How Uzbekistan's IT industry developed in 2024: key events

Key Achievements and Trends

2024 became a pivotal year for Uzbekistan’s IT industry. UZUM Group entered history as the country’s first technological “unicorn,” increasing its market valuation to $1 billion. UZUM Group is actively developing the e-commerce and fintech sectors while expanding its presence abroad to strengthen its position on the international stage.

IT Park Uzbekistan announced the launch of the Digital Startups Program, aimed at supporting startups operating in the digital sector. This initiative is designed to help ambitious entrepreneurs develop their projects through training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Program participants can not only refine their business models but also prepare for expansion, entry into new markets, and attracting investments.

IT Park Uzbekistan also opened its representative office in Saudi Arabia. The opening ceremony took place at The Garage, an innovation center known for its technological initiatives.

Additionally, to support technological startups, IT Park Uzbekistan launched a $10 million venture fund in collaboration with international partners. As a result, more than 30 startups at the Seed and Series A stages were funded, providing a strong impetus for the development of the innovative ecosystem.

Within the framework of the “Digital Uzbekistan — 2030” strategy, special attention is being paid to the implementation of digital technologies in public administration. Key initiatives include:

— Mobile ID for citizen identification

— Digital passports

— Transitioning 100 percent of government services to electronic format.

Furthermore, digitalization is covering sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and finance, serving to improve operational efficiency and the quality of services provided to citizens.

A major event of the year was the Digital Uzbekistan International PLUS-Forum, which brought together over 2,000 participants from 25 countries.

Country News and IT Companies

10 new IT schools opened in the regions, where over 15,000 students acquired modern knowledge, significantly strengthening the human resource potential of the IT sector.

Currently, IT Park Uzbekistan unites over 1,600 companies, bringing IT service exports to $344 million. The United States remains the primary market.

FinTech leaders PayMe and Click play a crucial role in the country’s digital transformation. Click has transformed into a SuperApp, offering users multiple services within a single application.

Additionally, it is worth noting companies like TBC, which have successfully attracted significant investments, and new market participants launching their own processing centers. Analysis of IT Park Uzbekistan’s data confirms the high potential of the sector. Specifically, the number of new startups and companies continues to grow, reinforcing Uzbekistan’s position as a regional leader in the IT sector.

Successful IT Startups of the Year

2024 was a significant year for Uzbek startups, strengthening the country’s position in the global technology arena. Among the key projects defining the innovative face of Uzbekistan are:

BILLZ — attracted $500,000 in investments for developing solutions for automating business processes.

Uzum — became the first “unicorn” in Uzbekistan’s history; the company also plans to attract $300 million in investments.

PoinAi — took first place on Product Hunt.

Tahrirchi — launched translation services from the Karakalpak language.

These projects demonstrate a high level of technological development and reinforce Uzbekistan’s status as a promising technological hub in Central Asia.

The participation of eight Uzbek startups at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 exhibition held in Silicon Valley was a particular achievement. Under the brand of Central Asian innovation centers, the following companies were showcased: Uzum, Uzinfocom, Datagaze, Geomotive, Smartup, Point AI, BILLZ, and Call 24.

The active participation of Uzbek startups in such major events strengthens their integration into global innovation ecosystems and confirms Uzbekistan’s growing competitiveness in the world technology market.

Major IT Events Held in the Country

In 2024, several major IT events took place in Uzbekistan, attracting the attention of global experts, entrepreneurs, and specialists. The Digital Uzbekistan International PLUS-Forum, which brought together 2,000 participants to discuss the digitalization of the economy and the implementation of artificial intelligence in government services; the Digital Silk Road hackathon, with over 200 participants developing innovations in tourism, logistics, and blockchain; IT Park Uzbekistan Demo Day; Yandex Cup 2024, uniting 20,000 developers from 90 countries, including Uzbekistan; and ICT Week Uzbekistan, which became a platform for showcasing global trends, making deals, and strengthening the startup ecosystem. The participation of notable figures such as Jimmy Wales and Zak Kass in AI Evolution set the tone for the future of technology, while hackathons and the launch of the IT Park Uzbekistan venture fund provided a boost to startup growth. These events reinforced Uzbekistan’s position as a leading technological hub in Central Asia.

Review of Communities and Programs

In 2024, the development of the IT sector in Uzbekistan entered history with a number of successes that significantly contributed to strengthening the country’s technological ecosystem.

The creation and development of professional IT communities was an important step in creating platforms for collaboration, experience sharing, and organizing key events among specialists. Some of them attracted international attention. Specifically:

— Women in Tech Uzbekistan — held its opening, events, and award ceremony this year

— GameDev Community Uzbekistan — announced the launch of the GameDevHQ Academy in collaboration with IT Park Uzbekistan

— DevOps Uzbekistan — the community organized numerous meetings and workshops, actively contributing to the development of DevOps culture in the country.

These communities contribute not only to the professional growth of specialists but also to strengthening Uzbekistan’s position on the international technology stage. 

In 2024, an accelerator was successfully launched:

— GameDev Goeth — supported by NVIDIA, successfully completed the fifth cycle of the startup incubator program.

This initiative demonstrates the continued active development of Uzbekistan’s IT ecosystem, creating favorable conditions for innovations and startups, which helps attract investments and strengthen the country’s reputation as a technological center in the region.

People

Rapid growth is being observed in the information technology sector in Uzbekistan, driven by talented and motivated individuals. Let us get to know seven key figures who have made a significant contribution to the development of the country’s IT industry.

Nuriddin Lafizov

He has made a significant contribution to the development of the FinTech industry in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Under his leadership, Alif successfully implemented artificial intelligence technologies in its products, including the GulChatAI AI chatbot, recommendation algorithms, and AI solutions for market management.

Anna Ambrozevich

As the Director of Women in Tech Uzbekistan, she played an important role in developing the IT sector by supporting women in technology. She organized the Women in Tech CCA Awards 2024 ceremony in Tashkent, which celebrated women’s achievements in the IT sector and inspired new leaders.

Shavkat Karimov

He initiated the IT Community Roadshow project, which began on October 26, with the goal of popularizing IT and facilitating knowledge exchange across the country.

Sherzod Shermatov

During ICT Week Uzbekistan 2024, Minister Uztelekom announced the launch of 5.5G technology with internet speeds up to 4942.24 Gbit/s. He also opened the Huawei Seeds for the Future program in Tashkent, aimed at developing digital skills among students from 14 countries.

Farhod Ibragimov

Together with the Minister of Digital Technologies, he opened the IT Park Uzbekistan Ventures venture fund and the IT Park representative office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking an important step in strengthening cooperation in the field of information technology. During ICT Week Uzbekistan 2024, Farhod Ibragimov signed a memorandum with Magjan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub, on joint development of the Central Asian startup ecosystem.

Asror Arabjanov

Together with Aset Abdualiyev, he organized the Central Eurasia at Silicon Valley IT conference in Silicon Valley.