IT Park in Qatar: Participation in the Web Summit, Uzbekistan Tech Conference, and attracting Qatari companies to Uzbekistan

The delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan, led by Deputy CEO Jahongir Rajabov, conducted a working visit to Qatar from February 24th to 29th. The primary objectives of the visit were to participate in the international technological summit and conference, Web Summit Qatar 2024, organize the Uzbekistan Tech Conference in Doha, and engage in a series of meetings with Qatari IT companies aimed at attracting foreign export-oriented IT companies to Uzbekistan.

During the visit, the delegation showcased Uzbekistanʼs potential as a leading destination for IT business and explored opportunities for collaboration with representatives of Qatari business community.

A pivotal component of the visit was the participation of the IT Park delegation in the Web Summit Qatar 2024, the worldʼs largest technology conference, held in the MENA region for the first time from February 26th to 29th. This landmark event attracted international technology giants, startups, industry experts, and technology enthusiasts from around the world.

Over the four-day summit, held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, 15,453 participants from 118 countries were in attendance. 1,043 companies from 81 countries showcased their technological innovations, and the international audience included 401 investors, 148 partners, and 380 speakers. The summit garnered coverage from approximately 900 technology journalists and media representatives.

IT Park resident companies — Tass Vision, Iman, OneApply, and Speaklish presented their products to investors and a wide audience of technology entrepreneurs at the Web Summit Qatar exhibition.

It is noteworthy that the startup Iman advanced to the finals of the Pitch Competition, where 40 top startups from across the globe competed in presenting their projects to investors and a wide audience of entrepreneurs.

The IT Park delegation conducted over 20 meetings with leading companies participating in the summit, including Halabyte, Integrar Tech, Colendi, Easy Signage, Snoonu, Trinetix, and TS Qatar.

During discussions with Halabyteʼs Business Development Manager, Mihindu Depp, prospects for collaboration, strategic development issues, and attracting the company to Uzbekistan were addressed. Halabyte expressed interest in establishing an office in Uzbekistan, and an agreement was reached to collaborate with local IT companies in the outsourcing sector.

Meetings with Giovanni Quintos, the founder of Integrar Tech, also took place, during which the conditions for IT companies in Uzbekistan, the benefits enjoyed by IT Park residents, and the proposal to establish an IT outsourcing office in Uzbekistan were presented.

Within the framework of the Web Summit Qatar, discussions were held with representatives of Turkish company Colendi, Australian company Easy Signage, Ukrainian company Trinetix, and Qatari companies Snoonu and Meeza. These discussions highlighted the potential of IT specialists and the advantages that IT companies can derive from operating in Uzbekistan, including tax incentives and the Zero Risk program. All companies expressed keen interest in establishing IT outsourcing offices in Uzbekistan and entering the markets of Central Asia.

To delve deeper into the opportunities presented by Uzbekistan for IT businesses, companies were invited to participate in the Offshore Outsourcing Tour, scheduled to take place in Tashkent and Samarkand on March 18-20.

In addition to meetings with business representatives, the IT Park delegation engaged in negotiations with delegations from the Qatar National Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar Development Bank, and Qatar Financial Center.

Following the meeting with the Qatar Financial Center, a partnership agreement was reached. Furthermore, the organization conveyed its willingness to extend financial backing to startups aiming to enter the Qatari market, offering grants ranging from $500,000 for nascent startups and up to $5 million for approved companies. Startups seeking grants may submit their applications to the Investment Department of IT Park Uzbekistan.

Kamelia Lavinia, Senior Manager of Operational Projects at the Qatar National Bank, expressed keen interest in initiating the “Digital Bank” project in Uzbekistan, which includes establishing an office equipped with a call center and a team of designers. Additionally, discussions encompassed the array of programs tailored for IT companies offered by IT Park, along with assistance in recruiting skilled professionals.

Khurram Qadir, Head of the Information Technology Department at the Qatar Islamic Bank, get acquainted with the activities of IT Park, particularly its fintech resident companies, expressing considerable interest in their operations. Both parties agreed to exchange detailed information for the analysis of their operations.

Following the working visit, it is anticipated that companies such as TS Qatar, Easy Signage, and Snoonu will establish development offices in Uzbekistan. By the conclusion of 2024, a minimum of 50 employment opportunities will be generated, with the overall export volume of IT services and products increasing by $3 million, $1 million of which will represent exports to Qatar. Moreover, Qatari investors and venture capital funds are projected to inject no less than $1 million into Uzbekistani startups in 2024.

“We are currently diligently engaged in efforts to attract foreign companies to Uzbekistan, and Qatar stands as a pivotal partner in this endeavor. Being one of the prominent players in the MENA region, Qatar holds significant strategic importance for Uzbekistani enterprises, which are already actively exporting their goods and services to this region. We are confident that our recent visit will significantly contribute to the augmentation of export volume for our residents and attract a broader spectrum of international companies to Uzbekistan”, articulated Jahongir Rajabov. “Our interactions with representatives of Qatari businesses and participation in the Web Summit conference represent one of the strategic steps in our overarching objective of positioning Uzbekistan as a global hub for IT outsourcing and to elevate the republicʼs service exports to $5 billion by 2030.”