Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan, led by CEO Abdulahad Kuchkarov, held talks with Kim Balle, founder of the Global Startup Awards (GSA) and X.O. Group.

During the meeting, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding and discussed the potential for hosting international and regional startup award ceremonies in Uzbekistan, as well as promoting Uzbek startup projects on GSA’s global platform.

The Global Startup Awards is the world’s largest independent awards platform, covering over 154 countries. Founded in 2012 in Copenhagen, GSA highlights and honors outstanding players in innovation ecosystems — including startups, investors, accelerators, and incubators. Among its flagship initiatives are the Nordic Startup Awards, Central European Startup Awards, ASEAN Startup Awards, and GSA Africa. The platform plays a vital role in attracting talent and investment and fostering international collaboration. Since its founding, GSA has supported 16 startups that have gone on to achieve unicorn status.

GSA is operated by X.O. Group, an organization focused on acceleration programs, strategic ecosystem development, and government engagement across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The signed memorandum outlines plans to hold international GSA events in Uzbekistan, integrate local startups into the global innovation network, and build sustainable cooperation in the field of innovation. Special emphasis was placed on positioning Uzbekistan as a leading hub of Eurasian innovation.

As part of the agreement, the Global Startup Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place this autumn during Uzbekistan’s ICT Week.

IT Park Uzbekistan reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives that foster a favorable startup environment, support job creation, and strengthen Uzbekistan’s role as a regional and international IT hub.

These developments open new opportunities for Uzbek startups and contribute to their integration into the global innovation community.