Uzbekistan strengthens IT cooperation with the Gulf: Samarkand hosts the international "GCC-Uzbekistan Digital and Tech Forum"
The city of Samarkand hosted the “GCC-Uzbekistan Digital and Tech Forum”, which brought together high-level representatives from government agencies, technology companies, venture capital funds, and startup communities from the Gulf countries and Uzbekistan. The forum was organized by the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan and IT Park Uzbekistan, serving as a significant milestone in advancing digital cooperation and reinforcing Uzbekistan’s positioning as a strategic hub for technological and investment initiatives across the region.
The event welcomed over 700 participants, including nearly 300 international guests presenting 39 countries. The largest delegations hailed from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, the Asia-Pacific region, the United States, and major European markets. The audience primarily consisted of senior executives, company leaders, startup founders, venture capital investors, government officials, ambassadors, and business development professionals.
Key topics: from outsourcing to digital education
The agenda of the forum encompassed a wide range of strategic themes, including Uzbekistan’s export potential in IT and creative service outsourcing, the development of the national startup ecosystem, smart infrastructure, digital education, and cross-regional collaboration in investment and technology.
The official part of the event commenced with a keynote address by Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who emphasized the country’s progress in digitalization and its openness to international collaboration. This was followed by a presentation from a representative of IT Park Uzbekistan, highlighting Uzbekistan’s emergence as one of the fastest-growing IT hubs on the global stage.
The forum’s sessional program featured a number of insightful presentations. Davron Parmonov, Advisor to the Director of IT Park Ventures, presented Uzbekistan’s evolving startup ecosystem and strategic opportunities for collaboration with GCC-based funds and enterprises. Muzaffar Karabaev, CEO of KPI.COM, shared his company’s successful market expansion into the Gulf region, while Azamat Rakhmon-Zoda, Head of Services Export to CIS countries, presented Uzbekistan’s growing capabilities in game development and digital content production.
The forum’s concluding and conceptually significant highlight was the closing address delivered by Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, in which he set forth three clear vectors for further cooperation:
Firstly, he extended an invitation to companies from the Gulf countries to outsource digital services to Uzbek IT teams and to establish representative offices in Uzbekistan, underscoring that comprehensive support would be provided to companies, covering business registration, personnel recruitment, and tax assistance.
Secondly, he called upon investors to consider Uzbekistan as an entry point into the rapidly growing venture capital market of the region — both through direct investments in startups and as Limited Partners (LPs) in newly established venture funds.
Thirdly, he particularly stressed that Uzbekistan is not merely a technological platform, but a strategic gateway to the entire Central Asian market, which encompasses a population of over 80 million people. "When you grow here," he remarked, "you are not growing alone — you are growing together with us and through us — on a regional scale."
Panel discussion: digital alliances as a growth engine
The forum also featured a panel session titled ‘Future through digital alliance: Synergy between Uzbekistan and the GCC”, moderated by Muhammad Makhmudov, Director of Plug and Play Uzbekistan. The panel included distinguished speakers such as Makhliyo Muksinova, Director of Export Services Development at IT Park Uzbekistan; Naveen Bharadwaj, CEO of Trescon Group; Abdulla Al-Naimi, Managing Director of Doha Business Consulting; and Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Samail, CEO for the Development of Fast-Growing Enterprises at Monsha’at. Discussions focused on cross-border technological collaboration, investment facilitation, and export opportunities for Uzbek projects.
Signed agreements: a foundation for integration and startup ecosystem growth
A central outcome of the forum was the announcement of several strategic agreements and the official launch of joint initiatives aimed at strengthening practical cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Gulf countries in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.
As part of the forum, Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, and Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub, signed an agreement to launch a joint initiative supporting startup projects and outsourcing services from Uzbekistan under the IGNYTE platform (an investment platform within the DIFC ecosystem that specializes in supporting innovative fintech and digital technology projects across Gulf markets and beyond), as well as to jointly implement activities aimed at developing the regional startup ecosystem. The partnership is intended to facilitate the integration of Uzbek startups into the UAE market, provide access to DIFC’s mentoring resources, and expand channels for venture capital financing. IT Park Uzbekistan will serve as an official partner of the platform.
A trilateral memorandum was signed by Elyor Maksudov, Startup and Investment Development Director at IT Park Uzbekistan; Rinata Ilyubayeva, COO of White Hill Capital; and Zain Ansari, Commercial Director of XPENCE. The agreement outlines the deployment of XPENCE's IT solutions in Uzbekistan in collaboration with a local bank, the establishment of a new fintech ecosystem, and the development of a joint platform for the advancement of fintech solutions.
