The startup ecosystem in Central Eurasia is having its moment. What began as 485 applications from 27 countries has culminated in the largest startup pitch competition in the region’s history. The “Road to Battlefield” is putting the region’s most promising entrepreneurs on a direct path to San Francisco’s most prestigious startup stage at TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200.
Organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and Freedom Holding Corp, this competition is more than just another contest. It marks a historic milestone for a region that has been steadily building a dynamic tech ecosystem and will be remembered as the event that put Central Eurasia on the global startup map.
Between July 21 and August 12, 380 startups pitched across nine national rounds online, delivering an impressive 32 hours of pitching content. The competition showcased remarkable diversity, with 35% of participating startups founded by women. The youngest entrepreneur, just 14 years old, was from Unify in Uzbekistan.
The startups represented various development stages: 43 in the idea stage, 224 with MVPs, 127 in pre-seed, 65 in the seed stage, and 26 in pre-Series A. Now, four standout startups have secured spots at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco, where they will compete against some of the most promising ventures from around the world.
This marks the first time in TechCrunch history that startups from Central Eurasia have had a dedicated pathway to one of the tech world’s most prestigious competitions. Beyond identifying high-potential ventures, the initiative has sparked cross-border collaboration, attracted international investor interest, and firmly positioned Central Eurasia as a region to watch on the global innovation map.
Following the national rounds, the competition concluded with a Regional Final on August 15, where 20 finalists presented to an international panel of judges. A panel of 40 jury members from 10 countries judged the competitions, representing a broad spectrum of investors, academics, and ecosystem leaders. For the first time, the panel was joined by an AI judge named AI-Gerim, who served as an independent jury member, adding an innovative layer of evaluation.
The startups showcased a vibrant cross-section of industries, with artificial intelligence leading the way. Founders tackled real-world problems in AI and automation, edtech, health tech, fintech, green and climate tech, agritech, HR tech, martech, SaaS, and e-commerce.
After a highly competitive final round, four winning startups were selected to represent Central Eurasia.
Polygraf AI delivers locally deployed AI solutions that detect AI threats and protect policies against any AI solutions. Their small language model AI solutions are fast and perform with the highest accuracy in third-party audits.
QuickShipper is a delivery gateway that enables every retailer to offer efficient and delightful deliveries instantly from a single window. The startup offers companies a comprehensive ecosystem for managing their in-house drivers, along with a network of integrated delivery partners.
Surfaice offers a unified AI-driven operating system featuring an autonomous fleet of agents that integrate workflows such as site search, budgeting, bidding, punch-list automation, and milestone tracking. This results in a 2x increase in productivity, providing a single, comprehensive platform for all construction software.
In an unprecedented move, TechCrunch decided to make its own selection and choose ArtSkin as a special pick. ArtSkin develops neurointerface technology that transmits the sensation of touch to the human body across multiple cutting-edge fields, including AR/VR, bionic prosthetics, telerobotics, space tech, surgery, and humanoid robotics.
The other top 10 finalists were Arlan Biotech, Investbanq, Athena AI, MiraiTech, HaWoO2, and Biometric Vision.
These four teams now face a few months of preparation before stepping onto the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt. There, they will pitch alongside startups from all over the world competing for investment, partnerships, and global recognition.
For participating founders, the competition delivered value beyond the final rankings. The exposure, connections, and validation from participating in a globally recognized platform proved transformative. This is not just about individual companies seeking investment; it is about an entire region’s entrepreneurs measuring themselves against global standards and finding they belong in the conversation.
The impact of Road to Battlefield extends beyond the final pitch presentations. The competition has encouraged cross-border dialogue among entrepreneurs across the region and attracted new investor interest in Central Eurasian startups. More significantly, it has introduced Central Eurasia to the tech world in Silicon Valley as a source of innovative solutions and emerging talent.
The main partner is Freedom Holding Corp., a Nasdaq-listed financial services holding company headquartered in Kazakhstan. Its support for the Road to Battlefield reflects not only its global stature but also its long-term commitment to empowering founders from Central Eurasia.
The competition was supported by leading innovation hubs and accelerators across the region. The initiative connected founders who might not have otherwise collaborated and provided a platform to showcase regional talent on a global scale.
As the four winning startups prepare for San Francisco, they represent the growing ambitions of Central Eurasia’s entrepreneurial community. The competition has created new pathways for regional startups to access international opportunities and resources.