ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025 to unite global leaders in IT and startups

Uzbekistan will host ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025, the nation’s flagship event in the field of information technology, taking place from 23 to 26 September 2025 at key venues — Central Asian Expo (CAEX) and the Ministry of Digital Technologies.

ICT Week 2025 is expected to attract over 20,000 participants, more than 300 startups and exhibitors from over 50 countries, and host more than 300 B2B meetings with representatives of leading technology companies, government institutions, and venture capital funds. The event is supported by major international partners, including Huawei, ZTE, Yandex Uzbekistan, Beeline, and Data-Volt.

ICT Week Uzbekistan has been held annually since 2004 and is the country’s premier event in the IT sector. Organizers — the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan and IT Park Uzbekistan — aim to promote the export of IT services, strengthen Uzbekistan’s standing as a regional digital hub, and integrate the country into the global IT community.

The strategic objectives of ICT Week Uzbekistan include the development of the digital economy, attraction of international investment, supporting the startup ecosystem, promoting BPO/IT services, and strengthening the country’s position on the global stage.

Key events of the week:

• 23 September — Shared Services and Offshore Outsourcing Summit (CAEX) — a strategic session on the prospects for IT and BPO services export. The program will include keynote presentations on the topics: “Engineering in Tashkent: Why We Outsource from Uzbekistan”, “Talent, Trust, and Transformation: Building Our BPO Team in Tashkent”, and “Workforce as a Strategy: Building High-Performing Teams in Uzbekistan”, along with visits to IT and BPO company offices. The event will gather 500 participants from over 30 countries worldwide.

• 24 September — Offshore Outsourcing Conference Workshop (Ministry of Digital Technologies).

• 24 September — Game GAP (CAEX) — Game Fest bringing together international gaming companies and local developers. The agenda includes pitching sessions for gaming and IT projects, interactive activities, and an award ceremony for the winners.

• 25 September — Korean Forum (CAEX) — a forum organized in partnership with KOICA and Gyeongbuk Technopark, aimed at developing collaboration with Korea.

• 25 September — Startup & Venture Summit (CAEX) — a conference launching the series of startup events within ICT Week Uzbekistan and showcasing the country’s rapidly growing innovation ecosystem. On the first day, guests will be presented with an overview of the startup industry in Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region, panel sessions with global venture leaders, successful case studies, and networking opportunities with key market players. The day will conclude with a series of B2B meetings aimed at fostering partnerships, mentorship, and knowledge exchange among participants.

• 26 September — Global Startup Awards — Central Asia Final (CAEX) — the regional final of the world’s largest startup awards program. Finalists from eight countries will present their projects to a panel of judges, experts, and investors. The event will conclude with a formal award ceremony.

• 27–28 September — Digital Weekend (Ministry of Digital Technologies). The program includes:

1. WebSummit Spotlight: Uzbekistan (27 September) — the region’s first collaboration with WebSummit, featuring sessions with top international guests, venture investors, and IT industry leaders. A key highlight will be the Investor’s Room — a networking and investment attraction platform in a speed-dating format.

2. Startup & Tech Expo (27–28 September, Ministry of Digital Technologies) — two days of full immersion in the world of IT and startups: over 100 booths showcasing IT companies, startups, accelerators, educational projects, creative industry zones, and a food court. The programme will feature top DJs, masterclasses, workshops, interactive activities, competitions, and stage performances.

Key areas include the Startup Zone, Residents, Tumaris.Tech Central Asia, Education Hub, TeploMarket, Food Court, Stage, Workshop Zone, chill-out zones, and photo spots.

3. Clash of Startups (28 September) — a competitive pitching event where promising startups will present their projects to investors and an expert jury. Participants will have the opportunity not only to compete for prizes, but also to attract potential partners and receive valuable recommendations for business growth.

Do not miss the opportunity to be part of the region’s premier IT event! Register for ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025 today and explore new opportunities for business, investment, and partnerships. The detailed programme and registration form are available via the link: https://outsource.gov.uz/en/events/ict-week-2025

On the development of the IT and startup ecosystem in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan offers favourable conditions for the development of IT business: members of IT Park are exempt from corporate, social, property, and land taxes, receive a free office for one year, and benefit from a salary reimbursement of up to 15% under the Zero Risk program.

The country has access to markets with more than 780 million consumers in the EU, CIS, and Central Asia. Sixty percent of the population is under 30 years old, and over 25,000 IT specialists graduate annually. The infrastructure includes 14 IT Park branches, 205 IT centres, over 225,000 square metres of office space, and more than 2,000 residents.

Uzbekistan is home to 223 universities, including 28 foreign institutions, with more than 52,000 students studying in IT-related fields. The startup ecosystem comprises over 500 projects in areas such as e-commerce (21%), EdTech (15%), FinTech (11%), MedTech (8%), and AI (6%).

The startup ecosystem of Uzbekistan has entered its most dynamic phase, driven by expanding access to capital and institutional support. By 2024, the IT Park Uzbekistan database included over 500 active and prospective startups, marking a new stage in the country’s entrepreneurial development.

According to the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025, Uzbekistan ranks first in Central Asia and second globally in terms of growth rate, a clear testament to its rapid development and growing influence on the global innovation map.

As of January 2025, Uzbek startups have already attracted more than USD 260 million in venture capital, bringing the total investment volume to over USD 340 million. The figures speak for themselves: in just four years, the total valuation of the country’s startup ecosystem has risen from less than USD 1 million in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021 by Startup Genome to more than USD 1.2 billion in 2025.

Since 2020, venture capital investment has been actively developing in Uzbekistan. The market features funds such as Aloqa Ventures, which by the beginning of Q3 2025 had financed over 52 startups for USD 5.62 million, and IT Park Ventures, which invested over USD 3.4 million in 11 startups and became the first fund in the country to make a single investment of USD 1 million. Other players include UC Ventures with almost USD 1.49 million in investments and UzVC with USD 820,000. These funds continue to support the local startup ecosystem and foster entrepreneurial growth. Other active participants include Semurg.VC (USD 550,000) and CS Angels, which invested USD 200,000 in early-stage projects. Collectively, these funds are contributing to the growth of the local startup ecosystem, fostering entrepreneurship and technological initiatives in the country.