How to Win a Startup Battle: Webinar Summary with D. Maykovsky, CEO of StartUp Academy 19.06.2025

On June 19, 2025, StartUp Academy hosted an online webinar titled "How to Win a Startup Battle." The speaker was Daniil Maykovsky, CEO of the Academy, who shared his experience and practical recommendations on preparing startups for competitions.

A startup battle is one of the most prominent formats in the startup ecosystem, where teams present their projects to a jury, competing for recognition, funding, and media attention. During the webinar, participants learned that victory requires not only a strong idea but also a thorough understanding of key aspects: having a dedicated team, a ready or developing product, a clear understanding of customer value, and the project's development stage—be it Pre-Seed, Seed, or Growth.

Special attention was given to presentation preparation: the structure of the pitch, public speaking skills, and adherence to technical and competition requirements (duration, language, presentation style). It was emphasized that the ability to convey an idea and captivate the jury is just as important as the product itself. An important piece of advice also resonated: don't be afraid to share your ideas, because true value isn't created by the idea alone, but by the team capable of implementing it.

Following the webinar, participants received a recording containing key recommendations from the expert.

StartUp Academy, founded in 2020 by the consulting company MCT Agency, has implemented 12 incubation program cohorts and supported over 100 startups in five years. The Academy also became the first organization in Turkmenistan to launch acceleration programs and a business angel club. A notable achievement was the success of an academy alumnus, the KinesteX startup, which received the prestigious AICA Award in 2025. StartUp Academy continues to develop the country's startup ecosystem and invites everyone to follow their future programs and events.

How Innovative Startups are Born and Enter the Turkmen Market

The latest cycle of the initiative to develop the startup movement in Turkmenistan has concluded: the 12th cohort of the StartUp Academy business incubation program has finished. This program was organized in partnership with the International Technology Park of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan.

StartUp Academy was founded in 2020 by Galina Kalagina and Daniil Maikovsky with the goal of supporting young entrepreneurs in Turkmenistan and helping them navigate the journey from idea to a fully functional, viable business. In its five years of existence, the Academy has established itself as a key platform for developing the country's startup ecosystem.

To mark the end of the latest incubation program, a significant event, Demo Day, took place on May 31, 2025, at the "Iş Nokady" coworking space within the "Arkaç" business center. Participants, guests, and invited experts witnessed young teams present their projects, which they had been developing over the past month and a half.

More than 180 guests attended Demo Day, including business representatives, innovation experts, mentors, and alumni from previous StartUp Academy cohorts. Another 150+ people joined the online broadcast. The event served not only as a platform for project presentations but also as a venue for networking, exchanging experiences, and fostering inspiration.
Five selected startup teams, who had undergone training and consultations, presented their projects as part of the competitive section. Throughout the program, participants worked on creating business and financial models, analyzing the market, developing monetization strategies, and learning to formulate clear investment proposals. They received support from experienced mentors and specialists from various business fields, including finance, marketing, technology, and project management.

The projects were evaluated by a professional jury comprised of well-known entrepreneurs, angel investors, and experts. Based on their assessment, three best startups were chosen, distinguished by their high level of preparation, clear understanding of their target audience, and potential for scalability. Participants received feedback from the jury, which is especially valuable for their continued growth and adaptation of projects to real market conditions.
Jury's Winners:

1st place – "MEMO" (augmented reality in advertising), founder Mergen Jumayev
2nd place – "Masenflu" (innovative method for learning conversational English), founder Dunyagozel Amanmuhammedova
3rd place – "Jam Creative" (scientific theater for children), founder Vasily Andronov

The organizers emphasized that all teams, despite the diverse themes of their projects, shared a common goal: the desire to create solutions that bring real benefit to society and address modern challenges.

As part of its 5th-anniversary celebration, StartUp Academy also hosted a panel discussion where five experienced startup founders shared their experiences and motivation with newcomers. Furthermore, a testament to active international cooperation was the presentation of the Digital StartUp Awards program with a prize fund of $100,000 USD from IT-Park Uzbekistan.

