects, engineers, and managers working with Microsoft technologies to grow together, share experience, and build a strong technological ecosystem in Uzbekistan.

We are developing a platform for learning, professional exchange, international interaction, and the implementation of modern engineering approaches. Within the community, conferences, hackathons, meetups, and educational programs focused on practice and current technologies are regularly held.

The main tasks of MDCU include:
— popularizing Microsoft technologies among developers, companies, and government structures
— uniting experts and creating an environment for knowledge exchange
— developing career opportunities and strengthening the connection between specialists and employers
— supporting the local tech ecosystem through training and mentoring
— organizing professional events — conferences, masterclasses, hackathons, and meetings
 — building global connections with Microsoft and international engineering communities.

Community Members

Our audience includes everyone who develops solutions based on the Microsoft stack: .NET developers, Azure engineers, ML/AI specialists, DevOps and architects, Team/Tech Leads, Product & Engineering Managers, students, and junior developers.

In 2023-2024, our events gathered: more than 1700 participants at Microsoft Community Conf, and more than 1800 participants at the AI hackathon Sharpist 2024 with an international geography: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and other countries.

Becoming part of the community is easy — just subscribe to our social media and participate in events. In the future, we plan to launch a closed club format for active members and open branches in all universities in the country.

Events for Community Members

We host a wide range of events:
1. Microsoft Community Conf — the largest Microsoft conference in Uzbekistan.
2. AI hackathons Sharpist, where hundreds of specialists gather.
3. Meetings and workshops on .NET, Azure, AI/ML, Copilot, Power Platform.
4. Educational partnerships with universities and tech companies.
5. Lectures by international speakers from Microsoft, Amazon, EPAM, and other companies.

Anyone can attend the events — professionals, students, startup founders, managers, and those just starting their journey in information technology.

How the Community Helps with Development

We create an environment that accelerates specialist growth:

— access to international experts and advanced development practices
— networking with world-class engineers
— educational activities focused on real business tasks
— mentoring and mutual support within the community
— the opportunity to showcase your projects, speak on stage, and publish results
— career opportunities — many companies use the MDCU platform as a source for hiring talent
— innovative solutions — companies have already received MVP services and ready-made teams for their products thanks to hackathons.

Community members receive a space where they can grow not only technically but also as a leader, speaker, author, or mentor.

Successful Projects

Some bright examples:
1. Microsoft Community Conf — an annual event with speakers from FAANG and top companies in the country.
2. Sharpist AI Hackathon — an international hackathon that brought together participants from more than 10 CIS countries
3. Partnerships with the government: Ministry of preschool and school education, Youth Affairs Agency
4. Cooperation with businesses: Microsoft, EPAM, CSpace, Iman, Alif, IT Investments Center, The Tech
5. Joint educational projects with Presidential school in Tashkent, Najot Ta’lim, Inha University, and a number of local tech organizations.
6. Educational initiatives with Student Ambassadors and internal engineering programs.

These projects have already formed an ecosystem where new talents emerge, companies find specialists, and developers receive international-level opportunities.

Plans

Our main project for 2025 is Microsoft Community Conf 2025, which took place on November 22 and gathered more than 1000 participants, as well as five international and five local speakers.

In the near future plans:
— scaling the conference to the level of a regional center for Microsoft expertise
— attracting international engineers and opinion leaders
— launching an expanded partnership system and training programs
— conducting a series of technical workshops and mini-conferences in regions of Uzbekistan
— creating a knowledge base and mentoring programs
— strengthening the connection between developers and employer companies.