Road to Battlefield 2026: New Opportunities for Central Eurasian Startups

20:23 / 12.08.2026·24·Technology

The prestigious Road to Battlefield competition, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch, is achieving record results in its second season. According to Ixbt.com, the initiative aims to provide talented founders from Central Eurasia with a direct path to the international TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200, held as part of the Disrupt event in San Francisco. The competition is supported by Freedom Holding, Astana Hub, and IT Park Uzbekistan. Techcrunch.com reports that.

According to Asset Abdualiyev, founder and CEO of Silkroad Innovation Hub, the program’s main goal is to connect promising teams from the region—many of them still undiscovered by the world—with global venture funds and ecosystems. Last year’s inaugural competition received 485 applications from 27 countries, making it the region’s largest startup pitch event at the time. Three startups—Polygraf AI, Surfaice, and Investbanq—represented the region on the international stage.

Record Results and the Rise of Artificial Intelligence

This year, the competition has expanded further, with the number of applicants reaching 726 from 39 countries. This represents growth of nearly 50% compared with last year, while the number of participating countries increased by more than ten. Covering Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia, the competition saw an overwhelming majority of applications—609 out of 726, or approximately 84%—come from Artificial Intelligence product companies. This shows that Artificial Intelligence technologies have become a primary focus among the region’s founders.

The online selection rounds featured 47 experienced judges from eight countries, including venture fund representatives, leaders of major technology hubs, and entrepreneurs who have successfully developed their own companies. An Artificial Intelligence judge named AI-Dana also took part in the evaluation process and provided an independent assessment.

The Region’s Leading Ecosystems and Uzbekistan’s Participation

Following the national selection rounds held in early July, 22 promising startups advanced to the regional final. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan lead the field with six projects each. This clearly demonstrates that the two countries have become the region’s largest startup ecosystems. The Uzbek teams that reached the regional final are:

MoliyAI
Sino AI
Deepen
Fermopolis
Oqim App
Cerberus

Astana Hub CEO Magzhan Madiyev noted that Artificial Intelligence products are showing steady growth in Kazakhstan and across the region, fully aligning with the organization’s strategic goals. The aim is to nurture a globally competitive generation ready to enter major markets such as the United States.

In the next stage, the three top finalist teams selected at the regional final will represent Central Eurasia at a prestigious global event in San Francisco and have the opportunity to attract the attention of international investors.