The successful execution of Demo Day was made possible by the support of the event's sponsors and partners: "Arçalyk," "Ak Sahypa," "Ynamdar.com," "Kuwwatly Energiýa Hyzmaty," "Däp," "Beg Ýupek," and "Tehnopark," who made significant contributions to the event's organization and the development of startup initiatives in the country.

StartUp Academy continues to expand the horizons of youth entrepreneurship in Turkmenistan, creating conditions for the growth of a new generation of innovators. The Academy not only provides knowledge and practical experience but also fosters a community of like-minded individuals ready to move the country forward through technology, creativity, and business. Ahead lie new cohorts, new ideas, and new success stories.

Artificial Intelligence and Health: Turkmen startup KinesteX took part in Dubai AI Week 2025

At the largest international forum Dubai AI Week 2025, KinesteX AI presented a revolutionary solution in the field of digital health - a personal trainer based on artificial intelligence.

KinesteX CEO, Nikita Starov, spoke at the KinesteX AI Personal Trainer in your Digital Health Platform booth, where he described how the company's innovative technology can transform health and fitness for millions of people around the world.

KinesteX developments are based on deep real-time motion analysis and allows to create personalised training programmes that take into account individual characteristics of the user. This solution opens new horizons in the fields of telemedicine, disease prevention and digital fitness.

‘Our goal is to make health technologies accessible, personalised and effective,’ said Nikita Starov in an interview at the company's stand.

Watch the video of the speech at the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j1MTYY3DQJI

Follow the updates and news from KinesteX - the digital future of our health is already here!

Technovation Girls Turkmenistan 2025: Young Innovators Present Technological Solutions for Society

On May 19th, the ISH Nokady coworking center (Arkach Shopping Center) hosted Pitch Day, the final event of the international Technovation Girls competition. It brought together talented teams of girls aged 8 to 15 from all corners of Turkmenistan.
The young participants presented their mobile app projects, aimed at solving pressing social issues—from environmental protection to safety and health. The atmosphere was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and a desire to change the world for the better through technology.

Technovation Girls is the world's largest program for developing social entrepreneurship among girls, based on learning through technology. Turkmenistan has participated in this global movement for the fourth consecutive year, and each year the quality of projects, as well as the initiative's reach, steadily grows.

The program's main goals are:
  • Supporting girls in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics);
  • Developing social entrepreneurship skills;
  • Fostering a strong, confident, and aware generation of leaders.

Participation in Technovation Girls opens up real prospects for girls' personal and professional growth, laying the foundation for future careers in high-tech and innovative industries.

Technovation Girls Turkmenistan 2025 once again proved that young girls in the country have immense potential and a desire to create solutions that can change society. This inspiring event was a step towards a bright, technologically advanced future that children are already beginning to build.

Daniil Maykovskiy, CEO of StartUp Academy, participated in Plug and Play Uzbekistan Expo 2025

CEO of StartUp Academy, Daniil Maykovskiy, participated in one of the key events of the regional startup ecosystem — Plug and Play Uzbekistan Expo 2025, which was held with great success on May 15, 2025, in Tashkent.
The event, organized by the leading Silicon Valley accelerator and venture fund — Plug and Play, was dedicated to the development of innovation and technological entrepreneurship in Central Asia. The expo, held at the Palace of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, gathered hundreds of participants, including startup founders, investors, and representatives from corporations and government bodies. The venue became a hub for active exchange of ideas, establishing new business connections, and discussing the prospects of the region's digital transformation.

Plug and Play has established itself in Uzbekistan as a powerful catalyst for development. Thanks to the Batch 3 and 4 accelerator programs, as well as participation in the President Tech Awards Challenge initiative, many startups were able to progress from idea to a ready-made product and attract initial investments. Expo 2025 demonstrated this progress and clearly showed how local innovations are addressing pressing challenges, such as improving access to finance and the digitalization of our lives.

The event's program included startup pitches, a panel discussion, and networking sessions, aimed at strengthening cooperation between various players in the innovation community.

Daniil Maykovskiy emphasized the importance of such platforms for sharing experiences and scaling best practices in the development of startup ecosystems in the region's countries.

Meeting with Zhenya Rozinskiy — a venture investor from Silicon Valley

Recently, the Turkmenistan Business Angels Club held a unique meeting with Zhenya Rozinskiy — an experienced venture investor from the very heart of the tech world — Silicon Valley.

