Most importantly, they put themselves to the test — pitching on the big stage to prove they are ready for investment.
“It is a great honor for me to be here at an event dedicated to the development of the startup ecosystem in Central Asia. This is a unique opportunity for startups to attract new clients and partners, and to establish important connections with potential investors. I am especially pleased that the forum includes a dedicated session for women startup founders — a space for recognition, connection, and empowerment. I wish all participants of the Central Asia Startup Cup great success. Remember, your achievements will inspire many in Kyrgyzstan to launch their own ventures and realize their full potential,”— stated Nick Bowler, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
The forum took place on April 24–25, during which participants from across the region engaged in fruitful dialogue and sought out partnership opportunities. Visiting investors noted the high potential of the Startup Battle participants and provided valuable private advice on business development. The headline speakers and panel sessions were especially rich in insights.
The program featured eight thematic sessions with speakers from the UK, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries.
Other sessions covered venture capital, angel investing, women’s entrepreneurship, AI development, fintech, and more, featuring speakers such as Adil Nurgozhin, Alim Khamitov, Syrga Tilekova, Zhan Karsybaev, John Cole, Atai Sooronkulov, Kainar Kamalov, Elmira Aubry, and others.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Accelerate Prosperity (AP) and the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, acknowledging AP's significant contribution to developing Kyrgyzstan’s startup ecosystem. The event was also attended by representatives of the Presidential Administration, UK Government, EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, the Embassy of Switzerland, and other diplomatic missions.
One of the highlights was Kyrgyzstan’s first-ever participation in the global Startup World Cup, in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures (USA). The regional final crowned Kazakhstan’s PorteTech as the winner, earning a place in the global finals in San Francisco for a chance to win the $1 million investment prize.
The culmination of the two-day event was the Startup Battle, featuring finalists from AP’s flagship incubation program Prosperity CUP. The Grand Prize of the forum — the CASC 2025 Winner’s Title — went to ArtSkin, a Kyrgyz startup developing artificial skin for prosthetics. Founder Ilyas Jeentaev received a $10,000 prize, commenting:
“This is the biggest event I’ve ever attended. Thank you for inviting neighboring countries — Central Asia must support each other and stand united.”
As a result of the pitches, the €35,000 prize fund from the EU's Connectivity Project was awarded to seven teams (€5,000 each) for digital solutions in green growth. Among them were five Prosperity CUP graduates:
Two additional awardees were AP alumni:
The Kyrgyz startup VoiceDiary — an AI companion for emotional support — won a trip to Silicon Valley through the High Technology Park of Kyrgyzstan’s Dive into Silicon Valley program.
Startups selected for the regional AP program – Slingshot, with potential investment opportunities, include:
Finik, Air ecosystem, A1 eSpace, Benefy, Porte Tech, Fusion AI, THE Tech, Mama Space, Nomado, Sound Vision, Euler AI, TEZ JUMUSH, U-pump, RE skill, ArtSkin, and OPUS.
The Central Asia Startup Cup was a vibrant, dynamic forum full of insights, new connections, and tangible outcomes. The AP team is proud of the result and grateful to all partners for their support. All forum content and materials are available on @startupcup.asia and www.startupcup.asia.
Organizer:
The forum was organized by Accelerate Prosperity Kyrgyzstan (AP) — the leading business accelerator in the country — as part of the UK’s Inclusive Green Growth Program in Central Asia, co-financed by the Government of the United Kingdom and the Aga Khan Foundation, and in partnership with the State Agency for Intellectual Property and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzpatent).
Forum Partners:
Media Partners:
Namba Media, Lalafo, The Tech, Limon, Kaktus Media, JIA Business Association, TicketKG, Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, startup-course.com, Women in Tech, Prisma Agency, The Steppe, Women in Tech.
“It is a great honor for me to be here at an event dedicated to the development of the startup ecosystem in Central Asia. This is a unique opportunity for startups to attract new clients and partners, and to establish important connections with potential investors. I am especially pleased that the forum includes a dedicated session for women startup founders — a space for recognition, connection, and empowerment. I wish all participants of the Central Asia Startup Cup great success. Remember, your achievements will inspire many in Kyrgyzstan to launch their own ventures and realize their full potential,”— stated Nick Bowler, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
The forum took place on April 24–25, during which participants from across the region engaged in fruitful dialogue and sought out partnership opportunities. Visiting investors noted the high potential of the Startup Battle participants and provided valuable private advice on business development. The headline speakers and panel sessions were especially rich in insights.
