Competition for the award of Uzbekistan’s President for the Best Startups title with a $1 million prize pool

According to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers (No. 66) dated February 15, 2023, the State annually hosts a contest for the prize of Uzbekistan’s President “President Tech Award” for the best startup title among digital technologies projects with $1,000,000 total prize pool.

The competition will be divided into main and special areas.

The main area will take place in the following categories:

1. Technologies based on artificial intelligence;

2. Digital technologies in the social sphere;

3. ICT and cybersecurity;

4. Entrepreneurship and fintech;

5. Computer and mobile games.

Hackathon Grand Prix will be the special area that stipulates creating a digital solution in 72 hours.

The prize fund will be distributed as follows:

1. For each main category:

1st rank - $100,000;

2nd rank - $50,000;

3rd rank - $30,000.

2. Hackathon Grand Prix winning prize (special area) - $100,000 (only one winner)

The Decree also envisages that the contest is handled in the following 5 stages:

● applications submission - from May 1 to July 1;

● Preliminary selection - from 1 to 25 July;

● Online assessment of selected projects - from September 5 to October 5;

● Offline assessment (Demo Day) - from 5 to 10 November;

● Determining and awarding the winners - 20 November - 25 December.

Participation terms

Only citizens of Uzbekistan can take part in main areas, foreign citizens who are employees of IT Park residents are also welcome to attend the special areas of the contest.

Participants must be under 30. Teams formed should consist of: 3-8 people (for main area) and 3-5 people (for special area).

Participation is allowed only in 1 selected category of both main and a special area. Attendance is free.

Judging process will be handled by an independent organization with extensive international experience in startup development.

The winners of the main areas will be determined by public voting, and the Hackathon (special area) – by an independent organization.

In order to ensure transparency and openness during the process, all stages of the contest will take place on a special portal.

Registration will open soon.