Historic regional competitors launches to showcase Central Eurasia’s rising startup ecosystem on Silicon Valley’s greatest stage.
For the primary time in its historical past, Central Eurasia could have a direct pathway to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield via the launch of “Street to Battlefield,” a groundbreaking regional competitors that guarantees to place the underrepresented area firmly on the worldwide innovation map.
The competitors, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and Freedom Holding, will span 9 nations throughout Central Eurasia: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan with nationwide competitions resulting in a regional remaining the place the highest three startups will earn spots in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco.
“We’ve been exhibiting startups at TechCrunch Disrupt for a number of years as companions, 14 startups in 2023, 24 startups in 2024, and we see that they are often aggressive,” mentioned Asset Abdualiyev, CEO & Founding father of Silkroad Innovation Hub. “In 2024, we had the biggest pavilion at TechCrunch Disrupt. We’re joyful to take our partnership with TechCrunch Disrupt to the subsequent stage by offering direct entry to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 to probably the most promising startups from the Central Eurasian area.”
A Area Prepared for Recognition
Central Eurasia’s startup ecosystem has been quietly constructing momentum, representing a dynamic tech hub of 100 million individuals with one of many youngest populations on the planet. The area produces roughly 200,000 STEM graduates yearly and is dwelling to an estimated 7,000 lively startups throughout key sectors, together with AI, Fintech, EdTech, MedTech, and E-commerce.
The numbers inform a compelling story: enterprise funding in Central Asia and the South Caucasus has grown 5.5 instances in recent times, reaching $110 million in 2023 and $150 million within the first half of 2024 alone. Notable successes embrace AI firm Higgsfield, valued at over $100 million, and Uzum from Uzbekistan, which raised $114 million in funding, changing into the nation’s first unicorn with a valuation of $1.16 billion. In the meantime, regional workplaces of world gamers, comparable to Telegram and inDrive, have established operations in Kazakhstan.
Regardless of this development, the area’s potential stays largely untapped by world buyers. The Street to Battlefield competitors goals to alter that narrative by offering unprecedented visibility and entry to Silicon Valley’s most influential networks.
“Not all buyers perceive how huge the alternatives are in that area,” defined Mr. Abdualiyev. “This competitors is about showcasing that Central Eurasia has startups that deserve world recognition.”The initiative has garnered robust assist from key regional gamers. Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub in Kazakhstan, emphasised the significance of this chance: “We’ve been serving to startups scale within the US via our acceleration packages and have seen actual progress. Many corporations have already secured native investments, and this competitors gives a fair larger platform for Kazakhstan’s startups to be uncovered.”
Sturdy Regional Partnership
The competitors advantages from a sturdy partnership community throughout the area, supported by main regional innovation hubs and accelerators:
Astana Hub (Kazakhstan), IT Park Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan), Future Laboratory (Georgia), Sabah Hub and Innovation and Digital Growth Company (IDDA) (Azerbaijan), IT Park Mongolia (Mongolia), Speed up Prosperity (Kyrgyzstan), IT Park Dushanbe (Tajikistan), and Startup Centrum (Türkiye).
IT Park Uzbekistan, one of many key supporters, sees this as an important step in ecosystem growth:
“We’re joyful to assist and assist Uzbek startups scale globally,” mentioned Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan. “We want that via our efforts to evolve the enterprise ecosystem, our startups might be seen within the US market and increase globally. As a part of the Central Asia Innovation Hub that we at the moment are implementing with Astana Hub, this initiative aligns completely with our regional growth targets.”The initiative is backed by Freedom Holding as the primary companion, demonstrating vital personal sector dedication to regional innovation. “Freedom Holding Corp. has been supporting Central Eurasian groups on the worldwide TechCrunch stage for a number of years now, and this 12 months isn’t any exception,” mentioned Marlen Sikhayev, Adviser to the President of Freedom Finance World PLC. “We imagine within the potential of regional entrepreneurs and need to give them entry to finest practices, mentorship, and investments. This initiative not solely gives essential assist for startups but in addition demonstrates that Central Eurasia’s know-how and innovation sector is retaining tempo with world developments and growing as a unified area.”
Competitors Construction and Timeline
The competitors follows a rigorously structured course of:
Stage 1: Nationwide Competitions (July 21 – August 10) Every nation will host on-line pitch occasions.
Stage 2: Regional Ultimate (August 15) The highest 20 startups will compete in an internet regional remaining to find out the three winners.
Stage 3: Battlefield Preparation (September 1 – October 24) Winners obtain intensive preparation via weekly webinars main as much as TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.
Stage 4: TechCrunch Startup Battlefield (October 26-29) The three finalists journey to Silicon Valley to compete within the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.
Unique Advantages for Winners
The three successful startups will obtain a complete bundle designed to maximise their Silicon Valley expertise:
- Assured spots in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200
- Spherical-trip flights to San Francisco for as much as two workforce members
- Lodging lined for as much as two weeks
- Startup sales space and exhibit house for all three days of TechCrunch Disrupt
- Investor and networking entry to prime VCs and personal trade occasions
- Branding and media publicity via occasion supplies and protection alternatives
Startup Standards
The competitors targets early-stage startups that meet particular standards:
- Should not have exceeded the pre-series A funding stage
- Should have a useful MVP
- Ought to have restricted world media publicity
- Should be primarily based in one of many 9 Central Eurasian nations
Constructing on Success
TechCrunch Disrupt stands as one of many world’s most influential tech conferences, attracting over 165,000 attendees and that includes audio system comparable to Elon Musk, Serena Williams, and Satya Nadella. At its core, TechCrunch Startup Battlefield boasts a formidable 15-plus-year monitor report of launching world tech giants, together with Trello, Dropbox, N26, Mint, and Forethought AI. Alumni corporations have collectively raised over $32 billion, with greater than 50 unicorns rising from this system.
Annually, 200 early-stage startups compete for unparalleled publicity to top-tier buyers and media, with 20 finalists advancing to compete stay for $100,000 funding and the long-lasting Disrupt Cup.
A Historic Second
The launch of Street to Battlefield represents greater than only a competitors; it’s a historic second for Central Eurasia’s startup ecosystem. By making a direct pathway to one of many world’s most prestigious startup phases, the initiative guarantees to speed up the area’s integration into the worldwide innovation economic system.
Because the competitors opens for purposes, entrepreneurs throughout Central Eurasia now have a chance to showcase their improvements to Silicon Valley’s most influential buyers and companions. For a area that has lengthy been underrepresented in world startup competitions, it could possibly be the catalyst that transforms Central Eurasia right into a acknowledged hub of world innovation.
Functions for Street to Battlefield at the moment are open at https://road2battlefield.com/ , with a deadline of July 15, 2025.