Kyrgyz startup ArtSkin won at CASC-2025

More than 700 participants, dozens of startups from various countries in Central Asia, representatives of venture funds, corporations, and accelerators gathered in Bishkek for the Central Asia Startup CUP — the first forum of its kind dedicated to the development of the region’s startup ecosystem.

The forum took place on April 24–25 at the Technopark of the Kyrgyz Republic, serving as a platform where startups meet investment opportunities and ideas connect with real-world possibilities.

Eight thematic sessions were held featuring speakers from the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries. Keynote speakers included Asel Sartbaeva, a renowned scientist and founder of the British BioTech startup EnsiliTech, which raised £1.2 million for innovative vaccine transportation solutions. Also speaking was Elena Soboleva, founder of the startup Honorlock, which secured $50 million in investments. Additional sessions covered venture capital, angel investing, women’s entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence development, FinTech, and more.

Networking sessions between participants and venture investors took place throughout both days of the forum in an informal setting. The VC Speed Dating event allowed over 100 founders to personally present their projects.

A memorandum of cooperation was signed between Accelerate Prosperity and the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic.

For the first time in Kyrgyzstan, the regional final of the Startup World Cup was held, organized in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures, USA.

A landmark moment of the opening ceremony was the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic and Accelerate Prosperity, the number one accelerator in Kyrgyzstan. Rakhat Jusumambetova, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, highlighted Accelerate Prosperity’s contribution to the development of the startup ecosystem in the country.

The climax of the two-day forum was the Startup Battle, which also included Kyrgyz finalists from the flagship incubation program of the Prosperity CUP accelerator. Eight teams advanced to the final of the Central Asia Startup Cup (CASC): Finik, A1 espace, ArtSkin, Re-Skill, Kiko AI, “Shей i Bogatey” (Shay i Bogatey), Fusion AI, and PorteTech. Based on the selected teams, the following results were announced:

The Grand Prix of the forum — the title of CASC-2025 winner — was awarded to the Kyrgyz startup ArtSkin, which develops artificial leather for prosthetics.

The startup selected for the grand final was the Kazakh company Porte Tech, a digital service for hotels. It will travel to the Startup World Cup in San Francisco to compete for $1 million in investments.

From the project funded by the European Union, “Last-mile Connectivity to Promote Digital Green Education Opportunities,” with a prize fund of €35,000, seven teams from Kyrgyzstan — including digital educational tools, innovations, and initiatives focused on solving problems in the green sector — each received €5,000: Nomado, Tez Jumush, Sound Vision, Edu Test, WeSave, TilZone, and TheTech.

The Kyrgyz startup VoiceDiary — an AI companion for emotional support — earned a trip to Silicon Valley as part of the Dive into Silicon Valley program by the High Technologies Park of Kyrgyzstan.

The following startups were selected for the regional Accelerate Prosperity — Slingshot program, which offers access to investment opportunities: Finik, Air ecosystem, A1 eSpace, Benefy, Porte tech, Fusion AI, THE Tech, Mama Space, Nomado, Sound Vision, Euler AI, TEZ JUMUSH, U-pump, RE skill, Artskin, and OPUS.

Nick Bowler, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan
Thanks to our private sector development programs in Kyrgyzstan, startups and small businesses have received targeted training and other skills, helping them increase sales, profits, and investment attractiveness. This has enabled them to attract external funding and create new jobs. We will continue this work under the new UK Program for Inclusive Green Growth in Central Asia, which will launch shortly.

Organizers:

The forum was organized by Accelerate Prosperity Kyrgyzstan, the number one business accelerator in Kyrgyzstan, as part of the UK Program for Inclusive Green Growth in Central Asia, co-financed by the Government of the United Kingdom and the Aga Khan Fund, in partnership with the State Service for Intellectual Property and Innovations under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Forum Partners:

Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank, Pegasus Tech Ventures, Startup World Cup, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Finik, Growth Hungry, EU project Last-mile Connectivity to Promote Digital Green Education Opportunities.

Media Partners:

Namba Media, Lalafo, The Tech, Limon, Kaktus Media, JIA Entrepreneurs Association, TicketKG, “Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem,” startup-course.com, Women in Tech, Prisma Agency, The Steppe, Women in Tech.