Street to Battlefield: Central Eurasia’s biggest startup festival in historical past sends 4 winners to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield by way of NewsFlicks

The startup ecosystem in Central Eurasia is having its second. What began as 485 programs from throughout 27 nations together with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, UK, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam has culminated within the biggest startup pitch festival in Central Eurasia’s historical past the “Street to the Battlefield”, that’s placing the area’s maximum promising marketers on an immediate trail to San Francisco’s maximum prestigious startup level at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.

The Street to the Battlefield festival, arranged by way of Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and Freedom Conserving, is extra than simply any other startup contest. It marks a ancient milestone for a area that has been ceaselessly development its dynamic tech ecosystem and shall be remembered as the development that put Central Eurasia at the world startup map.

“At Silkroad Innovation Hub, our undertaking is to position Central Eurasia at the world startup and VC map,” mentioned Asset Abdualiyev, CEO and Founding father of Silkroad Innovation Hub. “This initiative represents crucial milestone as a result of, for the primary time, TechCrunch hosted a regional festival to supply nice startups for his or her prestigious Battlefield festival. After we started, it used to be merely an concept, a imaginative and prescient to empower founders from underrepresented geographies. We’re happy to announce that this has turn out to be the most important startup festival in Central Eurasia’s historical past, demonstrating a vital passion from founders around the area in development really cutting edge firms and showcasing them globally. We’re thankful to TechCrunch for his or her endured partnership and their ongoing passion within the area.”

Between July 21 and August 12, 380 startups pitched throughout 9 nationwide rounds on-line, turning in an excellent 32 hours of pitching content material. The contest showcased outstanding variety, with 35% of collaborating startups based by way of feminine founders, and the youngest entrepreneur, simply 14 years outdated, used to be from Unify (Uzbekistan).

The startups represented quite a lot of building phases: 43 within the thought level, 224 with MVPs, 127 in pre-seed, 65 within the seed level, and 26 in pre-Collection A. 

Now, 4 standout startups, Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan, USA), QuickShipper (Georgia), Surfaice (USA, Kazakhstan), and ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) have secured spots at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco, the place they’ll compete in opposition to probably the most maximum promising ventures from all over the world.

This marks the primary time in TechCrunch historical past that startups from Central Eurasia have had a devoted pathway to probably the most tech global’s maximum prestigious competitions. Past figuring out high-potential ventures, the initiative has sparked cross-border collaboration, attracted world investor passion, and firmly situated Central Eurasia as a area to observe at the world innovation map.

“The 168 programs from Kazakhstan to the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield regional variety is a transparent sign of our ecosystem’s rising adulthood and world ambition,” mentioned Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Virtual Building, Innovation, and Aerospace Business of Kazakhstan. “This stage of engagement displays the effectiveness of our nationwide innovation technique. Via Astana Hub and strategic partnerships with world platforms, we’re dedicated to supporting Kazakh marketers as they scale the world over.”

Pageant Effects

Following the nationwide rounds from July 21 to August 12, the contest concluded with a Regional Ultimate of Street to Battlefield on August 15, the place 20 finalists offered to a global panel of judges.

The 20 finalists who complex to the Regional Pageant have been Arlan Biotech, Artskin, Athena AI, Biometric Imaginative and prescient, EZSpeech by way of Mila4AI, FabStory AI, HaWoO2, Hello Physician, Investbanq, and Jobster.hr, LYDYA, MiraiTech, NeuroGuard AI, Pikare SkySource, Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Snory, Steppe AI, Surfaice, and 0 Waste.

A panel of 40 jury participants from 10 nations judged the nationwide on-line competitions, representing a huge spectrum of buyers, lecturers, and ecosystem leaders. The jury incorporated Aidana Bergazdenova (Astana Hub Ventures), Dalerkhon Nodirov (IT Park Ventures), Zolzaya Jargalsaikhan (IT Park Mongolia), Abdulla Al-Naimi (Doha Trade 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 Legal professional, Stanford GSB), Deon Nicholas (Forethought AI, winner of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2018), Ella Shukho (500 International), Darsh Mann (StartX), Aziza Zakhidova (EBRD Ventures), Abay Absamet (Silkroad Angels Membership), Isabelle Johannessen, Head of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Program, and others.

