Historical Regional Competition is launching the rising start -up ecosystem of Central Eurasia in the largest stage in Silicon Valley.
For the first time in its history, Central Erazia will have a direct path to the TechCrunch startup rattle by the launch of “Road to Battlefield”, a groundbreaking regional competition that promises to place the under -represented region firmly on the global innovation card.
Competition, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in collaboration with Techcrunch and Freedom Holding, will include nine countries in Central Eurasia: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tadjikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Urkiyy. National competitions will lead to a regional final where the top three startups earn in Techcrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco.
“We disrupt startups at Techcrunch for several years as partners – 14 startups in 2023, 24 startups in 2024 – and we see that they can be competitive,” said Asset Abdualiyev, CEO and founder of Silkroad Innovation Hub. “In 2024 we disrupted the biggest pavilion at Techcrunch. We are happy to bring our partnership with Techcrunch Disrupt to the next level by offering direct access to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 to the most promising startups from the Central Eurasian region.”
A region ready for recognition
The Startup Ecosystem of Central Eurasia has quietly constructed strength, which represents a dynamic technical hub of 100 million people with one of the youngest populations in the world. The region produces around 200,000 voting graduates annually and is the home of an estimated 7,000 active startups in important sectors, including AI, Fintech, Edtech, Medtech and E-commerce.
The figures tell a compelling story: Venture financing in Central -Asia and the South Kaucasus has grown by 5.5 times in recent years and reached $ 110 million in the first half of 2024 in the first half of 2024 and reached $ 110 million and $ 150 million.
Remarkable successes include AI company Higgsfield, with a value of more than $ 100 million, and Uzum from Uzbekistan, which has collected $ 114 million in financing and the first unicorn in the country became a rating of $ 1.16 billion. In the meantime, regional offices of global players, such as Telegram and Indrive, have established operations in Kazakhstan.
Despite this growth, the potential of the region remains largely unused by global investors. The Road to Battlefield competition aims to change that story by offering unprecedented visibility and access to the most influential networks of Silicon Valley.
“Not all investors understand how huge the opportunities in that region are,” explains Abdualiyev. “This competition is about showing that Central Eurasia has startups that deserve worldwide recognition.”
The initiative has received strong support from important regional players. Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub in Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of this opportunity: “We helped startups in the US through our gears through our gears and have seen real progress. Many companies have already protected local investments, and this competition offers an even larger platform for Kazachstan’s startups.”
Strong regional partnership
The competition benefits from a robust partnership network in the region, supported by leading regional innovation hubs and accelerators:
Astana Hub (Kazakhstan); It parks Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan); Future laboratory (Georgia); Sabah Hub and Innovation and Digital Development Agency (idda) (Azerbaijan); The Mongolia park (Mongolia); Accelerate prosperity (Kyrgyzstan); The Dushanbe park (Tadjikistan); and startup center (Türkiye).
It parks Uzbekistan, one of the most important trailers, sees this as a crucial step in the development of ecosystem. “We support and help Uzbeek startups worldwide,” said Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan. “We wish that our efforts to develop the venture eco system can be seen in the American market and expand worldwide. As part of the Central Asia Innovation Hub that we are now implementing with Astana Hub, this initiative fits perfectly with our regional development goals.”
The initiative is supported by Freedom Holding as the most important partner, who demonstrates significant committees for the private sector to regional innovation. “Freedom Holding Corp. has been supporting central Eurasian teams in the Global Techcrunch phase for several years, and this year is no exception,” says Marlen Sikhayev, adviser to the President of Freedom Finance Global PLC. “We believe in the potential of regional entrepreneurs and want to give them access to best practices, mentorship and investments. This initiative not only offers crucial support for startups, but also shows that the technology and innovation sector of Central Erazia aims with worldwide trends and is developing as a uniform region.”
Competition structure and timeline
The competition follows a carefully structured process:
Phase 1: National competitions (July 21 – August 10). Every country organizes online pitching events.
Phase 2: Regional final (August 15). The Top 20 Startups will participate in an online regional final to determine the three winners.
Phase 3: Battlefield Preparation (September 1 – October 24). Winners receive intensive preparation through weekly webinars prior to Techcrunch Disrupt 2025.
Phase 4: Techcrunch Startup Battlefield (26 – 29 October). The three finalists travel to Silicon Valley to participate in the Techcrunch Startup Battlefield 200.
Exclusive benefits for winners
The three winning startups receive an extensive package that is designed to maximize their Silicon Valley experience:
- Guaranteed spots In Techcrunch Startup Battlefield 200.
- Round-trip flights To San Francisco for a maximum of two team members.
- Accommodation covered for a maximum of 2 weeks.
- Startup booth And exhibition space for all three days of Techcrunch Disrupt.
- Investors and network access To the Top -VCs and events in the private industry.
- Branding and media exposure Through materials and coverage options.
Startup criteria
Competition focuses on startups at an early stage that meet specific criteria:
- May the pre-series not exceed a financing phase.
- Must have a functional MVP.
- Should have limited global media exposure.
- Must be based in one of the nine central Eurasian countries.
Build on success
Techcrunch is disrupt as one of the world’s most influential technical conferences, which attracts more than 165,000 attendees and speakers such as Elon Musk, Serena Williams and Satya Nadella.
In the core, TechCrunch Startup Battlefield has an impressive 15-year track record of launching global tech giants, including Trello, Dropbox, N26, Mint and Fortherited AI. Alumni companies have collectively collected more than $ 32 billion, with more than 50 unicorns that come from the program.
Every year, 200 startups compete at an early stage to unparalleled exposure to top investors and media, with 20 finalists making ahead to compete live for $ 100,000 financing and the iconic disrupt cup.
A historic moment
The launch of Road to Battlefield represents more than just a competition; It is a historic moment for the Startup Ecosystem of Central Eurasia. By creating a direct path to one of the world’s most prestigious start -up phases, the initiative promises to accelerate the integration of the region into global innovation economy.
As the competition is opened for applications, entrepreneurs in Central Eurasia now have the opportunity to show their innovations to the most influential investors and partners of Silicon Valley.
For a region that has long been under -represented in global startup competitions, it could be the catalyst that transforms central Eurasia into a recognized hub of global innovation.
Applications for road to battlefield are now openWith a deadline of July 15, 2025.
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