Uzbekistan hosts first Web Summit Spotlight in Central Asia

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — One of the world’s most influential technology gatherings is making its way to Central Asia. On September 27, Web Summit will hold its first Spotlight event in Uzbekistan, underscoring the country’s ambition to position itself as a serious player in the global digital economy.

The Tashkent edition is being organized with support from the Ministry of Digital Technologies and IT Park Uzbekistan, the state-backed incubator driving much of the nation’s recent tech growth. For Web Summit, best known for its flagship annual conference in Lisbon that draws more than 70,000 attendees, the move reflects a strategy of expanding into emerging hubs — following launches in Rio de Janeiro, Doha, and Vancouver.

Officials say the forum will convene startup founders, venture capital firms, and global IT executives for discussions on innovation in frontier markets. Sessions are expected to spotlight Uzbekistan’s fast-growing outsourcing industry, which has become the country’s gateway to international investment.

That growth has been striking. Revenues from IT outsourcing tripled last year to over $300 million, with contracts in the United States accounting for half of the business. Authorities have set a target of $5 billion by 2030, alongside plans to train and employ 300,000 people in the sector.

At the heart of this transformation is IT Park Uzbekistan. Established only a few years ago, the complex now hosts more than 1,600 companies — nearly half of them founded in 2023 — and offers tax breaks and infrastructure to attract both local entrepreneurs and foreign firms.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has framed digitalization as a national priority, describing technology as central to diversifying the economy and giving young people a platform for globally competitive ideas. The arrival of Web Summit Spotlight, analysts say, provides both symbolic recognition and a concrete bridge to international capital.

For Tashkent, the challenge now is to turn the spotlight into sustained momentum — ensuring that Uzbekistan’s tech ecosystem can scale from promising startups to globally relevant companies.