The startup community in Central Eurasia is having its moment. What started as 485 applications from across 27 nations– consisting of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, the U.K., Ukraine, the United State, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam– has culminated in the biggest startup pitch competition in Central Eurasia’s history.
The “Roadway to Battlefield” is putting the area’s most appealing business owners on a direct course to San Francisco’s many distinguished startup stage at TechCrunch’s Start-up Combat zone 200
The Road to Battleground competitors, organized by Silkroad Innovation Center in collaboration with TechCrunch and Freedom Holding, is more than simply one more start-up competition. It marks a historical landmark for a region that has been continuously constructing its vibrant technology ecological community and will certainly be born in mind as the occasion that put Central Eurasia on the worldwide start-up map.
Possession Abdualiyev, chief executive officer and creator of Silkroad Technology Center, had this to claim:
At Silkroad Innovation Center, our goal is to put Central Eurasia on the global startup and VC map. This effort stands for an essential turning point because, for the very first time, TechCrunch hosted a regional competition to resource fantastic startups for their prestigious Field of battle competition. When we began, it was simply an idea, a vision to encourage creators from underrepresented locations. We’re pleased to announce that this has actually come to be the biggest start-up competition in Central Eurasia’s background, showing a substantial interest from founders throughout the region in building really cutting-edge companies and showcasing them internationally. We’re grateful to TechCrunch for their continued partnership and their continuous rate of interest in the region.
Between July 21 and August 12, 380 startups pitched throughout nine national rounds online, delivering a remarkable 32 hours of pitching web content. The competitors showcased impressive variety, with 35 % of participating start-ups started by ladies, and the youngest business owner, simply 14 years old, was from Unify (Uzbekistan).
The start-ups stood for numerous advancement stages: 43 in the idea phase, 224 with MVPs, 127 in pre-seed, 65 in the seed phase, and 26 in pre-Series A.
Currently, four standout startups– Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan and U.S.A.), QuickShipper (Georgia), Surfaice (U.S.A. and Kazakhstan), and ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan)– have actually protected spots at TechCrunch Startup Combat Zone 2025 in San Francisco, where they’ll complete against some of the most appealing ventures from worldwide.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco | October 27 – 29, 2025
This notes the first time in TechCrunch history that startups from Central Eurasia have had a devoted pathway to among the tech world’s most prestigious competitors. Beyond determining high-potential ventures, the campaign has actually stimulated cross-border cooperation, drew in international financier rate of interest, and firmly positioned Central Eurasia as an area to view on the worldwide innovation map.
Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Advancement, Technology, and Aerospace Market of Kazakhstan, stated:
The 168 applications from Kazakhstan to the TechCrunch Start-up Combat zone regional choice is a clear signal of our ecological community’s growing maturity and global ambition. This degree of engagement mirrors the performance of our national technology approach. Via Astana Center and strategic partnerships with global systems, we are dedicated to sustaining Kazakh business owners as they scale globally.
Competitors results
Adhering to the nationwide rounds from July 21 to August 12, the competition concluded with a Regional Final of Road to Battleground on August 15, where 20 finalists provided to a worldwide panel of judges.
The 20 finalists that progressed to the Regional Competitors were Arlan Biotech, Artskin, Athena AI, Biometric Vision, EZSpeech by Mila 4 AI, FabStory AI, HaWoO 2, Hi Doctor, Investbanq, and Jobster.hr, LYDYA, MiraiTech, NeuroGuard AI, Pikare SkySource, Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Snory, Steppe AI, Surfaice, and Absolutely No Waste.
A panel of 40 court participants from 10 countries evaluated the nationwide online competitors, representing a broad range of investors, academics, and ecological community leaders. The jury consisted of Aidana Bergazdenova (Astana Hub Ventures), Dalerkhon Nodirov (IT Park Ventures), Zolzaya Jargalsaikhan (IT Park Mongolia), Abdulla Al-Naimi (Doha Business Consulting), Agahuseyn Ahmadov (IDDA), Alya Abbaszada (SABAH Angels), Marat Tolybai (Activat VC), Samir Hajibayli (Caucasus Ventures), Yuhan Fang (Stanford Institute), Nihal Yazgan (Bilkent CYBERPARK), Müge Bezgin (Start-up Centrum), Kim Latypov (VC Lawyer, Stanford GSB), Deon Nicholas (Planning AI, champion of Start-up Combat zone 2018, Ella Shukho (500 Global), Darsh Mann (StartX), Aziza Zakhidova (EBRD Ventures), Abay Absamet (Silkroad Angels Club), Isabelle Johannessen, Head of TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield program, and others.
