Outcomes of the visit to the United States: new opportunities for Uzbek startups

A delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan, led by Startup and Investment Development Director Elyor Maksudov, undertook a visit to the United States, where it held meetings with leading accelerators, investment firms, and technology corporations. Among them were Draper University, Plug and Play, Startup Genome, StartX, OpenAI, Scale AI, Techstars. The discussions focused on strengthening Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem, attracting international investment, and integrating advanced technologies into education and public services.

Draper University: Venture investment and program participation

During the meeting with Draper University, the parties explored the establishment of a joint venture fund with IT Park Ventures to support startups in Central Eurasia and facilitate their entry into global markets. Opportunities were also discussed for integrating Uzbek startups into Draper’s international network and for their participation in such programs as Hero Training, the Global Innovation Program, and VCx. Draper confirmed its readiness to participate in ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025.

Draper University is a U.S.-based educational institution specializing in venture investment and entrepreneurial training.

Plug and Play: Artificial intelligence center in Uzbekistan

Talks with Plug and Play addressed expanding access for Uzbek startups to the company’s global network and organizing joint initiatives in Uzbekistan. The company also proposed the establishment of a Plug and Play Artificial Intelligence Center in Tashkent and the creation of a joint venture fund.

Plug and Play is one of the world’s largest venture accelerators, with a broad international network of startups and investors.

Startup Genome: Analytics and international positioning

Startup Genome and IT Park agreed to collaborate on the accelerated development of the startup ecosystem through data-driven strategies and international methodologies. Discussions included benchmarking, the development of KPIs, and recommendations for strengthening early-stage startups and attracting investment.

Startup Genome is a global research organization specializing in startup ecosystem analytics and development.

StartX: Mentorship and acceleration

The meeting with StartX confirmed the organization’s interest in cooperation with Uzbekistan. Discussions focused on mechanisms of mentorship, the participation of Uzbek startups in its acceleration program in California, and the potential launch of a pilot bootcamp during ICT Week Uzbekistan 2025.

StartX is a nonprofit accelerator affiliated with Stanford University, dedicated to supporting startups through mentorship and networking.

OpenAI: Artificial intelligence in education and public services

The dialogue with OpenAI focused on integrating artificial intelligence into the education system and public services. Projects under consideration included GPT.edu, designed for one million users in Uzbekistan, as well as a potential ChatGPT Gov initiative. OpenAI expressed its readiness to collaborate on educational and research programs in Uzbekistan.

OpenAI is a global leader in artificial intelligence and the developer of ChatGPT and next-generation language models.

Scale AI: Access to platforms and pilot projects

Scale AI presented its capabilities in data annotation, validation, and AI model evaluation. Discussions also included opening access to the Outlier AI platform in Uzbekistan and implementing pilot projects involving local specialists.

Scale AI is a U.S.-based company specializing in data preparation for machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Techstars: Launch of joint initiatives

The parties discussed the potential launch of a regional initiative under the Techstars brand. IT Park presented the progress of Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem, along with national initiatives such as the Digital Startup Awards and Venture Startup Studios. The parties agreed to establish a working group and confirmed a planned visit by Techstars representatives to Uzbekistan during ICT Week 2025.

Techstars is an international network of accelerators and venture funds supporting startups around the world.

These engagements reinforced Uzbekistan’s position as a country with a rapidly evolving startup ecosystem. The agreements reached provide access to international expertise, investment, and cutting-edge technologies, enabling Uzbek startups to enter global markets and strengthen their competitiveness on the international stage.