Tashkent Hosts Global Tech Weekend with 120 Speakers

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The city of Tashkent is hosting the international technology festival Global Tech Weekend from 15 to 17 May, marking the first time the event is held in Uzbekistan and bringing together the startup community, investors, and experts from multiple countries.

Over three days, the capital has become a platform for more than 40 thematic events focused on innovation, the digital economy, and the development of technology-driven business.

The festival features more than 120 speakers from Uzbekistan and abroad, alongside thousands of startup founders, engineers, investors, and young professionals working in the technology sector. Organizers said the event aims to strengthen the regional startup ecosystem and expand international cooperation.

The official opening ceremony took place on May 15. First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies A. Sultanov attended the event, presenting measures aimed at developing the country’s innovation infrastructure and supporting technology projects, while also emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in the digital sector.

The program on the first day included a series of thematic sessions and discussions. Among the speakers was startup scout from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Yasin Ehsan, who analyzed the expectations of venture funds and accelerators from startup founders. Sasha Skurikhin from XFounders Accelerator also spoke about the transformation of the global venture capital market.

A panel discussion on the development of digital platforms focused on the shift from content monetization to building sustainable business ecosystems. International experts and regional technology company representatives took part in the discussion.

The second day of the festival is dedicated to the development of startups, artificial intelligence, and business digital transformation, featuring speakers from multiple countries, including investment and accelerator specialists.

The final day will focus on youth initiatives and startup ecosystem development, including project presentations in a Demo Day format, meetings with venture capital investors, mentoring sessions, and closed networking events.

The festival is held with the support of IT Park Uzbekistan and is viewed as part of the country’s strategy to strengthen its position as a regional technology hub and develop its national innovation ecosystem.