IT Park Uzbekistan and HKSTP Expand Cooperation in Innovation, DeepTech, and R&D

On 15 July, during an official visit to Hong Kong, the IT Park Uzbekistan delegation, headed by Farkhod Ibragimov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of IT Park Uzbekistan, and Azamat Karamatov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, visited the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), one of Asia's leading innovation hubs. During the visit, the parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), opening new opportunities for cooperation in innovation, technology commercialization, startup development, and research infrastructure. 

The agreement establishes a long-term framework for cooperation between the innovation ecosystems of Uzbekistan and Hong Kong. Key areas of collaboration include startup support, entrepreneurship development, research commercialization, the exchange of expertise in R&D infrastructure development, and facilitating international market access for technology companies. 

During the meeting, HKSTP presented its 25-year journey of building one of Asia's leading innovation ecosystems. Today, the park is home to more than 2,400 technology companies, approximately 17,000 R&D professionals, and over 25,000 ecosystem members, while having nurtured 13 unicorn companies. HKSTP also manages a HKD 2.4 billion venture fund with more than 150 investments and has invested over HKD 200 million in the development of specialized laboratories in recent years. 

In turn, the IT Park Uzbekistan delegation presented the country's rapidly growing technology ecosystem, which today includes more than 3,700 resident companies operating across all regions of Uzbekistan. The delegation highlighted the country's competitive business environment, including zero corporate tax incentives extended until 2040, strong government support for digital transformation, a growing venture capital ecosystem, and expanding IT exports. 

The parties also discussed technology transfer mechanisms, entrepreneurship development, startup acceleration, university-industry collaboration, and investment in research commercialization. Particular attention was given to sharing best practices in commercializing research, developing innovation infrastructure, and strengthening cooperation between research institutions and technology companies. 

Artificial Intelligence was identified as one of the key priorities for future cooperation. Discussions focused on AI infrastructure, high-performance computing for AI model training, AI Factory concepts, regulatory frameworks, open data ecosystems, and talent development. IT Park Uzbekistan reaffirmed the country's ambition to become a regional AI hub connecting Asia and Europe. 

Following the official meeting, the delegation toured HKSTP's technology showcase, exploring cutting-edge innovations developed by resident companies. These included AI-powered sports commentary platforms, search-and-rescue drone solutions, advanced robotics, smart healthcare technologies, industrial IoT solutions, millimeter-wave communication systems, and renewable energy technologies. 

During the visit, IT Park Uzbekistan also invited HKSTP's leadership and resident companies to participate in ICT Week Uzbekistan, which will take place in September 2026. The event will provide a platform for innovation, research and development cooperation, meetings with government officials, investors, and potential partners from across Central Asia. HKSTP welcomed the invitation and expressed its interest in exploring participation upon receiving the official invitation. 

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to establish dedicated working groups, strengthen cooperation between research institutions, and continue developing partnerships in Artificial Intelligence, DeepTech, technology commercialization, and support for innovation-driven companies.