The programme is due to begin on 1 September 2026, with IT Park and venture funds helping universities establish student accelerators.
Universities in Uzbekistan are expected to be able to invest up to $20,000 of their own funds in individual startups involving students and research staff under a national support system planned for 2026.
The programme, called “Universities as Startup Generators”, is due to begin on 1 September 2026. Universities, IT Park Uzbekistan and venture funds are expected to establish student accelerators, where startup managers and trackers will support teams developing their projects. The source did not identify participating universities or funds.
The university funding would be investments rather than grants and could support work including MVP development, product testing and efforts to acquire initial users. Separately, winners of the annual “Most Innovative Idea” competition for state universities are set to receive grants of up to 100 million soum. The national stage will cover 10 areas and carry a total prize fund of 10 billion soum.
More mature projects could seek investment through the annual Young Entrepreneurs championship. The Ministry of Digital Technologies said up to 100 business and startup projects could receive investments of up to 1 billion soum each through the State Targeted Fund for Youth Entrepreneurship Development and Yoshlar Ventures. Winners of ideathons and hackathons may also receive convertible-loan financing from state venture funds, subject to participation in an incubation or acceleration programme.
Digital Startups programme participants have been eligible for IT Park resident status without a minimum export requirement since 1 April 2026. From 2027, youth technoparks and universities are planned to establish R&D centres, while up to 10 projects a year could receive vouchers covering up to 50 percent of MVP-development costs, capped at $50,000.
Under decree No. PP-59, Uzbekistan aims to have 5,000 startups and attract $2 billion in venture investment by 2030. These are policy targets, not committed investment figures.
