As part of an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a series of high-level events were held to strengthen cooperation in the fields of information technology, innovation, and startups. The visit included participation in the UOC Saudi Arabia conference, organized with the support of the Embassy of Uzbekistan and the World Bank, as well as in Biban 2025, the Kingdom’s largest startup forum, conducted in collaboration with IT Park Uzbekistan. These events served as key platforms for promoting Uzbekistan’s IT ecosystem, showcasing the country’s startups, and establishing strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s leading technological and investment institutions.
The conference brought together representatives of IT and BPO companies, venture funds, startup studios, private investors, and entrepreneurs, with over 100 participants from various organizations and countries across the region.
Uzbekistan was represented by a delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan, along with officials from the Embassy — First Secretary Mirzokhid Eshonkulov and Chief Consul Azimjon Kabuljonov. They underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation in the digital sector and noted that Uzbekistan is rapidly emerging as one of Central Asia’s key regional IT hubs.
Speakers included prominent representatives of Saudi Arabia’s technology and investment community, such as Abdulaziz Al-Benyan, Director of Business Development and Stakeholder Relations at DataVolt; Abdurrahman Alsmaiel, CEO of Enterprise Development at Monsha’at; Muhammad Saad Ali; and the founder and CEO of the venture studio Harv3st.
In their addresses, the speakers discussed the ongoing development of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy and innovation landscape, emphasizing the growing contribution of IT companies and startups to the diversification of the national economy. They also shared best practices in technology adoption and infrastructure investment, while expressing a strong interest in building cooperation with Uzbekistan in IT, BPO, and digital entrepreneurship.
Representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan delivered a presentation on the country’s fast-growing IT ecosystem, outlining government support measures for technology companies, initiatives to boost IT exports, and investment opportunities for international partners. The delegation highlighted Uzbekistan’s growing capacity in the IT outsourcing and BPO sectors, as well as the favorable business environment for foreign investors — including tax incentives, talent development programs, and advanced digital infrastructure.
A key highlight of the conference was the Uzbek startup pitching session, organized with the support of IT Park Uzbekistan. Promising startup teams from Uzbekistan presented their projects to investors, venture funds, and representatives of Saudi technology companies.
Several Uzbekistani startups representing various areas of the technology market took part in the pitching session. Each of them presented their own solution and outlined their potential for entering the international market. Among them were:
Fonus Kids — an EdTech platform tailored for children, offering carefully curated content such as cartoons, educational videos, interactive assignments, and age-appropriate audio materials. The project was presented by Muzaffarbek Zairov, Founder and CEO, and Diyorbek Tavakkalov, Co-founder and COO.
MULK Protocol — a fintech solution designed for the tokenization of real-world assets in accordance with Sharia principles, enabling companies to attract international investments and improve transactional transparency. The project was presented by Khayotjon Azimov, Founder and CEO.
GoRent — a proptech platform that connects coworking and office spaces within a single ecosystem based on a flexible subscription model. The project was presented by Furqat Ubaydullaev, CEO.
Following the presentations, a networking dinner was held, allowing participants to exchange contacts, explore potential areas of collaboration, and express their commitment to developing joint initiatives.
During the visit, the IT Park Uzbekistan delegation conducted a series of meetings with leading technology and venture capital organizations in Saudi Arabia to discuss potential joint projects and investment cooperation.
The delegation met with Raakan Tashkandi, Founder of Flow Ventures, to explore avenues for collaboration. The company expressed its readiness to assist Uzbek startups in entering the Saudi market by providing networking opportunities, office establishment support, and investor connections.
Flow Ventures is a Saudi venture company specializing in accelerating technology startups, facilitating investment, and scaling projects across the Middle East. The firm actively collaborates with partners in MENA and Asia, promoting international technology initiatives.
A separate meeting was held with representatives of Savvy Games Group, one of the region’s largest gaming companies, attended by Jean Chakkour, Advisor for International Business Development.
