GBSF 2025 outcomes: Uzbekistan strengthens its status as an IT hub

Tashkent hosted the Global Business Services Forum 2025 (GBSF 2025), one of the most prominent events of the year in the field of IT outsourcing and digital services. Organized by IT Park Uzbekistan with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies, the event convened approximately 450 participants representing 260 companies, including 237 international companies from 40 countries. Among the attendees were representatives of multinational corporations, startups, government agencies, and venture capital funds.  

The forum served as a key milestone in the implementation of the “Digital Uzbekistan – 2030” strategy, which aims to increase the export of IT services to USD 5 billion, create 300,000 jobs, and establish Uzbekistan as a leading international IT hub.

Global companies choose Uzbekistan: stability, talent, and opportunity

The official part of the forum was opened by Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies, who emphasized that Uzbekistan is rapidly emerging as a global IT center. In his remarks, the Minister reaffirmed the country’s commitment to fostering an open and competitive digital ecosystem, noting that growing international interest confirms the effectiveness of the course pursued:

“It is my great pleasure and honour to welcome all of you who have just arrived in Uzbekistan. We are proud to present the opportunities our country has to offer. Most importantly, we possess strong political will and unwavering commitment to reform. The establishment of IT Park Uzbekistan is an initiative of our President, who strongly believes in its success.   

With his support, we have extended all tax benefits until 2040. Accordingly, you may rest assured that there will be no legislative changes that could adversely affect your business operations in Uzbekistan until that time. We are focused on long-term cooperation, and our key message to partners is: We are here to help you grow your business together with us.”

Izzat Khamidov, Head of IT Park’s Export Division for Asia, highlighted the country’s recent accomplishments. He noted that Uzbekistan has established favourable conditions for international companies, including advanced infrastructure and forward-looking legislation. At present, more than 750 international companies are operating in the country, and local talent continues to export services globally.

The topic of human capital was further addressed by Ahmed Aboulezz, Advisor to the CEO of IT Park, who underscored that Uzbekistan is home to 38 million people, 65% of whom are under the age of 35. This youthful demographic represents a new generation of specialists equipped with both technical expertise and language proficiency. According to him, companies are hiring approximately 250 of these professionals each month, and the growing interest from foreign investors reaffirms the effectiveness of the current strategy. 

The forum programme continued with a session featuring international companies, which shared practical case studies on entering the Uzbek market. Reshat Boltaev, IT Solutions Architect at Huawei, noted that Uzbekistan has demonstrated its capability to serve global clients such as Amazon, Toyota, and Sony. He also emphasized that Huawei has maintained operations in the country for 25 years and is one of five global Solution Sharing Centers, exporting marketing and consulting services.  

Yuri Karp, Regional Director at BIPO, added that Uzbekistan offers flexible conditions for recruitment and personnel management, assisting companies in sourcing and onboarding talent even prior to the official establishment of an office. He emphasized that Uzbekistan is actively positioning itself as a global IT hub, both in the region and beyond.

Bekzod Fayozov, VFX Supervisor at United Soft, also shared his experience. He noted that since 2011, United Soft has been delivering visual effects and animation services, completing more than 100 projects for clients such as Samsung and Ubisoft, and has successfully launched proprietary IP projects to international markets, garnering hundreds of millions of views. According to him, Uzbekistan's creative industry is not merely developing, but gaining considerable momentum.

Eleanor Kramers, representing the UK-based agency Montfort, represented the consulting and PR sector. She noted that Uzbekistan is evolving into a growing hub for international media and business services, and that local professionals demonstrate a high level of preparedness and global mindset.

Site visits to IT Park member companies

As part of the forum agenda, international guests visited several key centres of Uzbekistan’s digital infrastructure. Delegations toured Uzinfocom, where they were introduced to the organization’s technological capabilities and its solutions in the sphere of digital transformation. The programme also included visits to Inha University in Tashkent, the United Soft studio, and the MABB Innovation company. These visits provided participants with valuable insight into the practical development of the country’s IT ecosystem.

“It is a great honour for us to host the participants of GBSF at Inha University in Tashkent. The forum offers an excellent platform to present our capabilities in the field of information technology, particularly in digital education and innovation. I would like to emphasize that IT Park is our close and reliable partner, playing an active role in supporting the advancement of IT education and the broader digital transformation agenda in Uzbekistan,”
— stated Bobur Abdullaev, Rector of Inha University in Tashkent.

During the visit, guests were introduced to a new generation of promising young professionals currently undergoing training at the university. The delegation was also presented with the university’s newly established startup incubation centre, developed in partnership with IT Park Uzbekistan.

In addition, forum participants visited Realsoft, a member company of IT Park Uzbekistan. During the visit, attendees were briefed on the company’s operations in both domestic and international markets and were informed about prospective areas for cooperation.

Workshops: how to launch a business in Uzbekistan

The second day of the forum was devoted to a series of thematic workshops. Opening the session, Makhliyo Muksinova, Services Export Development Director at IT Park Uzbekistan, underscored Uzbekistan’s growing appeal as a favourable destination for launching and scaling business operations.  

Ahmed Aboulezz, Advisor to the CEO of IT Park, delivered a presentation on the formation of a robust talent pipeline. He emphasized that talent acquisition in Uzbekistan is an ongoing and proactive process: IT Park specialists do not passively await candidates but instead engage with universities, build comprehensive talent databases, conduct labor market monitoring, and assist companies in identifying and recruiting qualified professionals. He further noted that Uzbekistan’s labor legislation is clear, transparent, and aligned with international standard — offering businesses the confidence.  