Further strengthening international integration, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Jamila Khalibaeva, Global Marketing Director at IT Park Uzbekistan, and Naveen Bharadwaj, CEO of Trescon Group. This agreement will facilitate the hosting of international technology events in Uzbekistan, featuring global experts, investors, and corporate stakeholders.
Five startups secure $1.56 million in investment
As part of the event, Elyor Maksudov, Startup and Investments Development Director, and Azamat Karamatov, Director of IT Park Ventures, recognized five startups that collectively attracted $1.56 million in investment.
The largest investment — $1 million — was secured by Flex Soft, a company specializing in software development for microfinance institutions and pawnshops. The funds will be used to support the company’s expansion into international markets.
Push30, a startup founded in Azerbaijan and currently operating in Uzbekistan, raised $300,000. The company offers a unified gym subscription service, enabling users to access fitness centers across multiple locations. The initiative aims to strengthen the platform’s position in the flexible fitness services market and broaden access to sports services for a wider audience.
Cradle Tech Vision, which utilizes artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies for B2B and B2G project analysis, received $110,000 to support its expansion into MENA region.
BITO ERP, a provider of business automation solutions, secured $100,000 in funding for business development. The company currently serves over 600 active clients and has successfully implemented more than 1,000 projects across Central Asia.
Coozin, an educational platform, attracted $50,000 in investment to support business growth.
Tech Expo: a showcase of Uzbekistan’s digital innovation
The forum featured a vibrant Tech Expo, highlighting innovative projects and digital solutions from across Uzbekistan.
The following companies participated in the event and demonstrated their cutting-edge technologies:
REALSOFT — a leading software development company providing enterprise-level solutions and IT consulting.
Workly — A cloud-based platform for workforce management, automating attendance tracking, payroll, and HR workflows.
UNITED IT COMPANY — specializes in digital transformation, system integration, and custom IT solutions for various industries.
KOSMIK MONITORING VA GEOAXBOROT TEXNOLOGIYALARI MARKAZI — development of advanced remote sensing technologies and intelligent image processing solutions using satellite data to monitor natural resources, land use, environmental conditions and critical infrastructure.
KPI COM — an ERP system designed to automate business processes across different sectors. The company held strategic discussions with over five firms from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kazakhstan.
Cancer-register — an information system for monitoring epidemiological data on malignant neoplasms, supporting diagnostics and treatment.
Mustafa Software — a digital platform for urban infrastructure management, including utility monitoring, traffic flow, public safety, and citizen feedback, powered by AI and IoT technologies.
DataPrizma — a versatile digital solution for automating business processes in retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and more.
TUNE CONSULTING — a modular digital platform integrating low-code BPM/CRM, e-commerce, ESB, automated testing, and digital banking for both corporate and retail sectors. The company initiated discussions with partners from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and India.
Tech Expo served as a dynamic space for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration between tech entrepreneurs, public institutions, and international guests.
The forum concluded with the Expert Networking Corner session, enabling participants to engage in informal dialogue with experts in IT, investment, and international expansion. This open exchange among private sector leaders, public agencies, and venture institutions served as a natural continuation of the forum’s substantive discussions and led to practical outcomes in the form of specific decisions and actions.
International Interest and Initial Steps Toward Partnership: Tangible Outcomes of the Forum
More than 50 foreign companies expressed interest in obtaining IT Park membership. Among them, Japan’s UMMA COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS plans to commence operations with a team of 5–10 employees, with the potential to scale up to 50; the UAE-based MISSAN intends to utilize the ZeroRisk program to launch export operations; and Türkiye’s INTERZOON aims to formalize its presence in Uzbekistan, with a projected annual export volume of $300,000.
Considerable interest was also shown by Hong Kong-based UNIFITY, exploring Smart City collaborations, and Türkiye’s DUNYAK, seeking partnerships in the MedTech sector. Several UAE companies — including EVERGREEN, Ace Management Concepts, RAM Systems, and RF IT SOLUTIONS — have already initiated procedures to establish legal entities in the country.
The IT Park stand was also visited by official delegations from South Africa, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Bosnia, and other countries, who were introduced to the full range of support programs for member companies — ZeroRisk, Local2Global, and Softlanding — designed to ensure seamless entry into Uzbekistan’s market.
The GCC-Uzbekistan Digital and Tech Forum not only demonstrated the growing interest of the global tech community in Uzbekistan but also reaffirmed the country’s position as one of the most promising destinations for digital investment, export-oriented IT services, and international innovation cooperation.
This forum marked a pivotal moment in the digital convergence between Uzbekistan and the Gulf countries. The announced partnerships, agreements, and initiatives will serve as a solid foundation for further deepening cooperation and for promoting Uzbekistan as a strategic player in the global digital economy.