Isabelle Johannessen states:
It’s humbling and energizing to see this degree of excitement for Startup Combat zone. The SilkRoad Advancement Center– Road to Field of battle was just one of one of the most organized and high-energy pitch occasions I’ve seen, and the excitement from owners throughout Central Eurasia was unbelievable. We’re enjoyed welcome Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Surfaice, and ArtSkin to San Francisco as component of the Startup Field of battle 200– and can’t wait to share their tales with the world.
For the very first time in the competition’s background, the panel was signed up with by an AI court named AI-Gerim, that served as an independent jury member, adding an ingenious layer of assessment to pitches. Together, this mix of worldwide experience and AI-driven insights establishes a brand-new requirement for assessing arising start-ups.
The start-ups showcased a vibrant cross-section of industries, with expert system leading the way. Creators dealt with real-world troubles in AI and automation, edtech, health tech, fintech, eco-friendly and climate technology, agritech, HR tech, martech, SaaS, and ecommerce.
After a very affordable final round, 4 winning start-ups were picked to stand for Central Eurasia:
Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan)
Polygraf AI delivers locally deployed AI remedies that discover AI threats and shield plans against any AI services. Their SLM (small language design) AI solutions are quick and perform the greatest accuracy in third-party audits.
“I assume the Main Eastern and Caucasus-based owners are expanding more powerful, and this competition showed again that talent is no more a trouble. It’s no more simply isolated to the Western globe. We have an incredible talent in there, and all the individuals showed it,” said Yagub Rahimov, owner of Polygraf AI.
“The competition appertained, remarkable. All the participants presented outstanding services and tools. However as in every various other competition, there is one top, and I’m so glad that Lie detector was that leading. We have actually won South by Southwest, Summerfest Technology AI Top, and multiple other honors currently this year. We wish to win the Start-up Battleground this year, as well.”
QuickShipper (Georgia)
QuickShipper is a shipment entrance that enables every merchant to offer effective and delightful deliveries quickly from a solitary home window. The startup uses firms a detailed community for handling their internal vehicle drivers, along with a network of incorporated distribution partners.
“It was a great experience to compete with start-ups from so many different and interesting markets. The variety of ideas and ability was inspiring, and it makes it an even bigger honor to represent the Eurasian market in the finals currently,” said Mariam Akhvlediani, founder and chief executive officer of QuickShipper.
“We feel happy and fired up to be in the Top 4 It is a substantial milestone for QuickShipper and other start-ups to be on such a stage. We see it as both a recognition of our effort and a chance to reveal what we can do on an international level.”
Surfaice (Kazakhstan and USA)
Surfaice offers a unified AI-driven os featuring a self-governing fleet of agents that incorporate process such as site search, budgeting, bidding, punch-list automation, and milestone tracking. This results in a 2 x rise in productivity, for instance, doubling the variety of store develops each year from regarding 100 to 200 It gives a single, thorough system for all their construction software application.
“I believe our journey to Battleground has been very remarkable because we virtually missed out on the target date to look for this program, however then I motivated my team. So visualize if I hadn’t pressed them and we missed this deadline, we possibly would have missed this chance,” said Alim Uderbekov, Surfaice CEO and founder.
“On the whole, it was great to compete with all the various other start-ups and finally get on the stage. It is likewise amusing that, just today, I randomly stumbled upon a video clip about Pied Piper from the Silicon Valley television show, where they were also participating in TechCrunch Combat zone, and I believed, ‘Wow, is this real?’ It’s truly difficult to comprehend your sensations because you’re just strolling forward, which is a trip that we are experiencing. But it’s so exciting, taking a look at my whole past, where I’m originating from, a tiny city in South Kazakhstan, and I would certainly be on the main stage for a start-up in Silicon Valley, that I used to see just essentially, and currently I’m entered into it. I assume it boggles the mind.”
ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)
In an unmatched relocation that added even more exhilaration to the competition, TechCrunch made a decision to make its very own option and select ArtSkin as a special pick, bringing the total amount to four start-ups representing the region.
