Uzbekistan has introduced the first phase of the World Business Integration Platform (wbip.uz) — a digital service created to assist foreign companies in finding partners, investors, and clients.
The launch was announced by Mukhtar Umarov, Chairman of the Assembly of the Economy of Uzbekistan, during the FINOBOD 2026 forum in Tashkent. The project was presented on November 13 at a plenary session titled 'Digital Uzbekistan – an Innovation Hub of Central Asia.' According to Umarov, the platform is part of the OS Assembly System cluster, which uses artificial intelligence to unite 65 industry associations representing about 100,000 companies.
Additionally, a separate platform called Tijorat Markazi is available for Uzbek entrepreneurs, designed for selling goods, attracting investments, and hiring personnel. Umarov reported that over 2,000 Chinese companies have already applied to participate in this international platform.
He noted that this service can facilitate cooperation with partners from China, Japan, Russia, and European countries. A session moderator emphasized that Uzbekistan previously lacked a single platform of this scale.
According to data presented at the meeting, as of September 1, 2026, approximately 21,500 enterprises with foreign investments were operating in Uzbekistan, of which about 17,000 were wholly foreign-owned. Chinese companies constituted the largest group, followed by Russian, Turkish, Kazakh, and South Korean enterprises.
Ildus Khalitov, representative of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia in Uzbekistan, stated that more than 3,500 companies with Russian capital operate in the country, accounting for nearly 20% of all enterprises with foreign investments. He added that Russian companies are increasingly entering Uzbekistan with the aim of localizing production and gaining access to third-country markets. He also mentioned that one Russian-Uzbek technological park is already fully occupied by local companies.
Timur Kornilov, Managing Director of the Skolkovo Foundation, reported that about 70 out of 3,500 resident companies of the foundation operate in Uzbekistan, calling this a relatively small number. In September, the foundation signed an agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of Uzbekistan and approved a roadmap for creating an artificial intelligence center in Tashkent, scheduled for 2027–2028.
Kornilov pointed to the limited size of the Uzbek venture market as one of the factors slowing down the country's development as a regional innovation hub. He estimated the market at approximately 145–150 million US dollars, noting the presence of about 13 funds. Furthermore, he highlighted the shortage of qualified personnel and the need to harmonize business conditions in the region.
Ekaterina Yelmanova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Rosbank, reported that the bank has been using its proprietary AI-based end-to-end platform since 2023, covering processes from data processing to model management. She specified that about two-thirds of the bank's architecture consists of internal developments, and Rosbank is ready to cooperate with Uzbek partners in the field of banking platforms and artificial intelligence.
Hasan Rakhmatov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Asia Alliance Bank, stated that clients expect integrated platforms and fast solutions, while speed and security remain key requirements.
