Global Initiative She’s Next to Launch in Uzbekistan in 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The global initiative She’s Next, aimed at supporting and developing women’s entrepreneurship, will launch in Uzbekistan in 2026. The program is implemented by the international payment system Visa in partnership with Ipak Yuli Bank.

She’s Next was launched by Visa in 2019 in the United States and has since reached over 200 countries and territories, helping women grow their businesses, gain knowledge, access financing, and connect with professional networks.

In Central Asia, the program began in 2021, initially in Kazakhstan, and has since supported more than 40,000 women entrepreneurs.

During Visa Fashion Week Tashkent, representatives of Visa and Ipak Yuli Bank announced the first wave of She’s Next in Uzbekistan, which will take place under the concept Boshlang! (Start!) — a symbol of courage to begin the journey toward one’s own business even under imperfect conditions.

“I am very pleased that She’s Next is now launching in Uzbekistan. Visa’s mission is to support small and medium-sized businesses, particularly women entrepreneurs. We began this journey in 2019, and in Central Asia the program has already helped tens of thousands of women develop their ideas, gain knowledge, and access financial support,” said Behzod Abdurakhmanov, Regional Manager of Visa in Uzbekistan.

According to Abdurakhmanov, despite growing confidence among women, barriers to starting a business persist — fear of failure, lack of funding, insufficient knowledge, and high competition. The She’s Next program aims to help overcome these challenges through training, grants, and access to a community of women entrepreneurs.

Nana Mardoyan, Marketing and PR Director of Ipak Yuli Bank, emphasized that the initiative will continue the bank’s long-term strategy to develop women’s leadership and financial independence.

“Since 2022, together with the EBRD, we have supported over seven thousand projects, financed training for hundreds of women, and launched the Woman Card, which became the first step toward financial freedom. With She’s Next, we are building an ecosystem where every woman can find her formula for success, and the key idea is simple — the courage to start,” Mardoyan noted.

In 2026, participants in Uzbekistan will be able to apply through a dedicated platform, gaining access to educational resources, mentorship, and financing opportunities.

According to Visa, She’s Next has already helped thousands of women worldwide turn their ideas into sustainable businesses. Uzbekistan is now joining this movement, becoming a country where women’s entrepreneurship is an increasingly visible force in the economy.