Shavkat Mirziyoyev Reviews ‘President Tech Award’ Startup Winners at Kuksaroy Dialogue with Youth
Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: As part of a dialogue with youth held on February 24 at the Kuksaroy Residence, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed presentations by the winners of the “Best Startup in Digital Technologies” project, widely known as the “President Tech Award.”
The competition has been organized since 2023 by the Directorate of the Software Products and Information Technologies Technology Park with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies. The total prize fund for the initiative amounts to $1 million.
The contest identifies outstanding projects across key innovation-driven sectors, including artificial intelligence, social technologies, MicroSaaS and AdTech, financial technologies and entrepreneurship, gaming software, as well as a special hackathon category.
Participation in the initiative has grown significantly over the past three years. While more than 4,000 individuals took part in the inaugural competition, the number rose to 6,000 by 2025. The number of participating teams also nearly doubled, increasing from 444 to 862.
During the event, the winners presented their startup projects to the Head of State, highlighting their competitive advantages, technological innovation, and practical applications.
“We are ready to create the necessary conditions for small startups to grow into major projects and profitable businesses. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish dialogue with each startup founder and provide the support they need,” President Mirziyoyev stated.
The meeting emphasized that supporting young people’s technological interests helps lay the foundation for future professions and long-term economic growth. It was also noted that startup projects developed by Uzbekistan’s youth are attracting increasing international interest.
The President further announced that funding allocated for startup support would be expanded and provided recommendations on additional sectors where fresh perspectives and innovative ideas from young entrepreneurs are in high demand.
