Private sector capital expenditure projected to grow to 3.2 trillion rupees in FY2027, according to Reserve Bank of India bulletin

Representatives from IT Park Uzbekistan and Academia Park London held a meeting to discuss further cooperation aimed at supporting Uzbek startups looking to enter international markets.

The meeting took place during the ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2026 event. Participants included Azamat Karamatov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, and Ata Arduger, Co-founder and CEO of Academia Park London.

One of the key topics discussed was the promotion of Uzbek startups in both the United Kingdom and Turkey. The parties reviewed the possibility of establishing connections with potential partners, technology companies, and investors, as well as developing soft landing mechanisms to assist businesses entering new markets.

The prospect of joint work within the London Hub initiative and the possibility of launching a program for Uzbek startups interested in the Turkish market were also discussed.

Special attention was paid to the participation of Uzbek technology companies in international events such as Money20/20, as well as the organization of business missions. In particular, the parties considered organizing a program in Turkey next year involving five Uzbek startups.

IT Park Uzbekistan and Academia Park London are already implementing joint projects. Academia Park supported delegations from Central Asia at London Tech Week in 2025 and 2026, including startups from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, the company supported IT Park Uzbekistan's participation in the GovTech Summit in April 2026. Thanks to Academia Park's support, UZINFOCOM was able to participate in Money20/20 Europe.

Academia Park London was founded in London in 2023. This platform provides support to startups, fast-growing companies, and innovative enterprises from emerging markets wishing to enter the UK and European markets. The opportunities provided include access to workspace infrastructure, mentorship, corporate partners, investors, and international business development programs.

Kenyan agritech startup Rhea successfully raised $100,000 through a convertible note financing round, which was spearheaded by Obudu Capital. This influx of capital is designated for expanding the company's operations regionally, preparing it to introduce its soil-intelligence technology beyond its domestic market.

Rhea, established in 2022 by Priscilla Wakarera and Soinato Leboo, specializes in creating both hardware and software solutions intended to assist farmers in testing soil quality and optimizing their fertilizer usage. Their primary product, the RHEA AgriPad, integrates sensors and machine learning capabilities into a portable unit capable of generating detailed soil data at the field level.

This recent funding round is directly tied to several operational goals. Rhea aims to bring the AgriPad to market, deploy 100 units in the field, engage 5,000 farmers, and formally commence its activities in Tanzania. This strategic shift signifies a transition for the startup from focusing on product research and development towards achieving commercial scale.

In the first half of 2026, Rhea expanded its workforce by recruiting and training 135 agronomist agents across the regions of Makueni, Taita Taveta, and Kajiado. In addition to field recruitment efforts, the company implemented the Rhea Agent App to improve operational efficiency and launched Rhea Optima to serve medium and large-scale farmers, as well as agronomists and local laboratories.

Previously, the startup had secured $75,000 via a Village Capital program, which was supported by Standard Chartered’s Women in Tech initiative. Furthermore, a patent application submitted in 2025 describes a handheld soil kit that combines GPS data with a web-based platform for fertilizer recommendations, delivering these insights directly through WhatsApp channels.

Looking ahead, Rhea plans to build a comprehensive agricultural dataset. The company suggests that precise measurements of soil performance could eventually provide support for wider financial services in agriculture, such as crop insurance and participation in carbon markets.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recently introduced significant changes to its rules. Under these amendments, the salary limit for EPFO coverage has been raised from the previous 15,000 rupees per month to 25,000 rupees monthly. The government anticipates that this change will bring over 510,000 additional employees under the purview of EPFO, and it will also increase the PF contribution from employee salaries.

Previously, EPFO set the salary limit at 15,000 rupees. This meant that an employee earning a basic salary of 20,000 rupees per month exceeded the legally established threshold and was not covered by the system. However, after the limit was increased to 25,000 rupees, they now fall under mandatory coverage, meaning their contributions to the pension fund will begin.

The main benefit for such an employee earning 20,000 rupees will be the ability to receive benefits from accumulated PF funds upon retirement, entitlement to a pension under EPS, and insurance coverage under the EDLI scheme linked to the employee's savings.

The modified EPFO salary limit, increased from 15,000 to 25,000 rupees, came into effect on September 17, 2026. Consequently, a proportional calculation based on the old and new salary limits will be required in September. The first full month of work under the new rules will commence in October, according to the EPFO rule change.

Let's consider an example for an employee with a salary of 20,000 rupees. Starting in October, this employee will contribute 12% of their salary to EPF, which amounts to 2,400 rupees. The employer will also contribute 2,400 rupees. This employer contribution will be divided between the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) and the EPF Account.

Of this amount, 1,666 rupees, which is 8.33%, will go to EPS, and 734 rupees, corresponding to 3.67%, will go to EPF. Thus, the total contribution from the employee and employer will be 4,800 rupees. It should be noted that this calculation is based on the example provided by EPFO for October 2026.

The changed limit also affects employees who were already EPF members but were excluded from EPS because their salary exceeded the former limit of 15,000 rupees per month. EPFO states that existing EPF members earning 20,000 rupees who were not EPS members are now obligated to join EPS according to the amended provisions.

The answer to this question is negative. In fact, the sum of 25,000 rupees is the adjusted statutory salary limit, not a single base for contributions for every worker. If an employee's salary is below the established limit of 25,000 rupees, the contribution calculation is made based on that actual salary. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation clarified that PF salary and gross salary do not necessarily have to match.

For instance, in the EPFO example for October, the employee contribution is set at 1,200 rupees for a salary of 10,000 rupees, 2,400 rupees for a salary of 20,000 rupees, and 3,000 rupees for the adjusted limit of 25,000 rupees.

It is evident that employees whose contributions were previously capped at the 15,000 rupee limit may face an increase in monthly deductions in PF. Accordingly, the employer's contribution will also rise proportionally. The impact on the employee's salary will depend on their current contribution and salary structure. Furthermore, the organization emphasized that the legal contributions of the employer and employee are legally separate, and part of the employer's contribution cannot be considered a deduction from the employee's salary, classifying it as part of the CTC.