By 2030, 50,000 students in Uzbekistan will receive free entrepreneurial training.

Since the program launched in April 2025, over 1,000 students have already completed the SG Founders School program, paving the way for a new generation of innovators.

The country's first free founders' school has reached a significant milestone: its student body has surpassed 1,000 participants. Established in April of this year as the first free academy for entrepreneurs, SG Founders School aligns with national reforms and demonstrates that young Uzbekistanis are embracing entrepreneurship on an unprecedented scale.

Young people across the country possess bold ideas and great ambitions, yet they often lack the opportunities to turn these ideas into real projects. Through the Founders School, Startup Garage is building a community where investors, entrepreneurs, and aspiring founders can exchange ideas, collaborate, and develop their initiatives. By connecting youth to this network, the program provides not only knowledge but also the ecosystem necessary for becoming true founders.

This initiative comes at a time when the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan is placing special emphasis on the development of the IT industry. IT Park Uzbekistan, established under the ministry, already brings together more than 2,800 companies, including over 730 foreign ones, and implements incentives such as the IT Visa and Zero Risk, attracting talent and investment to the country. Recently, the Digital Startups program was launched, providing co-financing and acceleration for early-stage projects to ensure that promising ideas do not remain just on paper.

If IT Park Uzbekistan builds the infrastructure and regulatory framework, then SG Founders School works with people. The program's goal is ambitious: to train 50,000 students by 2030. Even if only a small fraction of them go on to create their own companies, Uzbekistan could see thousands of startups emerge over the next decade—bringing new jobs, innovation growth, and billions of dollars in added value.

Given that nearly two-thirds of Uzbekistan's population is under the age of 35, this momentum is particularly significant. A startup ecosystem is forming before our eyes, becoming not just an addition to the economy but a key component of it. And if the current trajectory continues, the phrase "nation of founders" may become a reality in the coming years.