At the meeting, Zhenya shared his many years of experience in investing in startups, approaches to evaluating teams and ideas, and also spoke about current trends in the global venture environment. Club members asked many questions, discussed opportunities for collaboration, and exchanged views on the development of the startup ecosystem in Central Asia.

It was a truly valuable and inspiring conversation, providing participants with practical knowledge and new insights. Thank you, Zhenya, for your openness and willingness to share your experience!

The IT community is inspired: StartUp Academy and IT Park Uzbekistan have launched a large-scale competition for IT startups.

A vibrant meeting of the IT community, organized jointly by StartUp Academy and IT Park Uzbekistan, took place in Ashgabat. This event became a real breakthrough for everyone interested in technology and entrepreneurship. The main news of the evening was the announcement of the launch of a grand competition — the President Tech Award, whose goal is to support and develop the most promising IT startups.

The Presidential Award in the field of technology is a powerful springboard for startups. The total prize fund is 100,000 thousand US dollars, which will be distributed among the winners in key categories. This will open up opportunities for them to scale, enter new markets, and attract investment.

What awaits participants?
The competition includes several stages of selection, presentations to experts, and final demo days. Winners will receive prizes, support from IT Park Uzbekistan, and the opportunity to make a name for themselves on the international stage.

Participants will be able to:
  • test their ideas,
  • receive professional feedback,
  • reach the international level.

Registration and Participation
Applications for participation are accepted until June 30, 2025. You can apply via the link:

Competition stages:
  • May–June: application submission,
  • July: selection,
  • September–October: online evaluation,
  • November: demo days and presentations,
  • December: awarding of winners.

Why is this important?
Such initiatives strengthen the region's IT ecosystem, make technology more accessible to young people, and provide real access to resources that previously seemed unattainable.

Ready to take on the challenge? Then register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oCa3tIWbk9VOEPfBRZFcWpkRVEuz5Q6KjmYXrr1vbR4/edit and become part of a new technological movement in Central Asia.

Startup Academy strengthens international cooperation at the conference on quality and innovation in Ashgabat

Startup Academy actively participated in the international conference “Ensuring Quality in Accordance with International Standards in Turkmenistan,” which brought together representatives from government institutions, the business sector, and international organizations. The event served as an important platform for discussing modern approaches to quality management, digital transformation, and innovation support.

Special attention was given to the panel session “Standards for IT & Start-Ups,” where international experts from the USA, the UK, Egypt, and Central Asian countries shared best practices in standardization for IT companies and startups. Among the speakers were Umidjon Toshmamatov, Head of the Resident Relations Department at IT Park Uzbekistan, and Dalerhon Nodirov, Deputy Director of IT Park Ventures, who spoke about the opportunities within Uzbekistan’s ecosystem for international startups, as well as government support and access to foreign markets.

As part of their visit to Ashgabat and on the initiative of Startup Academy, a dedicated meeting was held between representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan and Turkmen startups, IT specialists, and young innovators. The meeting marked an important step toward international exchange of experience and strengthening of ties between regional technology ecosystems.

Startup Academy acted as a bridge between Turkmen projects and international partners by showcasing active startups in the country and giving them access to new development opportunities. During the meeting, participants were thoroughly introduced to the terms of participation in the IT Park Uzbekistan ecosystem, including mentorship and investment support, as well as prospects for scaling projects beyond national borders.

Our team continues to develop initiatives aimed at integrating Turkmen startups into the global innovation space. We believe that through experience exchange, educational programs, and strategic partnerships, a strong foundation can be built for the sustainable growth of the region's technology sector.

Standards for IT and Startups. 30.04.2025

Today, on April 30, 2025, as part of the international exhibition "International Trade and Services" (ITSE 2025), a dynamic panel discussion took place on the topic "Standards for IT and Startups." Special attention was given to issues specifically affecting young technology companies. The moderator of the event was the CEO of StartUp Academy, Daniil Maikovsky , who guided much of the discussion toward the challenges and opportunities faced by startups in the context of international standardization.

