Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The resolution introduces the "Land of Startups" international competition, with a total prize fund of $5 million.

The resolution was adopted to ensure the implementation of Presidential Resolution No. PQ-59 dated February 11, 2026, "On Measures to Introduce a Comprehensive Ecosystem for Supporting Startups," to bring in advanced international practice to further improve the national startup ecosystem, and to further strengthen the country's potential on the international stage as a land of startups.

The document's main objective is to attract foreign startup projects and their founders to Uzbekistan on a broad scale, intensify technology transfer, and turn the republic into a regional "startup hub."

Beginning in April 2027, the competition will be held annually in the following five categories:
- Artificial intelligence technologies;
- Digital technologies in the social sphere (education, healthcare, public services);
- Financial technologies;
- Creative industries and computer and mobile games;
B2B and industry solutions.

Startup teams registered or operating abroad and consisting of more than three members may participate. Applications are accepted through a dedicated portal on startupbase.uz, the unified electronic platform of the startup ecosystem. Participation is free, and materials may be submitted in English. Each applicant may take part in only one category.
The competition is held annually in five stages:

By April 1: the competition is announced and promotional activities are carried out.

By June 30: applications are accepted online through the dedicated portal.

July 1–20: applications are evaluated online with the participation of foreign experts, and at least 25 teams are selected in each category. Results will be announced by July 25. Teams that pass the selection will register as legal entities in Uzbekistan before the start of the program.

August 20 – November 1: the "Softlanding" program, which supports foreign startups' entry into the Uzbek market, is held online and offline. Teams are evaluated weekly, and by November 15 the top 5 teams in each category, 25 teams in total, are identified.

By December 15: a Demo Day with the participation of foreign investors, venture funds, and enterprises is held, together with a formal awards ceremony for the winners.

Each of the 25 winning teams will receive investment of up to $200,000 from the venture fund under the IT Park Directorate following a due diligence process.

- The resolution also amends the regulation governing IT Park's activities. In particular:
- The requirement for IT Park residents to mandatorily integrate their automation-related accounting and measuring devices into the tax authorities' information systems is abolished;
- The obligation of the IT Park Directorate to submit tax and statistical reports and information on IT training courses conducted is abolished;

The list of activities for IT Park residents now includes the production and sale of IoT and artificial intelligence devices, micro- and nanoelectronics, and intelligent robots, as well as the activities of "Business Angels Clubs."