ArtSkin develops neurointerface innovation that transmits the experience of touch to the human body across multiple cutting-edge fields, consisting of AR/VR, bionic prosthetics, telerobotics, area technology, surgery, and humanoid robotics.
“Being chosen as one of the top 4 startups to pitch on the primary stage at the TechCrunch Startup Battleground finals is a phenomenal honor and a thrilling milestone,” said Iliias Dzheentaev and Madina Sabitqyzy, co-founders of ArtSkin.
“It confirms our group’s commitment, development, and unrelenting search of quality. Recognizing we’re among the leading 200 startups in the world fills us with pride and enjoyment, however also a profound sense of duty. We’re currently more inspired than ever to raise our pitch, fine-tune our method, and display our vision to a global audience. Our ambition is clear: we’re aiming to win TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, and this possibility is a critical step towards achieving that goal.”
The various other top 10 finalists were Arlan Biotech, Investbanq, Athena AI, MiraiTech, HaWoO 2, and Biometric Vision.
These four teams now face a few months of preparation prior to stepping onto the major stage. At TechCrunch Disrupt, they’ll pitch along with start-ups from around the world completing for financial investment, collaborations, and global recognition.
Beyond the pitch
For participating founders, the competition delivered worth past the last positions. The exposure, links, and recognition from participating in a globally identified system proved transformative in ways they hadn’t prepared for.
What’s taking place throughout Central Eurasia shows an essential growth. This isn’t almost specific firms looking for financial investment; it has to do with a whole area’s entrepreneurs determining themselves against international standards and locating they belong in the discussion.
“For Uzbekistan, participation in worldwide arenas like TechCrunch Startup Field of battle is not just about exposure, it has to do with shaping a future where our technology ability baits the worldwide phase,” said Sherzod Shermatov, Priest of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “Our objective is to ensure that the future generation of breakthrough innovations isn’t just made use of in Uzbekistan; it’s built below.”
The impact of Roadway to Battleground expands past the last pitch discussions. The competition has actually urged cross-border discussion among business owners throughout the region and brought in brand-new financier rate of interest in Central Eurasian startups.
The major companion is Liberty Holding Corp., a Nasdaq-listed economic solutions holding company (ticker: FRHC) headquartered in Kazakhstan. Since May 2025, the company achieved an impressive milestone with a valuation of approximately $ 10 billion, reflecting investor confidence and market stamina.
It has actually established itself as one of one of the most prominent economic players in the area, earning a solid credibility for sustaining development and entrepreneurship. Its support for the Road to Battlefield reflects not only its international stature yet additionally its lasting dedication to encouraging creators from Central Eurasia, assisting them connect with global markets and scale their effect.
Much more substantially, it has actually presented Central Eurasia to the technology world in Silicon Valley as a source of innovative options and arising skill. The competition was supported by leading innovation hubs and accelerators across the area: Azerbaijan– Technology and Digital Growth Agency, SABAH.Hub, SABAH.angels; Bulgaria/USA– Future Unicorns; Georgia– Future Lab; International Organizations– Organization of Turkic States, EBRD; Kazakhstan– Astana Center, Astana Hub Ventures, Nazarbayev University, Silkroad Angels Club; Kyrgyzstan– Increase Success; Media– The Technology; Moldova– Start-up Moldova; Mongolia– IT Park Mongolia; Singapore– ACE; Tajikistan– IT Park Dushanbe; Türkiye– Start-up Centrum, Bilkent Cyberpark; and Uzbekistan– IT Park Uzbekistan, IT Park Ventures. The effort connected founders who could not have actually or else teamed up and offered a system to display local ability on a worldwide range.
“As the Development and Digital Development Company of Azerbaijan, we are extremely delighted to companion with Silkroad Innovation Center and actively take part in TechCrunch Roadway to Battleground start-up competitors,” stated Farid Osmanov, chairman of the Development and Digital Advancement Company (IDDA) of Azerbaijan.
“We are thrilled that Polygraf AI, an Azeri-founded startup, got involved in the top four in this competition and will stand for the area at the distinguished TechCrunch Disrupt seminar in San Francisco. This reveals that the Azeri community is creating quickly and we get on the ideal track.”
As the four winning start-ups get ready for San Francisco, they represent the growing passions of Central Eurasia’s business community. The competitors has actually produced new pathways for regional startups to access worldwide chances and resources.
This write-up was co-written with Aikumis Seksenbayeva.