During the discussion, international experts highlighted in detail the key role of compliance with international standards for IT startups aiming for a confident entry into the global market. It was emphasized that in order to ensure sustainable competitiveness and successfully attract foreign partners and investments, startups, in particular, must prioritize the adoption of globally recognized standards in the development of their innovative products and the building of effective business processes

CEO of StartUp Academy Becomes an Active Participant in Creative Economy Development Group. 21.04.2025

On April 21, 2025, a round table of the initiative group for the development of the creative economy took place, with Daniil Maykovsky, CEO of StartUp Academy, being one of the active participants. He joined a community of like-minded individuals interested in the development of entrepreneurship and innovation, taking into account the creative potential of Turkmenistan.

The event brought together many bright and ambitious speakers, each of whom presented their ideas on how the creative economy can be developed.
Daniil Maykovsky expressed his interest in actively participating in the group's activities and shared his vision: "The creative economy is creative entrepreneurship." During the meeting, the main goals and objectives of the group were set.

Participants agreed on regular meetings, exchange of experience, and joint work on initiatives that promote the growth of the creative sector.

StartUp Academy at FinFest Turkmenistan 2025

We couldn't stand aside from such an important event as FinFest Turkmenistan 2025 — the financial services festival held at the "Iş Nokady" coworking center.

As an organizer of venture investment, StartUp Academy strives to develop a culture of investment in startups and support entrepreneurial initiatives. That is why participating in FinFest was a logical and important step for us — an opportunity to present our services, strengthen partnerships, and expand dialogue with representatives of the financial market.

For us, this is yet another contribution to advancing our mission: supporting startups and developing venture investment in Turkmenistan.

Startup Academy has launched its 12th incubation program! 19.04.2025

A new stage — new ideas, ambitions, and projects!
Startup Academy is back in the game: we've opened the 12th cohort of our incubation program, where participants go from idea to a ready-made business project.

Behind them are just the first steps, and ahead:
  • 5 intensive weeks
  • practical training sessions
  • working with mentors
  • preparation for a startup competition

The program is built on the Lean Startup methodology — an approach that works worldwide and helps launch sustainable businesses.
Here, participants master tools, test hypotheses, calculate finances, analyze the market, and most importantly — build their business consciously and strategically.

Startup Academy — a platform where ideas become reality.

A day of true breakthroughs! 12.04.2025

On April 12, 2025, we witnessed one of the most exciting milestones in the lives of startups — Demo Day!
After an intensive acceleration program, the Hinlen and Mekanly.com teams took to the stage to present their projects to angel investors and members of the startup community.

Each presentation was the result of hours of brainstorming, iterations, sleepless nights, and belief in their idea.
Their startups are no longer just dreams, but real solutions ready to change the market.
On this day, they were awarded certificates for the successful completion of the acceleration program.
But most importantly, they received recognition, experience, and their first step towards great opportunities!

Congratulations to the teams, and we wish them confident growth, bold ideas, and investors who will believe as strongly as we do!
Hinlen is a music streaming service, and Mekanly.com is an online real estate marketplace.


On April 12, 2025, at the Ashgabat Technopark, Daniil Maykovsky presented the "Best AI Innovation in Healthcare" award to the KinesteX startup team.

This prestigious award, received at the AICA Awards 2025 ceremony in Tashkent, was deservedly won by a project that is changing the way we look at fitness.
KinesteX is a new generation fitness tracker that uses computer vision and artificial intelligence. It analyzes human movements in real-time, helps to correct technique, and makes workouts safer and more effective.
This recognition is not just an award. It's a signal: innovations from our region are capable of changing the world.
Congratulations to the KinesteX team, and we believe this is just the beginning of a great journey!

On April 12, 2025, a seminar took place in Ashgabat, which opened new horizons for local entrepreneurs!

The Technopark served as a platform for business representatives, startup founders, and investors to discuss one of the most pressing topics: "Business Expansion into Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan."
The speaker was Timo Bey, investor, entrepreneur, lecturer, managing partner, and Director of Private Markets and Asia at 8 Impact Corp. Group (Germany). His energy, experience, and deep understanding of international markets made the meeting truly valuable.

The seminar covered key scaling tools:
— financing through equity and debt capital,
— venture capital and private equity investments,
— the necessary documentation for interaction with investors.

