Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The first Global Startup Ecosystem Awards ceremony in Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent as part of the international ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 exhibition and forum, where Uzbekistan was recognized as the world’s fastest-growing startup country. The award was accepted on behalf of the country by Azamat Karamatov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan.
According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, compiled by the international analytical platform StartupBlink, Uzbekistan’s ecosystem grew by 227.3%. Seven cities from the country entered the global ranking for the first time, while Tashkent became the leading startup city in Central Asia. This was the first time the Global Startup Ecosystem Awards ceremony had been held in Uzbekistan.
In his opening remarks, Azamat Karamatov noted that the global value of startup ecosystems is estimated at US$10.9 trillion and has doubled over the past five years. According to him, international rankings currently place Uzbekistan’s ecosystem at the “activation” stage, with “globalization” expected to be the next stage. He added that a five-year development strategy with specific priorities and measurable results is planned to be launched in the near future.
Karamatov also said that an agreement had been signed the previous day with the Asian Development Bank on launching a US$200 million project aimed at developing artificial intelligence research and development and commercializing technologies in Uzbekistan. He also spoke about the creation of the Enterprise Uzbekistan jurisdiction, which is intended to help Uzbek startups enter global markets.
In his speech, the CEO of StartupBlink said that IT Park Uzbekistan was among the most impressive organizations the platform had worked with. He emphasized that the choice of location for launching a startup has a significant impact on its success.
In addition to Uzbekistan, representatives from more than 20 countries and cities received awards in various categories. Seoul, South Korea, was recognized as having the best startup support system in the Asia-Pacific region following an assessment of 295 urban ecosystems. The award was accepted by Yeong Woo Kim, head of the startup department at the Seoul Business Agency.
The South Korean city of Daejeon received an award for its breakthrough into the global top 300 ecosystems. It climbed 70 positions in the ranking, with its indicators increasing by 75.6%. The award was accepted by Jeff Jang, executive director of Daejeon CCEI.
Baku, Azerbaijan, was recognized as Europe’s leader in the accelerated development of the gaming industry, ranking 96th globally in this field, 212 positions higher than its overall ranking. The award was received by a representative of the Agency for Innovation and Digital Development. Kazakhstan, represented by Astana Hub, was named the best startup ecosystem in Central Asia.
Among the European awards, Berlin was recognized as the European Union’s best ecosystem for startup community engagement. The city is home to more than 6,000 startups and approximately 100,000 people working in the sector. The award was accepted in a video address by Berlin’s senator for economic affairs.
Germany as a whole received an award for having the most valuable startup ecosystem in the European Union, with an estimated value of approximately US$452.3 billion. The award was accepted by Viktor Abel, director of Germany Trade and Invest.
Istanbul, Türkiye, entered the top 10 European ecosystems for the first time, ranking ninth in Europe and 45th globally. Armenia received an award for the accelerated development of artificial intelligence in Eurasia, ranking 51st globally in this field.
Bulgaria was recognized as the country with the best business incentives in the European Union among all 27 member states, while its capital, Sofia, was named the fastest-growing ecosystem among the EU’s top 25 cities. Milan, Italy, received an award for the best startup development track record in Southern Europe.
In the Baltic region, Latvia was recognized as the fastest-growing national ecosystem, with growth of 13.17%, while Vilnius, Lithuania, was named the fastest-growing city, with growth of 19.71%. Vilnius surpassed Riga, which recorded growth of 19.51%, and Tartu, with 18.51%, and rose to 66th place globally.
The Hague was recognized as the fastest-growing ecosystem among the three leading cities in the Netherlands, with growth of 5.85%, surpassing Amsterdam and Eindhoven.
Moldova received an award for the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in Europe, with growth of 91.9%, the third-highest result globally. The country, with a population of 2.5 million, has more than 400 startups. The award was accepted by Veronica Tarus, head of ecosystem development at Startup Moldova.
The Serbian city of Niš was recognized as the only city in the country to improve its position in the global ranking. Albania was named the fastest-growing ecosystem in the Adriatic region, with growth of 71.4%, surpassing Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
Uruguay received an award for the strongest business reputation in Latin America and the Caribbean among the 19 countries in the region. Cagayan de Oro in the Philippines was named the city with the highest-value startup ecosystem on the island of Mindanao, surpassing Davao and Iligan.
Kyrgyzstan, represented by the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic, received an award for the best tax environment for innovators in the Asia-Pacific region.
Following the awards ceremony, a panel discussion titled “Best Practices in Startup Ecosystem Development” was held. Participants included Iroda Azimova, head of startup and venture ecosystem development at IT Park Uzbekistan; Natia Gorgadze, a representative of Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency; Sabina Babaeva, a representative of the venture capital fund Tenity; and Veronica Tarus of Startup Moldova.
Iroda Azimova said that the presidential startup competition, first held in Uzbekistan in 2023 with a prize fund of US$1 million, had contributed to the creation of more than 1,000 startups over three years. The winners attracted more than US$10 million in investment and created over 400 jobs. This year, the competition’s prize fund was increased to US$5 million.
She also said that a presidential award for artificial intelligence startups had been established, with a US$1 million prize fund covering five areas. In addition, the “Land of Startups” competition was launched with a further US$5 million fund. As a result, the combined prize fund for the three initiatives reached US$11 million.
Azimova also reported that IT Park Uzbekistan operates 14 regional branches, six international representative offices and six hubs. The organization is also building one of the largest research and development centers in Central Asia in the city of Nurafshan. The center will include six laboratories and cover up to 50% of startups’ research and development expenses, up to a limit of US$50,000.
Natia Gorgadze from Georgia spoke about an acceleration program launched in 2026, through which international accelerators Plug and Play, 500 Global, Founder Institute and European Startup Boot Camp entered the country. She also discussed the legally established status of an innovative startup, which provides tax benefits.
Sabina Babaeva, representing Zurich-based venture capital fund Tenity, which specializes in fintech investments and was recognized as the most active investor in this field in Europe over the past year, identified regulatory sandboxes as the most promising practice for replication in different countries. She cited the experience of Denmark and the United Kingdom as examples.
Veronica Tarus said that Startup Moldova’s key practice had been mapping the entire ecosystem and its participants, with a focus on specific technology areas, including deep technologies and artificial intelligence.