“It’s humbling and energizing to peer this stage of pleasure for Startup Battlefield. The SilkRoad Innovation Hub – Street to Battlefield used to be one of the arranged and high-energy pitch occasions I’ve observed, and the passion from founders throughout Central Eurasia used to be implausible. We’re delighted to welcome Polygraf AI, QuickShipper,  Surfaice, and ArtSkin to San Francisco as a part of the Startup Battlefield 200 — and will’t wait to percentage their tales with the sector.” – Isabelle Johannessen, TechCrunch.

For the primary time within the festival’s historical past, the panel used to be joined by way of an AI pass judgement on named AI-Gerim, who served as an unbiased jury member, including an cutting edge layer of analysis to pitches. In combination, this mixture of world experience and AI-driven insights units a brand new usual for assessing rising startups.

The startups showcased a colourful cross-section of industries, with Synthetic Intelligence main the best way. Founders tackled real-world issues in AI & Automation, EdTech, HealthTech, FinTech, Inexperienced & Local weather Tech, AgriTech, HRTech, MarTech, SaaS, and E-commerce.

After a extremely aggressive ultimate spherical, 4 successful startups have been decided on to constitute Central Eurasia:

Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan)

Polygraf AI delivers in the neighborhood deployed AI answers that come across AI threats and give protection to insurance policies in opposition to any AI answers. Their SLM (small language fashion) AI answers are speedy and carry out the very best accuracy in third-party audits.

“I believe the Central Asian and Caucasus-based founders are rising more potent, and this festival confirmed once more that ability is now not an issue. It’s now not simply remoted to the Western global. We’ve got an awesome ability in there, and all of the members confirmed it,” mentioned Yagub Rahimo, Founding father of Polygraf AI. “The contest used to be correct, superb. All of the members offered superb answers and equipment. However as in each different festival, there may be one primary, and I’m so satisfied that Polygraph used to be that primary. We’ve got gained South by way of Southwest, Summerfest Tech AI Summit, and a couple of different awards already this yr.  We wish to win the Startup Battlefield this yr, too.” 

QuickShipper (Georgia)

QuickShipper is a supply gateway that permits each store to supply environment friendly and pleasant deliveries straight away from a unmarried window. The startup gives firms a complete ecosystem for managing their in-house drivers, along side a community of built-in supply companions.

“It used to be an excellent revel in to compete with startups from such a lot of other and engaging markets. The variety of concepts and ability used to be inspiring, and it makes it a good larger honor to constitute the Eurasian marketplace within the finals now,” mentioned Mariam Akhvlediani, Co-founder & CEO of QuickShipper. “We really feel proud and excited to be within the Most sensible 4. This is a important milestone for QuickShipper and different startups to be on this kind of level. We see it as each a reputation of our arduous paintings and an opportunity to turn what we will be able to do on an international stage.”

Surfaice (Kazakhstan and USA)

Surfaice gives a unified AI-driven running gadget that includes an self sustaining fleet of brokers that combine workflows akin to web page seek, budgeting, bidding, punch-list automation, and milestone monitoring. This leads to a 2X building up in productiveness, as an example, doubling the choice of retailer builds according to yr from about 100 to 200. It supplies a unmarried, complete platform for all their building device.

“I believe our adventure to Battlefield has been very dramatic as a result of we virtually neglected the cut-off date to use for this program, however then I motivated my workforce. So consider if I hadn’t driven them and we neglected this cut-off date, we almost definitely would have neglected this chance,” mentioned Alim Uderbekov, CEO & Co-Founder. “Total, it used to be nice to compete with all of the different startups and in the end be at the level. Additionally it is humorous that, simply lately, I randomly got here throughout a video about Pied Piper from the Silicon Valley TV display, the place they have been additionally attending TechCrunch Battlefield, and I believed, ‘Wow, is that this genuine?’ It’s in reality arduous to know your emotions since you’re simply strolling ahead, which is a adventure that we’re going thru. However it’s so thrilling, having a look at my complete previous, the place I’m coming from, a small town in South Kazakhstan, and I’d be at the major level for a startup in Silicon Valley, that I used to peer most effective just about, and now I’m turn out to be a part of it. I believe it’s fantastic.”

In an unparalleled transfer that added much more pleasure to the contest, TechCrunch determined to make their very own variety and make a selection ArtSkin as a different TechCrunch select, bringing the entire to 4 startups representing the area. 

ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)

Artskin develops neurointerface generation that transmits the feeling of contact to the human frame throughout a couple of state-of-the-art fields, together with AR/VR, bionic prosthetics, telerobotics, spacetech, surgical procedure, and humanoid robotics.

“Being decided on as probably the most best 4 startups to pitch at the major level on the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield finals is an bizarre honor and an exciting milestone,” mentioned Iliias Dzheentaev and Madina Sabitqyzy, Co-founders of ArtSkin. “It validates our workforce’s determination, innovation, and incessant pursuit of excellence. Realizing we’re a number of the best 200 startups on this planet fills us with delight and pleasure, but additionally a profound sense of accountability. We’re now extra motivated than ever to carry our pitch, refine our technique, and show off our imaginative and prescient to an international target audience. Our ambition is obvious: we’re aiming to win TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, and this chance is a vital step towards reaching that purpose.”

The opposite best 10 finalists have been Arlan Biotech, Investbanq, Athena AI, MiraiTech, HaWoO2, and Biometric Imaginative and prescient.

Those 4 groups now face a couple of months of preparation earlier than stepping onto the principle level. At TechCrunch Disrupt, they’ll pitch along startups from in every single place the sector competing for funding, partnerships, and world reputation.

Past the Pitch

For collaborating founders, the contest delivered price past the overall ratings. The publicity, connections, and validation from collaborating in a globally known platform proved transformative in tactics they hadn’t expected.

What’s going down throughout Central Eurasia displays a a very powerful building. This isn’t as regards to person firms searching for funding; it’s about a whole area’s marketers measuring themselves in opposition to world requirements and discovering they belong within the dialog.

“For Uzbekistan, participation in world arenas like TechCrunch Startup Battlefield isn’t just about visibility,  it’s about shaping a long term the place our tech ability leads at the world level,” mentioned Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Virtual Applied sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “Our purpose is to be sure that the following era of leap forward applied sciences isn’t simply utilized in Uzbekistan, it’s constructed right here.”

The have an effect on of Street to the Battlefield extends past the overall pitch displays. The contest has inspired cross-border discussion amongst marketers around the area and attracted new investor passion in Central Eurasian startups.

The primary spouse is Freedom Conserving Corp, a Nasdaq-listed monetary services and products conserving corporate (ticker: FRHC) headquartered in Kazakhstan. As of Might 2025, the corporate accomplished a outstanding milestone with a valuation of roughly US $10 billion, reflecting investor self belief and marketplace power. It has established itself as one of the influential monetary gamers within the area, incomes a robust recognition for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. Its fortify for the Street to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield displays no longer most effective its world stature but additionally its long-term dedication to empowering founders from Central Eurasia, serving to them hook up with world markets and scale their have an effect on.

Extra considerably, it has offered Central Eurasia to the tech global in Silicon Valley as a supply of cutting edge answers and rising ability. The contest used to be supported by way of main innovation hubs and accelerators around the area: Azerbaijan – Innovation and Virtual Building Company, SABAH.Hub, SABAH.angels; Bulgaria/USA – Long term Unicorns; Georgia – Long term Laboratory; Global Organizations – Group of Turkic States, EBRD; Kazakhstan – Astana Hub, Astana Hub Ventures, Nazarbayev College, Silkroad Angels Membership; Kyrgyzstan – Boost up 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. The initiative hooked up founders who would possibly no longer have in a different way collaborated and equipped a platform to show off regional ability on an international scale.

“Because the Innovation and Virtual Building Company of Azerbaijan, we’re more than happy to spouse with Silkroad Innovation Hub and actively take part in TechCrunch Street to Battlefield startup festival,” mentioned Farid Osmanov, Chairman of the Innovation and Virtual Building Company (IDDA) of Azerbaijan. “We’re excited that Polygraf AI, an Azeri-founded startup, were given into the highest 4 on this festival and can constitute the area on the prestigious TechCrunch Disrupt convention in San Francisco. This presentations that the Azeri ecosystem is creating speedy and we’re on course.”

Because the 4 successful startups get ready for San Francisco, they constitute the rising ambitions of Central Eurasia’s entrepreneurial group. The contest has created new pathways for regional startups to get entry to world alternatives and assets.

This newsletter used to be co-written with Aikumis Seksenbayeva.