This meeting was an excellent opportunity to see that international business development is not a dream, but a fully achievable goal.
Thank you to everyone who was with us on this day! The future begins with the exchange of knowledge and bold steps forward.

When technologies unite cultures, the future is born.

On April 11, 2025, the International Scientific and Technological Park of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan hosted the International Conference 1 "Science, Technology and the World: Pathways to Sustainable Development."
One of the most striking moments was the speech by Timo Bey, investor, entrepreneur, and managing partner of 8 Impact Corp. Group (Germany).
His report on the creation of an Innovation Hub for Turkic States sounded like an invitation to unity, cooperation, and joint technological breakthrough.
His words conveyed a vision of the future where countries with common roots unite to develop high technologies, exchange knowledge, and create a powerful innovation ecosystem.
The Hub, which Timo Bey spoke about, is not just an idea, but a step towards concrete actions: international partnerships, technology transfer, and the launch of groundbreaking projects at the intersection of science, business, and culture.
StartUp Academy is the operator of the Innovation Hub for Turkic States in Turkmenistan and invites companies and startups to collaborate for entry into international markets.
The conference also featured speakers from Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, the UAE, and Russia, who shared scientific discoveries and technologies in the fields of ecology, energy, medical and food biotechnologies.
It is precisely such initiatives that lay the foundation for a sustainable and progressive future for the entire region.

A startup from Turkmenistan wins the Artificial Intelligence Award AICA Awards 2025

AICA Awards 2025 ceremony was held in Tashkent on 4 April (https://aica.uz/events/aica-awards), the first Central Asian award in the field of The first Central Asian Artificial Intelligence Award organised by the Central Asian Artificial Intelligence Association (AICA) was held in Tashkent on 4 April. Artificial Intelligence Association (AICA). The award ceremony, named in honour of honouring the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, brought together under one roof the leading representatives of the AI industry, promising prospects for the development of AI in Central Asia. AI industry, promising startups and investors from across the region.

The AICA Awards 2025 procedure was organised according to the highest standards and included including: collection of applications from startups, developers and business projects; selection of the shortlist of of the best AI projects of the year; work of an expert jury of representatives of Central Asian countries; organising the first AICA Awards 2025 in Tashkent. Asia; organising the first Al-Show in Tashkent; active networking with the leaders of the largest IT companies in the region. leaders of the largest IT companies in the region.

Turkmenistan can be proud that in one of the six nominations - ‘Best Innovation in Health Care Using AI’ - a startup from Turkmenistan, KinesteX, has won the Health care using AI’ was won by a startup from Turkmenistan KinesteX (https://www.kinestex.com/), founder Nikita Starov! The project is a fitness tracker with computer vision and artificial intelligence analysing the actions of the trainee. the actions of the trainee.

This success is the first significant fact of recognition of the merits of a domestic startup on the international arena. in the international arena, as well as evidence of the rapid development of the startup ecosystem in Turkmenistan! of startups in Turkmenistan!

The winners in other nominations were:
  • Best AI education initiative - Shyraq AI (Kazakhstan)
  • Best AI development - Zehn AI (Tajikistan)
  • Best Use of AI in Agricultural Engineering - ARA (Kazakhstan)
  • Best Application of AI in Business - Alsha (Uzbekistan)
  • Best AI startup - Úmit (Kazakhstan)

The organisers of AICA Awards 2025 thanked all the participants for their contribution to the development of The organisers of the AICA Awards 2025 thanked all the participants for their contribution to the development of artificial intelligence across Central Asia and emphasised the importance of of such platforms to promote innovation and technological co-operation in the region. region.

On behalf of Turkmenistan, CEO of StartUp Academy participated in the award ceremony. (https://startup-tm.com/) Daniil Maikovsky, who accepted the Al-Khwarizmi statuette from the hands of the jury representative for further handing over the statuette. representative of the jury for further transfer of the award to the KinesteX team. It should be It should be noted that Nikita Starov, the founder of KinesteX startup, is always actively involved in the development of startups in our country. development of startups in our country, supporting them with his expertise and networking.

Do you want to achieve the same success as KinesteX? Participate in StartUp Academy (https://startup-tm.com/)!