Bobomurod Abdurasulov, representative of IT Bilim, spoke about the development of infrastructure. According to him, companies now have access to over 125,000 square metres of office space, a talent pool of 9.4 million young professionals, and 163 universities across the country — 47 of which specialized in IT. The Zero Risk program offers one year of free, fully equipped office space, as well as subsidies for the recruitment and training of personnel. Notably, during the forum, 43 companies submitted applications to participate in this program.

Mukhlisa Sattarova, representing the Resident Registration Department, highlighted that IT Park offers more than just office space — it provides comprehensive business support, including transparent registration procedures, tax incentives, and assistance at every stage of market entry. 

Azizbek Dauletbayev, Manager of the SoftLanding program, presented the One Stop Shop initiative, which enables foreign companies to register their businesses in Uzbekistan within just three working days. He noted that IT Park supports member companies not only with incorporation and office selection, but also with HR-related processes, personnel testing, and the issuance of IT visas — these visas grant foreign specialists equal social rights with Uzbek citizens.

The day concluded with a hands-on workshop titled The Business Backbone, which offered participants insights into recruitment strategies, the tax framework, regional infrastructure, and state support mechanisms. The interactive format allowed participants to raise individual questions and receive tailored recommendations from experts.

Signing of strategic agreements

As part of the forum agenda, a number of memoranda of understanding were concluded with international companies.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Global Startup Awards (GSA) and IT Park Uzbekistan to facilitate the organisation of regional and international startup award ceremonies in Uzbekistan and to integrate local projects into the GSA global network. The cooperation aims to enhance Uzbekistan’s positioning as one of the emerging global IT hubs.

Brainworks Inc. and IT Park Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence. The parties committed to supporting joint educational initiatives and hackathons.

Futura Advisory FZ LLE and IT Park Uzbekistan formalised their mutual intent to jointly develop the IT outsourcing and game development sectors. The memorandum outlines cooperation in supporting Futura’s partners in entering the Uzbek business landscape, as well as conducting industry networking events.

EXA Solution Co., Ltd. and IT Park Uzbekistan agreed to promote cooperation between South Korean companies and members of IT Park, jointly advance IT projects, and organise as well as participate in international events.

The scope of support and privileges available to IT Park Uzbekistan members continues to expand. A memorandum of understanding was signed with JSCB Kapitalbank to offer member companies simplified bank account opening procedures, priority customer service, access to specialised banking products, and expert consultations. Member companies will also be able to participate in joint presentations of financial solutions. Furthermore, an agreement was signed with Zeekr, under which member companies of IT Park will be granted access to preferential terms for the purchase of Zeekr vehicles, including bespoke offers.

International companies place strategic focus on Uzbekistan

As part of the Global Business Services Forum 2025 (GBSF 2025), a series of meetings were held with international companies expressing strong interest in expanding their operations into Uzbekistan.

Among the notable participants was ICL Soft, an IT company within the ICL Group, specialising in the development of domestic ERP systems and digital solutions for public sector services. Discussions focused on the potential establishment of an office in Uzbekistan and collaboration to streamline logistics and develop infrastructure for remote hiring of specialists.

A meeting with Xsolla GameDev Academy, a global service provider for the gaming industry, including funding, monetization, and developer support, also generated significant interest. The discussions explored collaboration in supporting the game development community and launching new educational initiatives in this domain.

The South Korean company Exasolution, specialising in the development and customisation of IT products, also presented its vision for cooperation. The parties explored joint project opportunities with IT Park members in the area of systems integration, as well as the procurement of Uzbek-developed IT solutions by the Korean side.

Interest was also expressed by Sybrid (Pvt) Ltd, a leading provider of technology solutions from Pakistan with a workforce of over 4,000 employees. The company is currently assessing the feasibility of opening an office in Uzbekistan and obtaining IT Park member status, as well as launching joint initiatives in outsourcing and customer support services.

A dedicated session was held with Everest Group, a global research and consulting firm providing strategic advisory services to major international corporations. Discussions focused on Uzbekistan’s potential as a location for global IT and BPO operations, supported by favorable tax incentives and a growing pool of multilingual, technically skilled professionals.

Additional meetings were conducted with representatives of Futura Digital, Brightika Inc., and RoasUp, who are actively exploring opportunities for collaboration with local IT Park members and evaluating new models for establishing a presence in the Uzbek market.

GBSF 2025 has demonstrated growing international business interest in Uzbekistan. As a result of the forum, 9 companies from Malaysia, Singapore, Poland, South Korea, Azerbaijan, France, the United States, Kazakhstan, and other countries have already launched operations in Uzbekistan. Five more companies are currently in the process of establishing offices, while an additional 9 companies from Japan, South Korea, the USA, the UAE, Russia, and Kazakhstan plan to do so in the near future. It is anticipated that these initiatives will generate over 500 new jobs and contribute an estimated $15 million in exports within the coming year.

Today, IT Park Uzbekistan encompasses more than 2,990 member companies, collectively creating over 44,000 jobs and exporting digital products to 90 countries worldwide. Through robust support programs — including Zero Risk, Softlanding, Digital Startups, IT-Visa, and One Stop Shop — foreign investors benefit from end-to-end assistance, from initial market entry to global expansion.

GBSF 2025 not only reinforced Uzbekistan’s image as an attractive destination for digital business, but also served as a magnet for new partnerships and investments. The forum clearly demonstrated that Uzbekistan is not merely a promising market of the future — it is already an actively evolving global hub for business services, offering competitive talent, innovative solutions, and a reliable infrastructure for scalable growth.