2026 marked a new stage of state support for Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem. At the “Powering the Startup Ecosystem” event held on July 1 at the Congress Hall of the Ministry of Digital Technologies, IT Park Uzbekistan unveiled two programs at once: an expanded season of President Tech Award, running since 2023, and the brand-new President AI Award. Together, the two programs open up $6 million for the country’s startups.
President Tech Award: the fund grew fivefold
President Tech Award has been Uzbekistan’s flagship technology competition since 2023. For the 2026 season, its prize fund was increased from $1 million to $5 million — a decision announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during an open dialogue with young people at the Kuksaroy residence on February 24.
The new structure has two layers: $1 million as non-repayable grants and $4 million as venture investment. The competition now spans three tracks:
- Incubation — for early-stage teams of 2–5, focused on reaching product-market fit and gaining access to international mentorship
- Acceleration — for growth-stage startups of 3–8 people, competing for $1.5 million in investment
- Best Startup Project — across 10 technology sectors, with $2.5 million in investment from IT Park Ventures, judged by an international panel
The last season drew more than 6,000 participants and 862 startup teams — nearly double the previous cycle. Since 2023, more than 13,000 people have applied and around 1,800 teams have formed. Of the 45 previously funded projects, winners have created more than 400 jobs and attracted over $10 million in follow-on investment.
President AI Award
Where Tech Award is a general technology competition, President AI Award is Uzbekistan’s first state competition dedicated entirely to artificial intelligence. Its regulation was approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 288 of June 5, 2026.
The structure mirrors Tech Award, but on a smaller scale: a total prize fund of $1 million across three tracks — Best Startup, Acceleration, and Incubation. Winners receive equity investment from IT Park Ventures:
- 1st place — $100,000
- 2nd place — $60,000
- 3rd place — $40,000
The funding mechanism is also different: money isn’t paid out in one lump sum but in two stages — half upon signing the agreement, the rest over the following year based on agreed KPIs. This milestone-based approach, common among venture funds, is being applied to a state competition in Uzbekistan for the first time.
To apply, teams must have 3–8 members who are either Uzbek citizens or hold a residence permit in the country. The required materials also differ from other state grants — this time, a raw idea isn’t enough; a working MVP is expected:
- MVP
- A 3-minute video pitch
- A link to a GitHub repository — experts will review the code
- A PDF pitch deck and project logo
All materials must be prepared in Uzbek, Russian, and English — a requirement that signals international judges are involved from the outset.
| President Tech Award | President AI Award | |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | $5 million | $1 million |
| Focus | All tech sectors | AI only |
| Funding | Grant + venture investment | Equity investment, in 2 stages |
| Team size | 2–5 / 3–8 (by track) | 3–8 |
| Code review | Not required | GitHub repository mandatory |
In practical terms: if a startup is AI-based and already has a working MVP, President AI Award is the smaller but more specialized program, with code-level scrutiny. If a project spans a broader technology area or is still at the idea stage, Tech Award’s Incubation track is the better fit.
The parallel launch of both programs ties into a broader policy shift: the government recently raised grant quotas for AI and IT education by 35%, while IT Park has been tracking major new investment rounds from Uzum and other large players. Now another link has been added to that chain — training talent in education, then opening a state-level financial pathway for their startups.
Registration and applications for both competitions go through the awards.gov.uz platform.
