Uzbekistan launches annual President’s Tech Award contest with a total prize fund of $1 million for best startups, IT Park said on Thursday.
As per the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated February 15, the competition will be divided into main and special categories.
Main categories:
- artificial intelligence;
- social digital technologies;
- cyber security;
- business and financial tech;
- video and mobile games.
Special contest will be the Hackathon Grand Prix, which includes finding a digital solution in 72 hours.
Prize fund will be distributed for each category of the main categories:
- 1st place - 100 thousand dollars;
- 2nd place - 50 thousand dollars;
- 3rd place - 30 thousand dollars.
The Hackathon Grand Prix will be 100 thousand dollars.
The competition will be held in five stages:
- call of entries - from May 1 to July 1;
- shortlisting - from 1 to 25 July;
- online evaluation of shortlisted projects - from September 5 to October 5;
- offline assessment (Demo Day) - from November 5 to 10;
- awarding of winners - November 20 - December 25.
- Eligibility:
Only Uzbek nationals are eligible for the main categories of the competition, while foreign citizens who are employees of IT Park residents are alos eligible for special contest.
Young people under 30 years old can participate in all areas, who must be divided into teams of 3-8 people for the main categories and 3-5 people for the special category.
Participation is free of charge and is allowed only in one selected category of the main categories, as well as in the special category.
The competition will be judged by "an independent organization with extensive international experience in the development of start-ups."
The winners of the main categories will be determined by public voting, and the winners of the hackathon will be determined by an independent organization.
In order to ensure transparency and openness, all stages will be carried out on a special portal. Registration for the competition will open soon.