Ideathon "Spring 2025": the first step towards a startup. 01.04.2025

On April 1, 2025, the Startup Academy held Ideathon – Spring 2025, bringing together participants who want to launch their own business but haven't yet decided on an idea. Throughout the event, participants completed special exercises that helped them better understand people's needs and find solutions to their problems.

The event format allowed everyone not only to develop their idea generation skills but also to see how startups are born. Ideathon became an excellent starting point for those ready to take their first step in entrepreneurship.

Results of the Evening Meetup with Nikita Starov. 18.03.2025

On March 18, 2025, a meetup was held with Nikita Starov, the founder and CEO of Kinestex! They discussed how to effectively build B2B communications and what strategies help businesses grow in Dubai.

Nikita shared his experience, insights, and real-world case studies that helped his company reach a new level. Thanks to everyone who joined – it was valuable and productive!

Stay tuned for announcements of new meetups!

The Future of the Creative Economy in Central Asia.

How are other countries developing their creative industries? What practices can be useful for companies, entrepreneurs, and organizations in our region? Answers to these questions were discussed at the International Forum on the Creative Economy, where experts shared their experiences and best approaches to developing this sector. During a panel discussion, Daniil Maikovsky, leading consultant at MCT Agency and CEO of StartUp Academy, presented the startup ecosystem of Turkmenistan, spoke about the programs of the StartUp Academy, and discussed the opportunities opening up for entrepreneurs in Central Asia. The development of the creative economy means new prospects for business and innovation. It's important to apply the best global practices and adapt them to the realities of our market.

Results of the Evening Meetup with Irina Yashina. 13.03.2025

On March 13th, an Evening Meetup was held with international expert Irina Yashina on the topic of "Building a Community Around a Company."
What did they talk about?
  • Why a community is not just subscribers, but a powerful tool for business development.
  • How startups can engage their audience and retain attention.
  • Mistakes that hinder the formation of an active community.
  • Real-world case studies from the experience of 500+ startups.
What was memorable?
  • Community is built on value and genuine interaction.
  • Engaged users become the best brand ambassadors.
  • Content, events, and constant dialogue are the foundation of a successful community.
Thank you to Irina for the valuable insights and to all participants for the lively discussion!

Results of the EVENING MEETUP with Agajan Toraev: Insights from an Expert in AI and Robotics. 11.03.2025

On March 11, 2025, the EVENING MEETUP with European expert Agajan Toraev took place. Agajan Toraev is the Co-founder & CEO of the British startup Robominder (UK), a successful startup founder, and a specialist in AI, Machine Learning, and Robotics.
The meeting with the expert was held in an online format, with participants gathering offline, which created an atmosphere of live communication and networking. This allowed not only to immerse themselves in the speaker's experience and knowledge but also to exchange opinions with other participants. Agajan Toraev presented real-world cases from his clients and explained the principles of how his startup works.
What did they talk about?
  • AI and robotics – how these technologies transform business and open up new opportunities.
  • Startup in Europe – how to build a successful technology business in the international market, particularly in the UK.
  • Mistakes and successes – what the best learn from and what steps lead to a breakthrough.
Despite the online format of communication with the expert, everyone was able to ask their questions, receive professional recommendations, and valuable insights. The meeting inspired participants with new ideas and provided motivation for development in the field of AI and startups.
Thank you to everyone who joined!

Seminar "Product Approach - The Path to Success" 04.03.2025

As part of the acceleration program, a seminar was held for participants, conducted by Haknazar Babakuliev – CEO of "Ak Sahypa" and a certified P&P specialist.

Haknazar shared practical experience in implementing various approaches in the work of an IT company, emphasizing the development and scaling of products.
  • Create in-demand solutions
  • Competently manage product development
  • Successfully compete in the market
Thank you to all participants for the interesting questions and active discussion!

Secrets of a successful marketplace from CEO GEREKLI. 20.02.2025

On February 20, 2025, Perkhat Niyazklychev, CEO of the GEREKLI marketplace, held a seminar for participants in the second acceleration stream. He told how the platform works - the largest online trading platform that brings together buyers and sellers throughout Turkmenistan.
Perhat shared his personal experience, discussed key aspects of interaction with clients and partners, and also answered questions from participants. The meeting was productive, and acceleration residents received valuable insights for the development of their projects!

