Uzbekistan's satellite in orbit and a digital bridge across the Caspian: how August 2026 unfolded in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are building a digital bridge across the Caspian 

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan continue laying a trans-Caspian fiber-optic communication line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea — the facility is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2026. The cable-laying vessel has departed from the port of Baku and is laying the cable toward the Kazakh port of Aktau. The project is being implemented by CaspiLink B.V., a joint venture created by Kazakhtelecom and Azerbaijan’s Azertelecom Int.

Uzbek satellite Samarkand-2028 successfully launched into orbit 

STAR.VISION successfully launched the hyperspectral satellites Samarkand-2028 and Lampung-1 from a sea launch platform off the coast of China’s Shandong province. Specialists from Uzbekcosmos developed a separate artificial intelligence module for the satellite’s onboard system, which processes data directly in orbit. The satellite’s name is linked to the decision to hold the 79th International Astronautical Congress in 2028 in Samarkand.

Kyrgyzstan has adopted a law on venture financing 

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov signed the law “On Venture Financing,” introducing the concepts of a venture fund, venture manager, business angel, and convertible loan. The document establishes the rights and obligations of participants in venture transactions and introduces international instruments, including an agreement on future equity in a company and an option agreement. According to parliament data, there are between 300 and 500 startups in the country, and in 2024, the volume of venture financing amounted to 1.5 billion som.

Kyrgyzstan has launched the first voice AI assistant in the Kyrgyz language 

FINCA Bank has launched the first voice AI assistant in the Kyrgyz language — the system operates in the contact center and processes customer inquiries in free speech. The bank developed its own models for Kyrgyz speech recognition and synthesis, as ready-made solutions did not provide the quality required for banking scenarios. The assistant identifies the customer’s intent rather than individual commands and, if necessary, transfers the conversation to an operator.

Winners of Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026 determined 

At the regional final of Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026, three winners were selected from 22 startups — Cerberus from Uzbekistan, WeGlobal AI from Kazakhstan, and LOOQ from Japan. They will represent Central Eurasia at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 in San Francisco on October 13–15, 2026, and will receive an investment prize fund of $100,000. The remaining 19 finalists from the top 22 will each receive $10,000 in OpenAI API credits.

Main goals of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation by 2029 announced 

The Government of Kazakhstan has approved an action plan for implementing the Digital Qazaqstan strategy until 2029 — the document covers digital transformation for the benefit of citizens, business, and the state apparatus. By 2029, at least 80% of school, college, and university graduates should possess basic AI skills, and the time for providing public services should be reduced by at least 50%. By 2029, the volume of IT services and digital solution exports is planned to increase by at least 50%.

The first educational academy with official Apple accreditation has opened in Armenia 

ACT College in Parakar, near Yerevan, has received the status of Apple Authorized Training Center for Education — the first official educational accreditation from Apple in Armenia. The college will be able to conduct certified Apple programs and prepare students for the company’s international qualification exams, primarily in app development using Swift and SwiftUI. The status gives students the opportunity to prepare for international certification without leaving the country.

The first Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum took place in Uzbekistan

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan and Global Finance & Technology Network held the first Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in Tashkent — the forum took place from August 24–26 at the venues of Central Asian Expo Uzbekistan and the Center of Islamic Civilization. The event became part of the strategy to strengthen Uzbekistan’s position as a leading FinTech center in Central Asia, which involves attracting $1 billion in foreign investment, training more than 5,000 specialists, and licensing over 200 market participants. Within the framework of the forum, the Central Bank presented the Regulatory Sandbox 2.0 platform, the QFinex Quantum Test Bed testing ground, and a venture fund with a volume of $50 million.

Kazakhstan and Presight AI discussed cooperation in the field of AI infrastructure
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with the CEO of Presight AI, Thomas Promotedham — the parties discussed cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and Smart City projects. Presight AI is part of the G42 group and has already participated in the creation of the Smart City in Astana and the national supercomputing infrastructure Alem.Cloud. As a result of the meeting, the parties identified priority areas for further cooperation, including the development of intelligent infrastructure at the International Airport of Astana.

Uzbekistan has launched Enterprise Uzbekistan

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Constitutional Law “On the International Center for Digital Technologies,” which established a special legal environment for Enterprise Uzbekistan with a validity period until the year 2100. Within the framework of the Center, the law set zero rates for corporate income tax, VAT, and personal income tax for foreign employees, and made English the official language of documentation. A “regulatory sandbox” for testing innovative solutions with a validity period of up to 12 months has also started operating, and the highest body of the Center became the Management Council headed by the country’s president.

IT Park Uzbekistan and 500 Global discussed strengthening cooperation in the field of venture investments

Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov and CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan Azamat Karamatov held a meeting with Managing Partner of 500 Global Pedro Santos Vieira and discussed the development of the country’s startup ecosystem and the expansion of local startups into international markets. Under the management of 500 Global, there are approximately $2.3 billion in assets, and since 2021–2022, the company has already invested in Uzbek startups TASS Vision, IMAN, Cerberus, Tezbor, Talklabs, and Unitlab AI for a total of at least $600,000. As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue cooperation on improving conditions for venture investment in Uzbekistan.