"Uzbekistan has chosen a strategy of exporting knowledge and digital solutions," Jamila Khalibaeva on the growth rates of IT Park

Jamila Khalibaeva, city — Tashkent, Director of Global Marketing at IT Park Uzbekistan, Linkedin

How 2025 began

This year started particularly brightly for Uzbekistan's startup ecosystem. For the first time, the country entered two international rankings simultaneously — StartupBlink and Startup Genome. A particularly significant achievement was entering the Startup Genome ranking, where Uzbekistan is recognized as the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in Central Asia. In the global ranking, we took second place in terms of growth rate, jumping up 12 positions.

This leap is explained by a number of systemic changes. Last autumn, a decree by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the development of the startup ecosystem was adopted. Among the key decisions were the permission to create venture studios within private companies with state participation, as well as the opportunity for free piloting of startup solutions.

As a result, while there were about six venture funds operating in the country last year, there are now 13. Total investment volume has exceeded $150 million. New venture funds and studios appear every month, and startups are increasingly attracting investments — both within the country and abroad.
 
The development of artificial intelligence is one of the most dynamic trends in Uzbekistan. We are observing a global trend of growth in AI solutions, especially in the field of management and applied applications. More and more strong startups working in this area are appearing in the country. To develop AI, cloud solutions, and data processing, powerful infrastructure is needed. Therefore, we are simultaneously developing a network of data centers.

Currently, the construction of the largest data center in Central Asia is underway, with investments exceeding $5 billion. This is the first Contact Green data center, which will operate 85% on renewable energy. It is being built in Tashkent, on the territory of IT Park Uzbekistan. Plans include launching five more data centers across Uzbekistan.

One of the brightest events was the startup FlexSoft, which just a few days ago attracted investments in the amount of $1 million. The company operates in the microfinance sector and offers an interesting technological solution.

It is also worth noting projects working with artificial intelligence — Unitlab and Tass Vision, both of which are actively developing and have already gained recognition at international platforms. Another promising startup is Datatruck, which operates in the logistics sector and is entering the US market.

Development of infrastructure and regional expansion of IT Park Uzbekistan 

One of the advantages of Uzbekistan is considered to be the development of the IT sector not only in the capital but throughout the country. Today, IT Park is represented by 14 branches — one in each region. Each branch is responsible for developing the local ecosystem. This is a focal point where a community is formed, projects are launched, and networking opportunities are created.

IT Park is also represented abroad — in Germany, Korea, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Japan, and recently opened center in Shanghai. These offices act as a marketplace for Uzbek IT solutions: they interact with clients, promote local companies, facilitate the transfer of orders to Uzbekistan and the opening of offices. These are not just points of presence — they are a bridge between Uzbekistan and the global market, strengthening the country's and region's positions in the technology sector.

Last year, IT Park joined forces with Astana Hub, launching the Central Asian Innovation Hub initiative. Now, startups from the region represent Central Asia as a single technological space. Participants have already attended the world's largest IT events — from TechCrunch Disrupt to Web Summit Qatar.

Central Asia is home to more than 80 million people, half of whom are the population of Uzbekistan. The average age is about 29 years, making the region particularly promising for IT development. However, it is still little known abroad — which is why it was decided to promote a unified "Central Asia" brand, positioning the region as a bridge between East and West, with a rich heritage of the Great Silk Road.

A recent trip by the heads of IT Park Uzbekistan and Astana Hub to Stanford confirmed interest in the region: during lectures on regional cooperation, the audience already knew about Central Asian projects. As a result, a partnership was launched with the American accelerator Alchemist, where startups will be able to undergo training and enter the US market. Enrollment is also underway for a program in Dubai to enter the MENA market, and the launch of a similar project for China is being prepared.

Support for startups and entrepreneurs

The ZERO RISK program from IT Park Uzbekistan is a comprehensive initiative aimed at supporting foreign IT companies wishing to enter the Uzbek market. It allows launching a business in the country without financial and operational risks during the first year.

IT Park takes on all organizational tasks: from finding and equipping an office to staffing and resolving bureaucratic issues. The company submits a request — for example, an office in Samarkand and a team of 30 people — and receives ready-made infrastructure: workstations, equipment, candidate resumes, assistance in conducting interviews, and opening a bank account.

If, at the end of the year, the company decides to stay, it begins paying rent and other expenses. If not, it leaves freely without obligations. This solution is particularly relevant for large companies that want to test the market without investment and assess the region's potential.

We work with almost all countries. Within the framework of IT exports, we have identified five key regions: APAC, the European Union and the United Kingdom, MENA, North America, and the CIS. Separate teams have been formed for each direction, which are well-versed in the specifics of their region, speak the relevant languages, and build communication with local partners.

On challenges

The main challenge today is the low awareness of the region among foreign clients and investors.

If everyone has a clear idea about India or the Philippines as centers of IT outsourcing, many know nothing about Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, or Kyrgyzstan. The region does not yet have a formed image, and stereotypes often come into play.

At the moment, our main task is to increase the region's awareness. Together with Kazakhstan, we are promoting Central Asia as a unified IT direction. At international booths, we present the region as a whole: 80 million population, over a thousand startups, and rapidly developing infrastructure.

Plans

In the coming month, key international events aimed at developing the IT ecosystem and promoting the region will take place in Uzbekistan.

On July 24, the Global Business Services Forum (GBSF) will be held — a conference for companies and investors from the APAC region. Participants will be presented with the opportunities of Uzbekistan and Central Asia, successful cases, and market entry scenarios.

At the end of September, ICT Week Uzbekistan will take place — the country's largest annual technology event. The program includes conferences, summits, an exhibition with companies from 20 countries, and for the first time — a local version of Web Summit Spotlight.

Thematic events are also planned: Tumaris Tech — a project for women founders, a game development conference, and an event dedicated to artificial intelligence and IT education.

It is worth separately noting game development and creative industries. Last year, a law on the creative economy was adopted in Uzbekistan, thanks to which we expanded the list of activities for IT Park residents. Now, companies exporting creative services — from design and animation to 3D models and CGI graphics — can also be included.

Uzbekistan is betting on the development of the startup ecosystem and the export of innovative IT products. Examples are particularly inspiring, where young founders turn ideas into companies creating dozens of jobs in a short period. The dynamics are impressive: growth in the number of startups, improvement of specialists' qualifications, and recognition by international organizations.

The key factor for success has been state support. Given the country's geographical isolation, being double landlocked, Uzbekistan chose a strategy of exporting knowledge and digital solutions. Thanks to this, over the past few years, the number of foreign residents of IT Park Uzbekistan has grown from 17 to more than 750, and IT service exports have increased from $40 million to $900 million.

A full-fledged ecosystem has been created within IT Park: incubators, accelerators, startup studios, partnerships with international programs such as Plug and Play. Students can launch MVPs, work with mentors, and enter global markets. All this forms a sustainable growth ladder for new technology companies.

The IT Park Uzbekistan ecosystem is not one organization, but an entire group of companies united under a single brand. The structure of IT Park Uzbekistan includes:

1. IT Park University — created in collaboration with EPAM Systems, prepares future IT specialists. This year marks the first graduates.
2. IT Park Ventures — a venture fund investing in startups and providing mentoring support.
3. IT Park Capital — deals with subsidies for IT companies and educational centers, helps open branches in regions.
4. Data Centre — a data center under construction.
5. Enterprise Uzbekistan — a future international center for digital technologies with a regulatory sandbox based on English law and a digital bank for investors. The project is based on best practices from Ireland and the UAE, with a launch planned for this year.