On February 16, an event took place in the Telwas coworking space that brought together talented entrepreneurs and investors - StartUp ShowCase. 16.02.2025

This unique platform, organized by StartUp Academy in partnership with Telwas and the BIZANGEL Business Angels Club, has become a point of attraction for startups ready to scale and investors looking for promising projects. Presentations, networking, investments - all this made the event a real success! Each project got a chance to express itself, and the three best startups were awarded certificates and gifts from the organizers.

About our Acceleration graduate

The digitalization of all sectors of our country's national economy and the widespread implementation of digital system capabilities are yielding positive results. Turkmen entrepreneurs are also actively working in the transition to a digital economy, offering the population various types of digital services.
In the capital of our country, Ashgabat, young entrepreneur Begench Rejepov founded the mobile application "Biar", which has gained significant interest among the population with its wide range of services. The "Biar" mobile application provides digital information about shopping and entertainment centers, restaurants, and cafes located in Turkmenistan.
The number of business accounts and users registered in the "Biar" application reaches thousands. The app contains information about cafes and restaurants, their menus, addresses, contact phone numbers, as well as the products and services they offer. This mobile application is of great interest not only to residents of the country but also to visitors of the capital.
The primary goal of the mobile application is to transition the service industry into a digital format, improve the quality of provided services, offer reliable information about restaurants and dishes, enable online ordering through the website or app, implement a restaurant rating system, and maintain communication between users and establishments through reviews.
The "Biar" mobile application is designed for user convenience. In the "Blog" section, customers can read useful articles related to food and nutrition. The app is developed in Turkmen, English, and Russian, providing additional convenience for users.

"StartUp Academy has launched the second batch of its acceleration program."

On February 1, 2025, StartUp Academy launched the second round of its acceleration program. Participants, who are promising startups ready to scale their projects, have begun intensive work on developing their ideas.
The program will last 9 weeks and includes training sessions from leading experts, individual mentoring sessions, and practical tasks aimed at business growth and development. Participants can expect a busy process that will help them take their projects to the next level.
If you would like to join the next round, apply and become part of the startup community.

“Programming the future: how a hackathon in Ashgabat reveals the potential of IT talents” 07.12.2024-08.12.2024

In Ashgabat, on December 7–8, 2024, StartUp Academy, with the support of USAID, organized a Hackathon on the territory of the ITEA educational center located in the Berkarar business center. The event brought together 15 teams with a total of 67 participants.Each team had to develop a digital solution within 48 hours for a customer from a real business - MIWE Agricultural Holding. The task was large-scale: to help the customer obtain a real and detailed picture of the state of the gardens in real time.

Six experienced mentors accompanied the teams, helping them overcome difficulties. To objectively evaluate the results, the organizers invited a jury of five people representing the business community and the IT sector.

The three best teams received cash prizes, and all participants received valuable gifts from sponsors, including Belet Film, Ak Sahypa, Miwe, Aýdym.com, Iş Nokady, Görogly Fitness. These companies support the development of the technology sector and encourage youth to reach new heights.

A hackathon is more than just a competition. It serves as a starting point for creating start-ups, developing professional networks and introducing innovative business solutions. The hackathon once again proved that Turkmenistan has talented and ambitious specialists who are ready to create technologies of the future.

DevFest-2024 in Ashgabat gathered more than 400 participants

On December 1, the developer festival DevFest-2024 was held in the Ish Nokady conference hall of the Arkach shopping center. DevFest is part of a global network of major conferences that take place around the world under the auspices of Google. This wonderful event was organized by local communities Google Developer Groups (GDG). In our country, Google Developer Group and Women Techmakers Ashgabat were founded in December 2019.These communities bring together young and ambitious developers who participate in events on a voluntary basis. The main goal of the festival was to popularize technology, programming and all aspects of the IT sphere. This year, special attention was paid to artificial intelligence, which is becoming increasingly relevant in the modern world.
More than 10 speakers shared their knowledge and experience on current topics with more than 400 participants. The sessions took place in two halls simultaneously, in online and offline formats. It is important to note that more than 15 volunteers made a great contribution to the event.
23.11.2024

