ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 puts startups and AI in spotlight

ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 will bring startups, investors and global technology companies to Tashkent from 22 to 25 September, with venture capital, artificial intelligence and international expansion at the heart of the four-day event.

The event, to be held at CAEx, will place a strong emphasis on technology entrepreneurship, venture investment and international expansion. Founders, venture capital funds, angel investors and representatives of global technology companies will take part in a series of specialised events designed to connect promising projects with potential partners and investors.

Across four days, startup teams will have opportunities to present their products, gain industry feedback and explore new markets, while investors will be able to identify emerging companies and technologies.

Startup and Venture Summit opens programme

The Startup & Venture Summit on 22 September will open the startup programme, bringing together founders, investors and representatives of the international startup ecosystem.

Discussions will focus on the next phase of venture capital development in the region, including the growth of local startups, access to funding, international expansion and the role of governments and private investors in strengthening the technology ecosystem.

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Founders, venture fund representatives and leaders of organisations supporting innovative businesses are expected to take part.

The summit will also set the stage for key themes running throughout ICT Week’s startup programme.

Enterprise Uzbekistan Summit looks at technology jurisdiction

On 23 September, the Enterprise Uzbekistan Summit will examine Uzbekistan’s ambitions to become a competitive jurisdiction for international technology businesses.

The agenda will focus on regulatory certainty, institutional infrastructure and the conditions required to attract global technology companies and investment.

The programme will include presentations by Enterprise Uzbekistan representatives, keynote speeches from EY and BDO and a fireside chat involving IT Park Uzbekistan and Enterprise Uzbekistan.

A panel discussion titled “Rethinking Jurisdictions for the Global Technology Economy” will explore the factors that influence international companies when selecting locations for their operations.

Participants will also discuss how responsibilities are shared among key institutions and what regulatory environment is needed to support the long-term development of Uzbekistan’s technology economy.

StartupBlink to recognise leading startup ecosystems

The Global Startup Ecosystem Awards will also take place on 23 September.

Organised by StartupBlink in partnership with IT Park Uzbekistan, the event will recognise cities, countries and regions that have performed strongly in StartupBlink’s global startup ecosystem rankings.

The awards ceremony will be followed by a panel discussion titled “Best Practices in Startup Ecosystem Development”.

Representatives of leading startup ecosystems will discuss the factors behind their growth, how resources should be prioritised and which approaches could be adapted by emerging technology markets.

Startup World Cup regional final heads to Tashkent

The regional final of the Startup World Cup will be held on 24 September and is expected to be one of the week’s major startup events.

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Selected startups will deliver live pitches to an international jury and venture capital representatives.

The regional winner will qualify for the global Startup World Cup in San Francisco, where finalists from different countries will compete for a $1 million investment prize.

Beyond the competition, participating startups will be able to present their products to international investors, receive professional feedback and test their pitches before a global audience.

AI Native explores path from idea to product

Ideas to Innovation will also take place on 24 September, bringing together startups, specialists and teams working in artificial intelligence.

The event will examine how AI concepts can be transformed into viable technology products and business solutions.

The programme will cover large language models, cloud technologies, multilingual AI, robotics, AI agents and business automation.

It will also focus on opportunities for young professionals, including AI education, hackathons and career development.

For startups, the event will highlight areas of artificial intelligence moving beyond experimentation towards practical, commercially viable applications.

AWS Community Day focuses on scaling technology

AWS Community Day Uzbekistan will take place on 25 September, focusing on AWS technologies, cloud infrastructure and emerging technology trends.

The event will address technical challenges that become increasingly important as startups and technology companies grow, including infrastructure capacity, performance, reliability and scalability.

Its technology-focused programme will complement ICT Week’s broader discussions on startup investment and business development.

Ignyte AI Challenge puts startups on stage

The Ignyte AI Challenge will also be held on 25 September.

Startup teams will present artificial intelligence solutions to an international panel of experts, giving ICT Week participants the chance to discover emerging projects and explore products under development in the AI sector.

The event will also offer founders a platform to demonstrate how effectively they can present their technology and business model to a professional audience.

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TAQDIMOT closes startup programme

ICT Week’s startup programme will conclude on 25 September with TAQDIMOT, a Startup Show & Pitch Battle.

Promising technology projects will be presented through short pitches and a competitive format designed to showcase new ideas to a wider professional audience.

For participating startups, the event will provide another opportunity to explain the value of their products, connect with potential partners and strengthen their presentation skills.

TAQDIMOT will mark the final startup-focused event of ICT Week’s four-day programme.

Wider ICT Week programme

Startup development and venture investment will be just one part of ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026.

The broader programme will also include the AI Forum, Fintech Forum, Tech & Service Outsourcing Conference, Uzbek–Japan Digital Community Forum, OTS Technology Forum, GameGap: GameDev Conference, Sabriya: Women in Digital Economy and the Uzbekistan–Middle East Tech Summit.

Together, the events will cover artificial intelligence, fintech, cloud infrastructure, enterprise technology, outsourcing, game development, entrepreneurship and international technology cooperation.

ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 will take place at CAEx in Tashkent from 22 to 25 September.

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