The program featured eight thematic sessions with speakers from the UK, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries.
- Asel Sartbaeva, a prominent scientist and founder of the UK biotech startup EnsiliTech (which raised £1.2 million to revolutionize vaccine transport), shared her inspiring journey from science to startups.
- Elena Soboleva, founder of Honorlock (which attracted $50 million in investment), spoke about building a successful exit strategy and overcoming obstacles on the road to Silicon Valley.
Other sessions covered venture capital, angel investing, women’s entrepreneurship, AI development, fintech, and more, featuring speakers such as Adil Nurgozhin, Alim Khamitov, Syrga Tilekova, Zhan Karsybaev, John Cole, Atai Sooronkulov, Kainar Kamalov, Elmira Aubry, and others.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Accelerate Prosperity (AP) and the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, acknowledging AP's significant contribution to developing Kyrgyzstan’s startup ecosystem. The event was also attended by representatives of the Presidential Administration, UK Government, EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, the Embassy of Switzerland, and other diplomatic missions.
One of the highlights was Kyrgyzstan’s first-ever participation in the global Startup World Cup, in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures (USA). The regional final crowned Kazakhstan’s PorteTech as the winner, earning a place in the global finals in San Francisco for a chance to win the $1 million investment prize.
The culmination of the two-day event was the Startup Battle, featuring finalists from AP’s flagship incubation program Prosperity CUP. The Grand Prize of the forum — the CASC 2025 Winner’s Title — went to ArtSkin, a Kyrgyz startup developing artificial skin for prosthetics. Founder Ilyas Jeentaev received a $10,000 prize, commenting:
“This is the biggest event I’ve ever attended. Thank you for inviting neighboring countries — Central Asia must support each other and stand united.”
As a result of the pitches, the €35,000 prize fund from the EU's Connectivity Project was awarded to seven teams (€5,000 each) for digital solutions in green growth. Among them were five Prosperity CUP graduates:
- Nomado (tour booking platform)
- Sound Vision (AR glasses for the visually impaired)
- Tez Jumush (online platform for household job matching)
- Edu Test (digital testing platform for schools and olympiads)
- WeSave (smart app for water consumption management)
Two additional awardees were AP alumni:
- Tilzone (English language learning platform)
- THE Tech (STEM education for high schoolers from underprivileged communities)
The Kyrgyz startup VoiceDiary — an AI companion for emotional support — won a trip to Silicon Valley through the High Technology Park of Kyrgyzstan’s Dive into Silicon Valley program.
Startups selected for the regional AP program – Slingshot, with potential investment opportunities, include:
Finik, Air ecosystem, A1 eSpace, Benefy, Porte Tech, Fusion AI, THE Tech, Mama Space, Nomado, Sound Vision, Euler AI, TEZ JUMUSH, U-pump, RE skill, ArtSkin, and OPUS.
The Central Asia Startup Cup was a vibrant, dynamic forum full of insights, new connections, and tangible outcomes. The AP team is proud of the result and grateful to all partners for their support. All forum content and materials are available on @startupcup.asia and www.startupcup.asia.
Organizer:
The forum was organized by Accelerate Prosperity Kyrgyzstan (AP) — the leading business accelerator in the country — as part of the UK’s Inclusive Green Growth Program in Central Asia, co-financed by the Government of the United Kingdom and the Aga Khan Foundation, and in partnership with the State Agency for Intellectual Property and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzpatent).
Forum Partners:
- Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank (KICB)
- Pegasus Tech Ventures
- Startup World Cup
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Finik, Growth Hungry
- EU Project: Last-mile Connectivity to Promote Digital Green Education Opportunities (Connectivity)
Media Partners:
Namba Media, Lalafo, The Tech, Limon, Kaktus Media, JIA Business Association, TicketKG, Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, startup-course.com, Women in Tech, Prisma Agency, The Steppe, Women in Tech.