Central Eurasia Startup Competition Sends Winners to TechCrunch Battlefield

Central Eurasia's Rising Startup Scene

A significant surge in entrepreneurial activity is currently unfolding within the Central Eurasian startup ecosystem. Initiated with 485 applications originating from 27 different nations – including 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 U.S., Uzbekistan, and Vietnam – this has led to the largest startup pitch competition in the region’s history.

The "Road to Battlefield" Initiative

The “Road to Battlefield” program is directly connecting the most innovative entrepreneurs of the region to the renowned startup stage of TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200 in San Francisco.

A Historic Milestone

Organized collaboratively by Silkroad Innovation Hub, TechCrunch, and Freedom Holding, the Road to Battlefield competition transcends a typical startup contest. It represents a pivotal moment for a region that has been consistently developing its vibrant tech ecosystem.

This event will be remembered as the catalyst that brought Central Eurasia to the forefront of the global startup landscape.

Key Statistics from the Competition

Asset Abdualiyev, CEO and founder of Silkroad Innovation Hub, highlighted the impressive scale of the competition. From July 21st to August 12th, a total of 380 startups participated in nine online national rounds, contributing over 32 hours of pitch presentations.

The competition demonstrated significant diversity, with 35% of the participating startups being founded by women. Notably, the youngest entrepreneur, aged just 14, hailed from Unify (Uzbekistan).

Startup Development Stages

The participating startups represented a wide spectrum of development phases:

• 43 startups were in the initial idea stage.
• 224 startups had developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
• 127 startups were in the pre-seed stage.
• 65 startups were in the seed stage.
• 26 startups were approaching pre-Series A funding.

Startups Selected for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025

Four exceptional startups have earned the opportunity to compete at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco: Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan and USA), QuickShipper (Georgia), Surfaice (USA and Kazakhstan), and ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan).

These ventures will contend with some of the most promising startups from across the globe.

First-Time Representation

This is the first instance in TechCrunch’s history where startups from Central Eurasia have been granted a dedicated pathway to this prestigious competition.

Beyond identifying ventures with high growth potential, the initiative has fostered cross-border collaboration, attracted international investment, and solidified Central Eurasia’s position as a region of significant innovation.

Government Support

Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of this initiative for the region’s technological advancement.

Competition Results

The competition reached its conclusion with a Regional Final of Road to Battlefield on August 15th, following national rounds held between July 21st and August 12th. This final stage saw 20 finalists present their ventures to a distinguished international panel of judges.

Among those progressing to the Regional Competition were Arlan Biotech, Artskin, Athena AI, Biometric Vision, EZSpeech by Mila4AI, FabStory AI, HaWoO2, Hi Doctor, Investbanq, Jobster.hr, LYDYA, MiraiTech, NeuroGuard AI, Pikare SkySource, Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Snory, Steppe AI, Surfaice, and Zero Waste.

A jury of 40 members, originating from 10 different countries, evaluated the national online competitions. These judges represented a diverse range of investors, academics, and leaders within the startup ecosystem. Key individuals included 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 (Startup Centrum), Kim Latypov (VC Lawyer, Stanford GSB), Deon Nicholas (Forethought AI, 2018 Startup Battlefield winner), 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 commented:

This year’s competition uniquely featured an AI judge, named AI-Gerim, who participated as an independent member of the jury. This innovative addition provided an AI-driven perspective to the evaluation of pitches, complementing the expertise of the human judges and establishing a new benchmark for startup assessment.

The participating startups demonstrated innovation across numerous sectors, with artificial intelligence being particularly prominent. The founders addressed practical challenges in areas such as AI and automation, edtech, health tech, fintech, green and climate tech, agritech, HR tech, martech, SaaS, and e-commerce.

Following a rigorous final round, four startups were chosen to represent Central Eurasia:

Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan)

Polygraf AI specializes in the deployment of localized AI solutions designed to identify and mitigate AI-related threats, safeguarding organizational policies. Their SLM (small language model) AI solutions are recognized for their speed and accuracy, as confirmed by independent audits.

Yagub Rahimov, founder of Polygraf AI, stated: “Founders based in Central Asia and the Caucasus are demonstrating increasing strength, and this competition underscored that talent is no longer limited to Western regions. We have exceptional talent there, and all participants showcased it.”

“The competition was well-organized and impressive. Every participant presented remarkable solutions. However, as with any competition, there is a single winner, and I am delighted that Polygraf AI achieved that position. We have already won awards at South by Southwest, Summerfest Tech AI Summit, and several other events this year. We are determined to win Startup Battlefield this year as well.”

QuickShipper (Georgia)

QuickShipper functions as a delivery gateway, enabling retailers to offer efficient and seamless deliveries through a unified interface. The platform provides a complete ecosystem for managing in-house drivers, alongside a network of integrated delivery partners.

Mariam Akhvlediani, co-founder and CEO of QuickShipper, shared: “Competing against startups from diverse and interesting markets was a valuable experience. The breadth of ideas and talent was inspiring, and it’s a great honor to now represent the Eurasian market in the finals.”

“We are proud and excited to be among the Top 4. This is a significant achievement for QuickShipper and other startups, providing a platform to demonstrate our capabilities on a global scale. We view this as both recognition of our efforts and an opportunity to showcase our potential.”

