This year, the largest technology parks in Central Asia—Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan—will open new international hubs in China and the United Arab Emirates as part of their joint initiative under the Central Asian Innovation Hubs brand. They will also expand participation in major global tech forums and aim to generate more than $10 billion in tech exports and create over eight unicorns by 2030.

These ambitious plans were announced by the CEOs of Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan during the visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to the AlmatyFair.ai exhibition. The two leaders were introduced to the activities of Central Asian Innovation Hubs—a strategic alliance of the region’s top tech parks aimed at accelerating the development of Central Asia’s startup ecosystem.

“We’re committed to strengthening our partnership with IT Park Uzbekistan under the unified Central Asian Innovation Hubs brand to ensure dynamic global positioning of Central Asia’s innovation potential. This year, we plan to launch joint hubs in China and the UAE and participate in the world’s largest tech platforms, including the Eurasia Blockchain Summit in Turkey, GITEX Europe in Germany, London Tech Week in the UK, TechCrunch Disrupt in the US, Biban in Saudi Arabia, and Web Summit in Portugal. These efforts will significantly expand the international reach of Central Asian startups, attract strategic partners, and elevate the innovation brand of the region,” said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.

In 2024, Central Asian Innovation Hubs—initiated by Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan—showcased more than 40 regional startups at global forums, including the INMerge Innovation Summit, Web Summit 2024, and TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. These appearances helped raise the region’s profile and opened new international opportunities for Central Asian founders.

“Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have already achieved significant progress in the tech sector. IT Park Uzbekistan is confidently transforming the country into a regional hub for service delivery and IT outsourcing, while Astana Hub is building a strong startup ecosystem that fosters innovation. By joining forces and leveraging each other’s strengths and experiences, we can reach new heights even faster. A new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs is emerging in our countries—ambitious, bold, and thinking beyond convention. They are already shaping the future. Our strategic goal is not just to support this movement but to create a resilient and dynamic ecosystem where every talented individual has access to global expertise, resources, and international opportunities for scaling. Central Asian Innovation Hubs are more than just startup platforms. They are growth engines shaping the future of Central Asia as a region open to global investment, technological advancement, and the full realization of human potential,” said Abdulahad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan.

Another major milestone in regional collaboration was the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the AlmatyFair.ai exhibition in Almaty between Astana Hub, IT Park Uzbekistan, and Growth Vision Pro Ltd. The agreement outlines joint efforts to promote Central Asian startups in the Chinese market through the establishment of a new international hub in Shanghai. The parties will collaborate on ecosystem development, investment attraction, and international expansion, as well as launch joint acceleration programs and support resident startups from both countries entering China.

From March 28 to 30, Almaty hosted AlmatyFair.ai, one of the largest AI exhibitions in the region, bringing together leading tech companies, startups, and AI experts. The event was organized by the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan and the Akimat of Almaty. Kaspi.kz served as the general sponsor, with Freedom Bank and Halyk Bank as official partners.