The event is organized by the Techstars Uzbekistan team with the strategic support of UzVC (Uzbekistan's National Venture Fund), operator Hackonnect, and the Samarkand City Hokimiyat.

What participants can expect:

● Around 100 ambitious participants will come together for 54 hours to go from idea to a working prototype (MVP), guided by three original Techstars methodology workshops.

● 12+ mentors across startups, business, AI, IT, and marketing — including CEOs, senior executives, and founders. Full mentor list available at: startupweekend.uz/samarkand-2026.

● Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions to investors and venture fund representatives.

● Full infrastructure support throughout the ideathon, plus a prize fund of 30 million soums to help winners launch their businesses.

Program overview:

● May 15 (Friday) — Pitching & Team Formation: The event kicks off with idea pitches. The most promising concepts are selected by open vote, and teams of 3–5 people form around chosen projects — the starting point for three days of intensive innovation.

● May 16 (Saturday) — Development & Validation: The second day is fully dedicated to bringing startups to life. With mentor support, teams work on building MVPs, testing hypotheses, and refining their business models.

● May 17 (Sunday) — Presentations & Demo Day: On the final day, teams present their results to a jury and investors. This is the chance to make a mark, showcase progress, and attract future partners. The intensive wraps up with a celebration of shared achievements and an awards ceremony.

Full detailed schedule: startupweekend.uz/samarkand-2026

Media & Press Information:

We invite media outlets and TV channels to collaborate in the following formats:

1. Informational support: We ask you to amplify this initiative by sharing the ideathon announcement through your channels, so that as many talented young people and aspiring entrepreneurs as possible learn about this opportunity.
2. Open access across all three days: Media and TV representatives are welcome to attend at any time throughout the three-day program. This is a great opportunity to observe teams at work, meet participants, and conduct interviews. Full schedule: startupweekend.uz/samarkand-2026.
3. Invitation to Demo Day: Join us for the grand final project showcase on May 17 at 5:00 PM. Be among the first to see innovative products, meet future market leaders, and connect personally with mentors, jury members, investors, and honored guests.

About the organizers:

● Techstars: An international investment platform and accelerator supporting startups at every stage — from idea to MVP, incubation, and acceleration.

● UzVC: The National Venture Fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

● Hackonnect: Official operator of Techstars programs in Uzbekistan.

● Silk Road International University: The International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand.

● Samarkand City Hokimiyat

Venue: Samarkand, 17 University Avenue, Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.

Dates: May 15–17, 2026.

Registration & details: startupweekend.uz/samarkand-2026 (promo code for participants: SWS26EDU)

Media contact: Asilbek Ortikov — +998909848875

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