Uzbekistan Hosts the Inaugural AI Awards at the Central Asian AICA Awards 2025 Ceremony

Tashkent played host to the prestigious AICA Awards 2025 — a landmark event for the Central Asian technology ecosystem. Initiated by the Central Asian Association for Artificial Intelligence (AICA), the ceremony was held with the support of IT Park Uzbekistan.

For the first time in the region’s history, representatives from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan gathered on a unified platform to recognize outstanding achievements in the field of artificial intelligence. Held at Central Asian University, the ceremony brought together over 200 leading figures from the IT sector, startup community, academic institutions, and government agencies.

The AICA Awards is an annual recognition in the field of artificial intelligence, named in honor of the great scholar Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, whose work laid the foundation for algorithmic thinking. The award symbolizes the connection between the region's historical legacy and the modern challenges of technological development.

The AICA Awards covers key sectors — from education and healthcare to agritech and business — with projects evaluated based on their innovativeness, scalability, and practical impact. Each category is designed to not only honor outstanding contributions, but also to create a platform for knowledge exchange, attract investments, and foster a unified ecosystem for AI development in Central Asia.  

During the ceremony, awards were presented across six categories representing core areas of AI application. A total of 45 startups participated in the competition, with winners selected by an international jury of 12 experts, including representatives from Google, MOST Business Intelligence, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other major institutions.

The evaluation system was designed to eliminate the influence of national interests: countries were not allowed to vote for their own participants, ensuring maximum transparency and trust in the results.

Based on the jury’s votes, the following winners were announced in 6 categories:

Winners of AICA Awards 2025

• Best AI Education Initiative: Shyraq AI (Kazakhstan)
• Best AI Solution: Zehn AI (Tajikistan)
• Best Use of AI in Agritech: ARA (Kazakhstan)
• Best Innovation in Healthcare: KinesteX AI (Turkmenistan)
• Best AI Application in Business: Alsha AI (Uzbekistan)
• Best AI Startup: Úmit (Kazakhstan)

Kongratbay Sharipov, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan, together with Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, presented the award for Best AI Education Initiative to Kazakhstan’s Shyraq AI.

Oleg Pekos, First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, delivered a speech congratulating the winners in the Best Use of AI in Agritech category:

“Artificial intelligence is a key driver of global progress, unlocking opportunities for improving quality of life and accelerating economic development. By the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, the AI Development Strategy until 2030 has been adopted, aiming to establish scientific laboratories, high-performance infrastructure, and to achieve a $1.5 billion development volume. Particular importance is placed on the application of AI in agriculture — not only to increase crop yields but to ensure a smart and sustainable approach to food security. The winner in the ‘Best Use of AI in Agritech’ category exemplifies how innovation serves the welfare of the region.”   

Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, emphasized:

“AI startups are foundational to the emergence of Central Asia as an IT hub. Their innovative solutions not only address local challenges but also elevate the region to the global stage. At IT Park, we are committed to fostering an environment where startups have access to investment, international partners, and expert support — allowing their ideas to scale beyond regional borders.”

AICA Awards 2025 in Tashkent united Central Asia, highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in regional development through innovations in agritech, healthcare, and business. Uzbekistan’s AI Strategy through 2030, along with the support of IT Park, paves the way for the growth of startups and the transformation of the country into a global IT hub.