Outcomes of the Visit to Slovakia: European Companies Express Interest in Uzbekistan’s ITes Market

A delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan, accompanied by representatives of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, conducted an official visit to Slovakia. The delegation was led by Deputy Minister Jamol Makhmudov and included IT Park’s CEO, Abdulakhad Kuchkarov. The visit featured extensive meetings with representatives of the IT industry, government institutions, and sectoral associations. The primary objective of the visit was to foster international partnerships, explore new business opportunities, and discuss collaborative projects in digital technologies.

Business Forum in Bratislava: Expanding Horizons for IT Companies

On March 4, Bratislava hosted the Slovak-Uzbek Business Forum, bringing together key stakeholders from the technology sector and the investment community. The forum was inaugurated by Slovakia’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Vladimír Šimonek, who reaffirmed Slovakia’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Uzbekistan, particularly in technology, energy, and manufacturing.

Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade, Akrom Aliev, presented the country’s ambitious economic reforms, investor-friendly policies, and vast potential for international collaboration.

Tomáš Salini, Director of the Investment Projects Department at Slovakia’s SARIO agency, outlined Slovakia’s strategic advantages for foreign investors. Meanwhile, Dilshod Rasulov, Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, highlighted promising areas for cooperation, including IT, textile manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics.

Beyond formal addresses, the forum served as a platform for dynamic discussions, knowledge exchange, and networking. Uzbek and Slovak representatives actively explored potential joint projects and shared their strategic visions for future collaboration.

Strategic Discussions with IT Companies

The Uzbek delegation engaged in high-level discussions with leading Slovak IT companies and industry organizations. During a meeting with Egon Zorad, Director of the Foreign Trade Department at SARIO, Slovak companies expressed strong interest in collaborating with Uzbekistan’s IT sector.

The discussions covered key support programs for foreign IT companies, including Zero Risk, Softlanding, IT Visa, and Enterprise Uzbekistan. To further strengthen ties, SARIO proposed hosting a joint webinar where IT Park would present Uzbekistan’s IT outsourcing capabilities and opportunities for attracting skilled professionals.

A key highlight was the dialogue with MicroStep-MIS, spol. s r.o., a company specializing in environmental monitoring through artificial intelligence. MicroStep-MIS expressed a keen interest in obtaining IT Park member status and is planning an official visit to Uzbekistan to explore potential cooperation in greater detail.

Furthermore, the delegation held meetings with the leadership of ENVIEN Group, Vodohospodárska výstavba, ROKOSAN, and ELTECO GROUP. As a result, agreements were reached to facilitate connections between IT companies, startups, and venture capital funds in both countries.

Several leading Slovak IT firms expressed their readiness to collaborate with Uzbek developers. Ilija Nikolic, CEO of CodeBlox, explored the potential establishment of an outsourcing center in Uzbekistan, emphasizing the attractive conditions for IT Park members.

Viktor Senko, Founder of IT Crab, underscored the high level of expertise among Uzbek IT specialists and his company’s keen interest in forming partnerships with local firms. Igor Stano, Executive Director of ITmatch, highlighted the strong potential for IT outsourcing and the support mechanisms available for startups in Uzbekistan. Peter Tandlich, Director of SOFTEC, discussed the possibility of establishing an office in Uzbekistan, while Yassaman Omidbakhsh, Co-founder of EYERIM, expressed interest in collaborating on e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

Key Agreements and Future Prospects

The visit concluded with a strategic meeting with the IT Association of Slovakia (ITAS). ITAS President Emil Fitos and Vice President Mario Lelovský were provided with a comprehensive overview of IT Park’s benefits, including tax incentives, business environment, and partnership opportunities. Both parties agreed to facilitate the entry of Slovak IT firms into Uzbekistan’s market, with plans to formalize cooperation through a memorandum of understanding.

Special emphasis was placed on the "Digital Coalition" project, an initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy. Discussions explored the possibility of implementing this model in Uzbekistan in partnership with the Department for the Development of Digital Education at the Ministry of Digital Technologies.

The strengthening of IT cooperation between Slovakia and Uzbekistan paves the way for new business opportunities, fostering job creation, digital economic growth, and international market expansion. This visit marked a significant step towards deepening international cooperation and attracting foreign investments into Uzbekistan’s IT sector. Looking ahead, new joint projects, investment opportunities and initiatives will reinforce both nations’ positions in the IT sector.