A delegation of leading startups from IT Park Uzbekistan, in collaboration with counterparts from Astana Hub, presented the region under the unified brand Central Asia Innovation Hubs at Web Summit 2024 — one of the largest global technology events, attracting over 70,000 participants.
Web Summit 2024 served not only as a platform for showcasing startups but also as a gateway to exploring new opportunities. Representatives of participating startups engaged in discussions with partners, gained insights into global trends, and drew inspiration from the solutions demonstrated by other ecosystems. The Central Asia Innovation Hubs stand became a focal point for networking, exchanging ideas, and fostering new collaborations.
A key highlight of the summit was the establishment of relationships with prominent players in the global technology ecosystem, such as Builduplabs, Startup Portugal, Unicorn Factory Lisboa, and others. Agreements were reached on the mutual scaling of projects, laying a foundation for startups from Central Asia to enter European markets and vice versa.
The participation of Uzbek startups in pitch sessions provided them with invaluable insights, international connections, and elevated their visibility within the global technology arena.
iWatt
The founders of iWatt actively participated in Web Summit 2024, with IT Park organizing a dedicated stand over the course of three days. The incredible experience enabled them to expand their professional network and establish connections with key stakeholders in the fields of startups and investments.
During the summit, the iWatt team engaged with investors and startup hubs, holding meetings with investors from Qatar, Turkey, Portugal, and partners from Oman. Currently, discussions are underway to launch collaborations and attract investments.
With support from IT Park, the iWatt team also established a partnership with the local startup studio Build Up and plans to join its acceleration program. Furthermore, the summit facilitated interaction with over 150 delegates, leading to follow-up communications and scheduled meetings. Such engagements are expected to create avenues for future collaborations and the localization of promising startup products within Uzbekistan.
Participation in international summits provides Uzbek startups with opportunities to broaden their influence and establish a presence in new markets. The iWatt team conducted meetings with representatives of startup hubs in Korea, Finland, Lithuania, Portugal, and Georgia, exploring opportunities for launching their startup in these countries and supporting Uzbek startups in entering international markets.
Web Summit 2024 represents a pivotal milestone in iWatt's expansion and broadening opportunities on a global scale. The participants expressed their deep appreciation to IT Park for the support and platform provided to achieve success.
iWatt is a unified mobile application designed for electric vehicle charging across the CIS region.
Online Hamshira
Participation in Web Summit Lisbon 2024 marked a crucial step towards the advancement of the Online Nurse project. The summit proved to be incredibly valuable, offering an exceptional platform to showcase the startup at an exhibition stand and introduce it to an international audience.
During the event, the founder engaged with professionals from around the globe, particularly those specializing in the MedTech sector. These interactions served as a source of inspiration, generating innovative ideas and opening new prospects for collaboration.
The summit provided invaluable opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange, and gaining insights into global trends in technology and healthcare. The founders extended their sincere gratitude to IT Park Uzbekistan for their unwavering support and for facilitating this outstanding opportunity.
Online Hamshira is a platform designed to connect individuals requiring medical services with qualified healthcare professionals. It offers unemployed or underpaid nurses and other medical workers the chance to earn additional income by providing home-based services to patients during their available time.
FINCO
Technology is the easy part of the work; considering the core challenges addressed by the startup is paramount. The Finco team engaged in discussions with three entities tackling similar issues related to SME access to capital in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia, and has scheduled follow-up meetings.
To achieve accelerated growth, collaboration with like-minded partners is essential. Finco conducted meetings with potential partners from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Poland to explore cooperation on non-core functions of its platform. Such partnerships are expected to expedite market entry and unlock additional ready-to-launch opportunities.
Start by looking around. Finco has initiated collaboration with two prominent startups from Uzbekistan to advance the development and execution of its Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy.
Be grateful to those who made this visit possible. Finco expresses profound appreciation to UNDP and IT Park for sponsoring and coordinating the delegation’s participation in the Lisbon summit. The company looks forward to continued collaboration aimed at resolving challenges related to SME access to capital in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, and beyond.
Finco is a cross-border, Islamic debt-based P2P crowdfunding platform specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Paylov
The Paylov startup is witnessing significant growth in Uzbekistan, with its strategic priorities for 2025 emphasizing international market expansion. Participation in Web Summit 2024 served as a critical catalyst for achieving these objectives. Beyond offering the chance to highlight its achievements, the summit facilitated meaningful dialogue, the exchange of knowledge, and the identification of new growth pathways.
Throughout the event and associated activities, the founder acquired invaluable expertise in the fields of cybersecurity and fintech, gaining insights into global best practices and cutting-edge innovations. The summit also offered an excellent venue for networking and facilitating negotiations, enabling Paylov to establish collaborative relationships with companies and startups from Indonesia, Portugal, and the United States. These partnerships present unique opportunities for scaling operations and integrating solutions at a global level.
Presenting Paylov and Uzbekistan’s fintech market to international investors represented a critical step for the project. Constructive feedback and robust support from these engagements reinforced confidence in the product’s competitiveness on the global stage. The strong interest shown by investors underscores not only the potential of Paylov but also of Uzbekistan’s burgeoning fintech ecosystem.
Participation in Web Summit enabled the founder to forge connections with leading experts in artificial intelligence and blockchain solutions, explore successful case studies of PayTech implementation across various markets, and evaluate integration prospects with the platforms of new partners.
Paylov represents an innovative fintech ecosystem that combines seamless payment solutions, P2P transfers, ML scoring, and BNPL SaaS solutions.
Imkon
At Web Summit 2024, the founders of Imkon engaged with representatives of analogous startups from Portugal, Morocco, and the United Kingdom, establishing strategic connections and arranging follow-up meetings for knowledge exchange.
The team also identified two prospective clients: a major bank preparing to enter the Uzbek market and an educational platform from Kazakhstan expressing strong interest in Imkon’s solutions.
Over the course of the summit, the startup conducted more than ten meetings and forged over twenty new connections, significantly expanding its network of potential partners and clients.
Active participation in networking activities revealed new avenues for product enhancement leveraging artificial intelligence tools. A peer startup demonstrated an innovative approach, involving the integration of customer feedback with NFTs, which is now under consideration as a potential development direction. Participation in the summit allowed Imkon to adopt ideas for both technical and marketing improvements to its projects.
Web Summit served as a crucial venue for finding like-minded partners and exploring potential markets for expansion. The founders derived numerous actionable insights that will drive further development of Sharh.
The Imkon team expressed its profound gratitude to IT Park and UNDP for their support, which ensured their successful and impactful participation.
Imkon is a platform designed for collecting and analyzing customer feedback, serving as a bridge between consumers and businesses.
The visit to Lisbon substantially expanded the prospects for Uzbek startups, providing a unique opportunity to engage with the world’s most advanced startup ecosystems. Each interaction further underscored Uzbekistan's commitment to cultivating a competitive technological landscape, empowering entrepreneurs with vital resources, expertise, and strategic networks to ensure successful advancement on the global stage. Armed with the necessary tools and insights, Uzbek startups are now well-positioned to harness their accumulated experience, develop sustainable business initiatives, and achieve global impact.
