Samarkand will host the flagship ideathon Techstars Startup Weekend from May 15 to 17.

From May 15 to 17, 2026, in Samarkand, at the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, a key event for the regional startup ecosystem will take place — Techstars Startup Weekend Samarkand. The event is organized by the Techstars Uzbekistan team with the strategic support of the national venture fund UzVC, Hackonnect operator, and the Khakimiyat of Samarkand City.

What participants can expect:
— About 100 ambitious participants will gather for 54 hours to go from idea to launching a working prototype, reinforcing their knowledge through three exclusive Techstars methodology workshops.
— 12+ mentors in the fields of startups, business, AI, IT, and marketing — experts at the CEO, top management, and founder levels. The full list of mentors is available via the link.
— Participants will have the opportunity to present their solutions to investors and representatives of venture funds.
— During the ideathon, participants will be provided with all necessary infrastructure for work and will compete for a prize fund of 30 million UZS to launch their businesses.

The ideathon program is designed so that over three days, participants go through all critical stages of launching a tech business:

May 15 — Pitching and Team Formation: The event will begin with idea presentations, where participants will showcase their concepts, and the most promising ones will be selected through open voting. Working groups of three to five people will form around the chosen projects, marking the starting point for the next three days filled with innovation and active work.

May 16 — Development and Validation: The second day will be entirely dedicated to the practical implementation of startups. With the support of experienced mentors, teams will work on creating prototypes, testing hypotheses, and refining their business models.

May 17 — Presentations and Demo Day: On the final day, participants will present their results to the jury and investors. This is a chance for teams to introduce themselves, demonstrate their progress, and attract the attention of future partners. The intensive will conclude with a celebratory event honoring collective achievements and an awards ceremony for the winners.

A more detailed program is available on the website.

About the organizers:
Techstars — an international investment platform and accelerator supporting startups at all stages — from idea to MVP, incubation, and acceleration.

UzVC — the national venture fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Hackonnect — the official operator of Techstars programs in Uzbekistan.
Silk Road International University: Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand.

Khakimiyat of Samarkand City.

When: May 15–17
Where: Samarkand, 17 University Avenue, Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.
Registration and details: startupweekend.uz/samarkand-2026.
Promo code for participants: SWS26EDU.