StartUp Academy held a startup project competition in Ashgabat

On November 23, 2024, StartUp Academy held the Demo Day of its 11th Business Incubation Program. As part of the event, which took place at the “Iş Nokady” co-working center on the territory of the “Arkaç” business center, participants learned about the history of the creation and development of the Startup Academy, and also witnessed the competitive part of the 11th Business Incubation Program, where teams presented your projects to be assessed by a professional jury.The event brought together more than 100 guests, including experienced entrepreneurs, technology experts and graduates of previous Academy streams who continue to work on their projects.Seven startups took part in the competition. These teams underwent a rigorous training program, including trainings, webinars and individual consultations with experts. For a month and a half, the participants worked on their projects: developing business and financial models, testing target market hypotheses, determining monetization, forming future business processes and preparing presentations for potential investors.

A competent jury consisting of experienced businessmen selected the three best projects that stood out for their promise, readiness to solve real problems of the target audience, thoughtfulness and development: 1) Marketplace of works of art “FuzzoLAB” (founder Aknur Khojamkulieva), 2) Discount aggregator “Gapjyk” (founder Shamurad Ataev), 3) Child Development Center “LogoKids” (founder Guncha Khodzhaev).

source: orient.tm
13.11.2024

Turkmenistan on the startup map of Central Asia and prospects for the regional ecosystem

The Central Asian Startup Forum, which was held in Tashkent on November 13, brought together key players in the startup ecosystems of the countries of the region, including startups, experts, venture funds, accelerators, universities, government agencies, international organizations, etc.
The main goal of the forum is to create a dynamic platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices between participants, as well as to promote cooperation and synergy between startup ecosystems throughout Central Asia.The event took place in various formats: panel discussions, thematic lectures, seminars, round tables, network sessions, startup presentations and much more.
Central Asia today is becoming a single integrated space where talented youth can receive support, finance and experience to create startups.

Daniil Maikovsky, director of Startup Academy in Turkmenistan, cited a case of successful cooperation between Central Asian countries:

“Our organization has attracted funding from the FGI/USAID project to strengthen its capacity. Now we are preparing a conference on startups, which will take place in April 2025. As part of the program, there will be a series of webinars from MOST employees that will help expand our activities and make them more sustainable, as well as improve financial performance and indicators of attracting target audiences - startups and investors.Joint efforts to develop the startup ecosystem in Turkmenistan by the local organization StartUp Academy and the most experienced ecosystem builder in Central Asia, MOST, can significantly accelerate the development of the startup community in Turkmenistan.”

In general, the forum talked about the importance of creating connections between the hubs of different Central Asian countries, developing early-stage startups in order to later bring them to more mature positions and export technological products to international markets, thereby jointly promoting the region on the world stage.That is why the private venture fund in Central Asia MOST is launching an accelerator fund with a mandate of investing in early-stage startups and high scaling potential with founders from the countries of the region.

After the completion of all panel sessions of the forum, a startup battle took place, in which 10 startups from Central Asia competed, including two from Turkmenistan: Biar delivery (Begench Rejepov) and Zootel (Tahir Orazdurdyev).

source: orient.tm
24.07.2024

"Student Hackathon"

A student hackathon aimed at finding optimal IT solutions to create simplified methods of teaching foreign languages was held at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages. This is reported by ‘Turkmenistan: Golden Age’.

Students from 17 universities of Turkmenistan took part in the hackathon.

According to the results of the competition, the Grand Prix was won by the team of the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Construction.

The first place was awarded to participants from the International University of Humanities and Development and the Institute of Engineering and Transport Communications of Turkmenistan.

The second place was taken by students of the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics of Turkmenistan and the Y.Kakaev International University of Oil and Gas.

The third place was shared by student teams from the Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute named after S.Seidi, the Turkmen State University named after Makhtumkuli and the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The winners were awarded certificates of honour and valuable gifts from the D.Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages.

According to the organisers, this competition showed a high enough level of innovative potential of young people, their interest in development in this direction and became one of the most effective in its field.

During the contest, all team members had an opportunity to improve their IT skills and creative abilities, meet like-minded people, make friends and learn a lot, the source said.

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