Surfaice (Kazakhstan and USA)

Surfaice provides a unified, AI-powered operating system with an autonomous fleet of agents. These agents streamline workflows including site search, budgeting, bidding, punch-list automation, and milestone tracking, resulting in increased productivity – for instance, doubling the number of store builds annually.

Alim Uderbekov, Surfaice CEO and co-founder, explained: “Our journey to Battlefield was quite dramatic, as we nearly missed the application deadline. However, I motivated my team, and thankfully, we didn’t miss the opportunity. It’s incredible to think that if I hadn’t pushed them, we might not be here.”

“Overall, competing with the other startups was a great experience. It’s surreal to be on this stage. I recently watched a video about Pied Piper from Silicon Valley attending TechCrunch Battlefield, and it felt like a parallel. It’s hard to fully grasp the emotions, but it’s an exciting journey. Coming from a small city in South Kazakhstan to be on the main stage in Silicon Valley, which I previously only saw virtually, is unbelievable.”

ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)

In a unique decision, TechCrunch selected ArtSkin as a special pick, increasing the total number of startups representing the region to four. This addition underscored the competition’s excitement.

ArtSkin is developing neurointerface technology that aims to transmit the sensation of touch to the human body, with applications in AR/VR, bionic prosthetics, telerobotics, space tech, surgery, and humanoid robotics.

Iliias Dzheentaev and Madina Sabitqyzy, co-founders of ArtSkin, stated: “Being chosen as one of the top four startups to present at the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield finals is a tremendous honor and a significant milestone.”

“This validates our team’s dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence. We are filled with pride and excitement to be among the top 200 startups globally, and we feel a strong sense of responsibility. We are now more motivated than ever to refine our pitch, strengthen our strategy, and share our vision with a global audience. Our goal is to win TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, and this opportunity is a crucial step towards achieving that.”

The other top 10 finalists included Arlan Biotech, Investbanq, Athena AI, MiraiTech, HaWoO2, and Biometric Vision.

These four teams will now dedicate several months to preparation before presenting on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt, where they will compete against startups worldwide for investment, partnerships, and global recognition.

The Value Extends Beyond Competition

For the founders involved, the benefits of the competition surpassed simply achieving a high ranking. The visibility gained, the valuable connections made, and the validation received from a globally recognized platform proved to be unexpectedly impactful.

The developments occurring throughout Central Eurasia signify a pivotal shift. This isn't solely about individual companies seeking funding; it represents an entire region’s entrepreneurial spirit being assessed against international benchmarks and discovering its rightful place in the global dialogue.

Sherzod Shermatov, the Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, stated that participation in global events such as TechCrunch Startup Battlefield is crucial for more than just increased visibility. He emphasized that it’s about cultivating a future where Uzbekistan’s technological expertise takes a leading role on the world stage.

The goal, according to Shermatov, is to ensure that groundbreaking technologies are not merely utilized within Uzbekistan, but are actually developed there.

The influence of Road to Battlefield extends far beyond the final presentations delivered. The competition has fostered increased communication and collaboration between entrepreneurs across the region, and has also attracted heightened investor attention towards Central Eurasian startups.

Freedom Holding Corp., a financial services holding company listed on Nasdaq (ticker: FRHC) and based in Kazakhstan, served as the primary partner. By May 2025, the company had reached a significant milestone, achieving an approximate valuation of $10 billion, demonstrating strong investor confidence and market performance.

The company has become a leading financial force in the region, building a solid reputation for supporting both innovation and entrepreneurship. Its backing of the Road to Battlefield initiative showcases its global influence and its sustained dedication to empowering founders from Central Eurasia, facilitating their connection to international markets and enabling them to expand their reach.

Perhaps most importantly, the competition has introduced Central Eurasia to the tech community in Silicon Valley as a source of innovative solutions and emerging talent. Support for the initiative came from numerous leading innovation hubs and accelerators, including: Azerbaijan – Innovation and Digital Development Agency, SABAH.Hub, SABAH.angels; Bulgaria/USA – Future Unicorns; Georgia – Future Laboratory; International Organizations – Organization of Turkic States, EBRD; Kazakhstan – Astana Hub, Astana Hub Ventures, Nazarbayev University, Silkroad Angels Club; Kyrgyzstan – Accelerate Prosperity; Media – The Tech; Moldova – Startup Moldova; Mongolia – IT Park Mongolia; Singapore – ACE; Tajikistan – IT Park Dushanbe; Türkiye – Startup Centrum, Bilkent Cyberpark; and Uzbekistan – IT Park Uzbekistan, IT Park Ventures.

This initiative facilitated connections between founders who may not have otherwise crossed paths and provided a platform to highlight the region’s talent on a global scale.

“We at the Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan are pleased to collaborate with Silkroad Innovation Hub and to be actively involved in the TechCrunch Road to Battlefield startup competition,” commented Farid Osmanov, chairman of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) of Azerbaijan.

Osmanov expressed excitement regarding Polygraf AI, a startup originating from Azerbaijan, reaching the top four and earning a place to represent the region at the prestigious TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco. He noted this success demonstrates the rapid development of the Azerbaijani ecosystem and confirms they are progressing in the right direction.

As the four winning startups prepare for San Francisco, they embody the increasing aspirations of Central Eurasia’s entrepreneurial community. The competition has forged new avenues for regional startups to gain access to international opportunities and resources.

This article was co-authored with Aikumis Seksenbayeva.