The Saudi side expressed keen interest in the development of the gaming industry in Uzbekistan, acknowledging the potential of local studios and the growing community of young developers.
The company announced plans to visit Uzbekistan in 2026 to explore opportunities for collaboration with local studios and to attract Uzbek talent to international projects.
Savvy Games Group is a state-owned holding company operating under the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). It invests in the gaming, esports, and technology industries as part of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy.
Representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan also met with Ching Ping Lin, Partner and COO, and William Bao Bean, Managing Partner of Orbit Ventures.
The parties discussed prospects for joint investments in Uzbek startups and potential bilateral initiatives between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. The fund’s representatives expressed readiness to contributing to the development of Uzbekistan’s tech ecosystem and in participating in IT Park Uzbekistan’s upcoming events.
Ching Ping Lin announced plans to visit Uzbekistan in early December to co-host a Demo Day for Uzbek startups in partnership with IT Park Uzbekistan.
Orbit Ventures is an international venture capital fund investing in early-stage startups in AI, fintech, and digital services. The fund is headquartered in Singapore, with regional offices in the Middle East and Asia.
Particular attention was devoted to the meeting with Rayan bin Ibrahim Al-Fayez, Deputy Governor for Enterprise Development at Monsha’at, where the parties discussed extending the existing cooperation and signing a new Memorandum of Understanding, as well as establishing an IT Park Uzbekistan representative office in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi side confirmed its readiness to assist in organizing the office and appointing a local director, emphasizing its interest in supporting Uzbek IT companies entering the Saudi market.
Monsha’at (Saudi SME Authority) is a government agency responsible for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Saudi Arabia. It implements acceleration programs, grant initiatives, and international partnerships to foster entrepreneurship.
A meeting was held with representatives of the international venture capital firm Antler, which specializes in supporting early-stage startups. The discussions were attended by Halah Al-Jubeir, Managing Director of Antler Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi side expressed strong interest in developing cooperation with Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem and proposed two key areas of partnership — a market-entry program for GCC countries and an initiative focused on identifying and selecting promising Uzbek founders.
Antler is a global venture capital firm and startup generator founded in 2017 in Singapore. Today, the company operates in over 30 countries and has invested in more than 900 startups worldwide. Its regional division, Antler MENAP, based in Riyadh and Dubai, supports the development of innovative projects across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan, helping emerging companies grow and expand into international markets.
The delegation also met with Ambassador Nodirjon Turgunov and Trade and Economic Consul Islam Madaminov.
Discussions included potential collaboration with DataVolt, a company showing interest in projects in Uzbekistan. The Embassy expressed its full support for IT Park Uzbekistan’s initiatives and its commitment to strengthening partnerships with Saudi organizations and investors.
As part of the visit, IT Park Uzbekistan presented the national startup ecosystem at Biban 2025, Saudi Arabia’s largest forum dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation. The IT Park booth showcased 10 Uzbek startups: Fonus Kids, Dataprizma, KPI.com, Uysot, Growz, Linko, Mulk Protocol, GoRent, D-Clinics, and Smartcast.
These startups pitched their projects to investors, presented their ideas, and received considerable attention from venture funds and business partners. The forum provided an important opportunity to expand Uzbekistan’s startup presence in the Saudi market.
Biban is Saudi Arabia’s premier annual forum focused on the development of SMEs, startups, and digital technologies. Organized under the auspices of Monsha’at (Saudi SME Authority), it serves as the region’s largest platform for engagement between entrepreneurs, investors, and government entities.
Participation in UOC Saudi Arabia marked a significant step toward strengthening international cooperation and promoting Uzbekistan’s IT ecosystem in the Middle East. The agreements reached with Orbit Ventures, Flow Ventures, Monsha’at, and Savvy Games Group open new avenues for attracting investment, supporting startups, and reinforcing Uzbekistan’s position as a regional hub for digital technology and innovation.
