How to launch a startup in the USA. The experience of Shokhrukh Bekmirzaev

Shokhrukh Bekmirzaev, Co-founder and CEO of UnitLab

About himself and the startup

I am from Uzbekistan, earned a master’s degree in computer science, and then moved to South Korea to continue my studies. After graduating, I began my career in the field of AI, and after eight years of work, I launched UnitLab AI.

UnitLab is a tool for developers that helps collect and annotate data. It is primarily used by AI engineers and developers, as well as specialists in corporate companies. Currently, we have over 8,000 active users, most of whom are located in the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea.

One of the main achievements is the demand for our product. If clients use the service, it means that it solves a real problem, and therefore, it can be scaled. We were also selected by leading venture funds, including 500 Global and Startup Wise Guys, where we became the first Uzbek startup in their portfolio.

Additionally, we received funding from the NVIDIA Inception Program, which is considered one of the most difficult programs for selection. We were granted a grant of $100,000. Another important achievement is the investment from Google for Startups, which supports only DeepTech and AI-first companies.

Currently, UnitLab AI helps over 8,000 AI engineers collect and annotate data for their models. 

Challenges

One of the most difficult problems when launching my startup in Uzbekistan was the lack of payment systems. When we created the MVP and wanted to sell the product, we faced the issue that Stripe did not work in Uzbekistan, as it did not work in Central Asia, except for Kazakhstan. PayPal also turned out to be inconvenient for developers. As a result, to gain access to international payment tools, we registered a company in the United States, which became one of the reasons for opening a legal entity there.

Another challenge was marketing and sales. I am a developer; I know how to create a good product, but selling it is a completely different science. When we launched our first MVP, we had no users. Launching a startup does not mean that customers will start coming on their own; you need to promote the product and convey its value to the target audience. I had to learn these skills along the way.

A startup is constant learning. If you are a developer, do not be afraid to start a business. Programming itself is one of the most difficult skills, which means you can also master marketing and promotion. Any founder faces challenges, but it is impossible to build a successful product without them. The main thing is to be ready to learn and find solutions.

About the startup ecosystem in Uzbekistan

We launched our startup three years ago, and during this time, the startup ecosystem in Uzbekistan has significantly improved. Even if you look at the numbers, it is clear that resources are actively being invested in talents and young projects, especially from IT Park Uzbekistan, Aloqa Ventures, and Startup Garage, which are currently actively working.

Also, many banks and venture funds offer opportunities for young entrepreneurs. To attract investment, it is not necessary to have a ready-made product — a prototype or even an idea is enough.

Earlier this year, more than five new venture funds were launched in Uzbekistan. For example, United Ventures — a fund of $40 million, supported by a group of Uzbek banks. Separately, Sanoat Qurilish Bank created its own venture division with a fund of $10 million. In addition, Startup Garage and IT Park Ventures were also launched this year. Previously, there were only Aloqa Ventures and UzVC. Some of these funds, such as Startup Garage, do not require a fully ready product or MVP. They are ready to invest even at the idea stage with small checks.

To improve the ecosystem, it is important to take a number of steps. First of all, it is necessary to focus on education and talent development, creating conditions for growth and professional development. In particular, many young founders in Uzbekistan lack skills in effective communication, such as writing competent letters to investors. This is a key element for successful fundraising. 

Funding is open to everyone, and the ecosystem of Uzbekistan can be accessed if you know how to correctly approach investors. Any founder needs to be able to write competent letters and make warm intros. It is important to correctly convey information about the startup and the problem it solves. The approach to finding investment in general is similar to global standards.

The difference between launching a startup in the US and Uzbekistan

In the US, it is much easier to start a startup — there is no need to be physically present there to register a business. There are many services that simplify the registration of a company and opening a bank account remotely. 

In Uzbekistan, the process is more traditional and requires personal presence. The process in the country is improving, especially thanks to the efforts of the government, but the differences are still significant.

Also, one of the main differences is the valuation of startups and the size of investments. In Silicon Valley, even at the idea stage, companies can request a high valuation and large investment amounts. If the founder requests $100,000 or $50,000, it will not interest investors. You need to start with requests from $500,000 to $1 million.

In Uzbekistan and Central Asia, the situation is different — investments start from $20,000 and can reach up to $1 million. 

In Uzbekistan, there are currently few companies that develop AI from scratch, so they are not among our users. The main clients are companies from the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, and other developed countries.

The key difference is the approach to payment: American customers primarily evaluate the value of the solution, not its cost. If the product suits them, they are ready to pay for it immediately, even without fully testing all features.

Plans

Currently, we are at the 0 to 1 stage, and our task is to start scaling, increasing current revenue. One of our main challenges is to establish a sales process. We are actively looking for sales specialists in different regions who will help us enter new markets and accelerate growth.

Recommendations for those who want to launch a startup

1. Gain experience. If the founder cannot code or create a product, he will have to hire specialists, which can be expensive. To minimize risks, it is better to first master key skills.
   
2. It is important to correctly identify the problem and check its market demand. For this, there are tools such as SEMRush and marketing analytics platforms that help assess the scale and potential of the idea. One of the common mistakes of founders is launching an MVP without market analysis. Without this, the startup will not be able to ensure long-term development and risks closing.
   
3. Before creating a product, it is necessary to conduct market validation and have sufficient experience in programming or product management.
   
4. Do not be afraid of difficult tasks! All skills can be learned, even if you are not a developer, not an AI specialist, and are not familiar with the principles of artificial intelligence. Today, there are many educational resources available, including YouTube and AI assistants.
   
5. Problems are inevitable, but they are all solvable. The main thing is not to give up. If the founder gives up, it means failure. To achieve success, you need to continue to learn, develop, and move forward.