Startup events

Meetups, conferences, demo days, and hackathons across the region.

Idea Miners will award 2 million tenge and Yandex Cloud grants totaling 6 million tenge to startups in Kazakhstan

On October 28 at 10:00 a.m., Saginov KTU will host the Idea Miners idea and startup battle. Projects from any region of Kazakhstan and any industry are eligible to participate; participation is free. Applications will be accepted until October 20 at 11:59 p.m. The competition’s prize pool totals 2,000,000 ₸, and participants will receive an additional 6,000,000 ₸ in the form of Yandex Cloud grants. The prize pool and grants will be divided among the winners. In addition to the prize money, the organizers promise the opportunity to secure a contract or launch a pilot project with a business. The jury includes Pavel Koktychev, a venture investor at MOST Ventures; Zhanna Bektemirova, founder of the “Shar-Qurylys” holding company and the GLB plant; and prominent entrepreneurs from the “Parasat.” To participate, you must subscribe to the contest’s Telegram channel and submit an application on the website: https://idea-miners.parasat.club/ .

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AICA will host the AICA Awards 2026 in Dushanbe on October 31 to honor the best AI projects in Central Asia

Oct

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AICA will host the AICA Awards 2026 in Dushanbe on October 31 to honor the best AI projects in Central Asia

Tajikistan, Kokhi Navruz, Dushanbe

The AICA Awards 2026 ceremony will take place in Dushanbe on October 31. It is being organized by the Central Asian Association for Artificial Intelligence (AICA) as part of Aiconf-2026. The ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Kohi Navruz, located at 14/2 Ismoili Somoni Street. The ceremony will bring together representatives of the AI industry, startups, and investors from Central Asian countries. The AICA Awards 2026 will recognize projects from various countries in the region. A jury composed of regional experts will evaluate the projects. In addition to the awards ceremony, participants will have the opportunity to network with representatives from major IT companies. This is a chance for startups to meet investors and industry representatives. Applications are now being accepted. Projects can be submitted via the form at: https://aica.uz/events/apply-startup . For more information about the event, visit aica.uz.

Firstpoint VC is now accepting applications for its one-week Boost program for game studios in Central Asia

Nov

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Firstpoint VC is now accepting applications for its one-week Boost program for game studios in Central Asia

Firstpoint VC has opened applications for Firstpoint Boost: Central Asia, a one-week online program for game studios in Central Asia. The program will take place from November 2 to 6, 2026, and is fully funded by the fund. Applications will be accepted through October 23, 2026. The program connects studios in the region with international operators, publishers, and investors. It includes four days of industry sessions and one day of one-on-one sessions with studios. Topics include: working with publishers; marketing mobile, PC, and console games; hiring and scaling teams; what investors look for in a studio; using AI in production; pitching; and developing games for global markets. Sessions are led by the Firstpoint team, including general partners Burak Yilmaz and Mike Fisher, as well as guest speakers from international publishers, studios, venture capital firms, and technology companies. Participants receive mentoring, one-on-one project reviews, access to the Firstpoint community, and more than 40 bonuses and credits from partners. On the final day, each studio works directly with the Firstpoint team and concludes the program with an action plan. Selected startups may undergo a separate selection process for a fully funded program in the U.S., which includes meetings with company executives, studio visits, and participation in an industry event. Based on the results of Boost, some studios may proceed to Firstpoint’s investment review. The program is conducted in collaboration with partners: WeFund Ventures, Astana Hub, IT Park Uzbekistan, Yoshlar Ventures, Sherdor Games, Uzbekistan Creative Association, Creata Games, and IT Park Ventures. Firstpoint VC is a venture capital fund with a target size of 50 million euros that invests in games and entertainment in Turkey, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The fund is led by Burak Yilmaz and Mike Fisher, whose combined experience spans 20 countries and includes roles at WePlay Ventures, Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, Bandai Namco, SEGA, and Microsoft. Learn more about the program at: https://www.firstpoint.vc/boost . Apply here: https://www.firstpoint.vc/boost#apply .

Inha University in Tashkent, United Ventures, and the National Bank of Uzbekistan are hosting the FinTech Hackathon 2026 with a prize pool

Nov

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Inha University in Tashkent, United Ventures, and the National Bank of Uzbekistan are hosting the FinTech Hackathon 2026 with a prize pool

Uzbekistan, Inha University, Tashkent

Inha University in Tashkent, United Ventures, and the National Bank of Uzbekistan are hosting the FinTech Hackathon 2026. The hackathon’s prize pool will total 50,000,000 sum. The event will last two days. The organizers invite students, young professionals, developers, designers, and anyone interested in financial technology to participate. Participants may enter individually or in teams of 2–5 people. The hackathon’s theme is “Innovative Solutions for the Future of Finance.” Participants have 48 hours to develop a solution and present it. The prize pool of 50,000,000 soums will be distributed among the top three finishers: 25,000,000 soums for first place, 15,000,000 for second, and 10,000,000 for third. The hackathon will take place on November 21–22 at Inha University in Tashkent, located at 9 Zielilar Street. Registration is open at hackathon.inha.uz .

Past events

178 already held. Kept for reference; registration is closed.