From 1 to 150: Gcore's success story in Uzbekistan

Gleb Grigorian, General manager of Gcore company's Tashkent office, in an interview with IT Park talked about the establishment and success of their QA services in Uzbekistan.

Gcore is one of the international leaders in public cloud and edge computing, content delivery, hosting, and security solutions. Founded in 2014 in Austria, Gcore is headquartered in Luxembourg with offices in Vilnius, Krakow, Belgrade, Nicosia, Tbilisi, Tokyo, Manila, Seoul and Tashkent. Today Gcore employs more than 600 people and its global network consists of over 140 Points of Presence (PoPs) on six continents.

Starting with just one employee, Gleb initiated the company's key business in Tashkent, focusing on providing QA services for foreign companies, particularly in the gaming industry.

Currently, the Tashkent office boasts over 150 employees, a significant growth from its humble beginnings. Grigorian attributes the choice of Tashkent to various factors, including the country's large, young population and its status as a developing nation with a keen interest in IT. Additionally, the presence of IT Park and favorable tax services for member companies played a crucial role in the decision-making process.

Regarding the success of the business, Gleb stated that they have been hiring at a rate of ten employees per month, emphasizing the company's commitment to training interns rather than hiring ready-made specialists. He indicated a positive trend in the company's financial performance.

Reflecting on IT Park's role, Grigorian acknowledged the support provided, particularly in finding office space, navigating the city, and establishing connections with universities for hiring purposes. He highlighted the importance of such assistance in the initial stages of the company's establishment.

Discussing the hiring process in Uzbekistan, he mentioned that they initially relocated some specialists but primarily focused on hiring locally. The company adopts an approach of hiring interns with specific education but without specialized knowledge, investing in training them for the required roles. 

When asked about challenges faced, Grigorian mentioned issues with office location in their earlier days. He advised future businesses to choose office spaces in business centers for better amenities. He also pointed out concerns related to climate, emphasizing the need for effective air conditioning due to Uzbekistan's hot weather.

Addressing broader issues, Gleb discussed challenges related to traffic culture in Uzbekistan. Despite these concerns, he expressed confidence in the overall safety of the country and praised the friendly culture of the Uzbek people.

In terms of Uzbekistan's potential in the IT sector, Grigorian highlighted the abundance of young, hardworking individuals and government initiatives to improve education. He envisioned Uzbekistan evolving into a new outsourcing destination with a significant export of IT services.

Concluding the interview, he provided insights into Gcore's dual business focus in Uzbekistan, mentioning plans to hire more employees and expand their client portfolio. He also introduced the company's cloud services, set to launch in the coming months, inviting those interested in high-quality cloud solutions to reach out.