IT Park Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) during an official visit to Hong Kong. This agreement paves the way for cooperation in the fields of innovation, scientific research, technology commercialization, and startup support.
The memorandum was signed at a meeting attended by Farokh Ibragimov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of IT Park Uzbekistan, Azamat Karamatov, CEO, and HKSTP management. This agreement establishes a long-term partnership between the innovation ecosystems of Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.
Priority areas of interaction include entrepreneurship development, creation and scaling of startups, commercialization of scientific research results, exchange of experience in creating research infrastructure, and support for technology companies aiming to enter international markets.
During the meeting, HKSTP representatives demonstrated the development model of one of Asia's largest technology clusters. According to the corporation, the park is home to over 2,400 technology companies, about 17,000 R&D specialists, and more than 25,000 participants in its innovation ecosystem. HKSTP has already launched 13 unicorn companies. The HKSTP venture fund, valued at 2.4 billion Hong Kong dollars, has financed over 150 projects, and more than 200 million Hong Kong dollars have been invested in establishing specialized laboratories.
The IT Park Uzbekistan delegation presented information on the development of Uzbekistan's technology ecosystem. It was noted that the park has over 3,700 resident companies, operates in all regions of the country, and provides tax incentives for technology businesses, which have been extended until 2040. Furthermore, the delegation highlighted state measures aimed at supporting digital transformation, developing venture capital, and exporting IT services.
The parties discussed mechanisms for technology transfer, entrepreneurship training, startup acceleration, university-industry interaction, and attracting investment in scientific research. Special attention was paid to exchanging experience in research commercialization and developing innovative infrastructure. Artificial intelligence was identified as one of the key areas for future cooperation. Discussions covered AI infrastructure, computational power for model training, the 'AI Factory' concept, industry regulation, the use of open data, and specialist training.
Representatives of IT Park Uzbekistan confirmed their intention to develop Uzbekistan as a regional center for artificial intelligence connecting Asian and European markets. After the official meeting, the delegation studied technologies developed by HKSTP resident companies, including solutions in artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous technologies, digital healthcare, industrial IoT, telecommunications, and renewable energy. Upon completion of the visit, IT Park Uzbekistan invited HKSTP management and companies to participate in ICT Week Uzbekistan, scheduled for September 2026. The Hong Kong side expressed interest in visiting and stated that it would consider forming a delegation upon receiving an official invitation. Both sides also agreed to establish joint working groups, strengthen cooperation between research centers, and continue joint work in the fields of artificial intelligence, DeepTech, technology commercialization, and support for innovative enterprises.
A delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan, led by Chairman of the Supervisory Board Farokh Ibragimov and CEO Azamat Karamatov, held a series of meetings in Hong Kong with the management of the innovation hub Cyberport and representatives of its ecosystem companies.
According to information from IT Park Uzbekistan, discussions focused on developing joint cooperation under the previously signed memorandum and launching common projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, venture investment, and startups. The parties also examined opportunities to expand access for technology companies from Uzbekistan and Hong Kong to the markets of Central and East Asia.
Cyberport's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Rocky Cheng, presented the organization's ecosystem, which unites about 2400 technology companies and startups. These companies operate in areas such as financial technology, cybersecurity, blockchain, digital entertainment, and artificial intelligence. Cheng emphasized efforts to develop infrastructure for AI projects, including the creation of a supercomputing center, as well as state support measures and innovation commercialization mechanisms.
Farokh Ibragimov spoke about the development of Uzbekistan's technological ecosystem, detailing the activities of IT Park Uzbekistan, the IT Park Ventures and IT Park Capital funds, data center projects, the IT Park University, and the Enterprise Uzbekistan initiatives. He noted that Uzbekistan continues to create favorable conditions for international investors and technology companies.
During the negotiations, an agreement was reached to move from framework cooperation to the practical implementation of joint initiatives. Key priorities include launching mutual soft landing programs, developing partnerships between investors and startups, studying the possibility of creating a joint venture fund, exchanging experience in developing innovative infrastructure, and holding educational and business events. Representatives of Cyberport and resident companies were invited to participate in ICT Week Uzbekistan, which will take place in September 2026.
A separate business session was dedicated to demonstrating IT Park Uzbekistan's opportunities for Cyberport's resident companies. Participants were briefed on the requirements for obtaining resident status, state support measures, soft landing programs, and prospects for entering the Central Asian market through Uzbekistan. Bahodir Ayupov presented opportunities within the Enterprise Uzbekistan initiative, describing the regulatory framework being created based on common law and the available protection mechanisms for investors.
Business representatives expressed interest in joint projects covering artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, digital twins, geospatial technologies, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, robotics, agritech, and corporate software development. Talent training, outsourcing, and pilot projects with state and private structures were also discussed.
After the meetings concluded, company representatives confirmed their interest in further cooperation with IT Park Uzbekistan, participation in ICT Week Uzbekistan, and developing joint projects. IT Park Uzbekistan stated its readiness to support foreign partners at all stages of entering the national market, including business registration, personnel recruitment, establishing business contacts, and implementing pilot projects.
