Results of the International Digital Startup Awards Program with a US$1 Million Prize Fund were Announced In Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 12–13 December, Tashkent hosted the grand finale of the international Digital Startup Awards program, organized by the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, IT Park Uzbekistan, and IT Park Ventures. The initiative, which has become one of the largest in Central Eurasia, united startup ecosystems from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia, featuring a total prize fund of US$1 million.

The program aimed to identify high-potential technological projects, foster entrepreneurship, and stimulate innovation in the region. In 2025, the competition attracted significant interest, receiving 1,025 applications: 397 for the Best Startup Project track, 268 for the Incubation track, and 360 for the Acceleration track. Startups from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Mongolia participated, with Uzbek projects competing in the Best Startup Project category.

The program was announced on 1 July, and submissions closed on 10 September. Teams in the Incubation and Acceleration tracks underwent a multi-stage selection process, including screening and interviews, after which they gained access to international experts and mentors, educational sessions, intensive workshops, and networking opportunities with corporations and venture funds. For the Best Startup Project track, selection was conducted through offline semifinals organized in the participating countries.

Fifty-one startups reached the program finale: 29 projects successfully completed the Incubation and Acceleration tracks, while 22 startups competed in the Best Startup Project track. The 10-week Incubation program culminated in Demo Day in Tashkent, featuring 15 teams developing solutions at the intersection of artificial intelligence, HR Tech, EdTech, MedTech, LogTech, and GreenTech. Projects included AI-based recruitment tools, educational platforms, personal health management services, sustainable consumption solutions, logistics, and small business support. Each of the 15 teams received US$10,000 in SAFE-format investments from IT Park Ventures.

The Acceleration track involved more mature projects in AI, GovTech, B2B SaaS, EdTech, HR Tech, and business process automation. Startups presented solutions for digitalizing trade, optimizing sales, customer support, document management, logistics, and data analytics. Fourteen teams received SAFE investments of up to US$50,000, depending on their demonstrated progress.

The Best Startup Project finale brought together 22 startups, 18 from Central Eurasian countries and four from Uzbekistan. Projects spanned EdTech, FinTech, e-commerce, GovTech, AI, SaaS, sustainable development, and the creative industries. Their work was evaluated by an international jury, including representatives from venture funds and accelerators from Egypt, South Korea, Oman, the United States, and the Czech Republic.

First place and the US$40,000 prize went to the Kazakh startup Multicode, which developed an AI-based B2B SaaS platform for freight car operators. Second place was awarded to the Uzbek project HGT, receiving US$25,000 for its GovTech solution focused on digitalizing the utilities sector and enabling online service payments. Third place and US$15,000 went to the Georgian startup Telagri, working in FinTech and agri-finance. The special prize for the Best Female-Led Startup, worth US$10,000, was awarded to MamaSpace from Kyrgyzstan, an AI platform in maternal health care.

Additionally, a US$10,000 prize fund was distributed among Digital Startup Awards ambassadors from countries whose startups won awards. Organizers emphasized that the program has become a symbol of regional unity and an important platform for scaling startups, demonstrating the potential of joint efforts in cultivating the next generation of technological leaders in Central Eurasia.