Road to Battlefield: Central Eurasia’s largest startup competition in history sends four winners to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield

The startup ecosystem in Central Eurasia is having its moment. What started as 485 applications from across 27 countries — including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, the U.K., Ukraine, the U.S., Uzbekistan, and Vietnam — has culminated in the largest startup pitch competition in Central Eurasia’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.

The Road to Battlefield competition, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and Freedom Holding, is more than just another startup contest. It marks a historic milestone for a region that has been steadily building its dynamic tech ecosystem and will be remembered as the event that put Central Eurasia on the global startup map.

Asset Abdualiyev, CEO and founder of Silkroad Innovation Hub, had this to say:

At Silkroad Innovation Hub, our mission is to put Central Eurasia on the global startup and VC map. This initiative represents an important milestone because, for the first time, TechCrunch hosted a regional competition to source great startups for their prestigious Battlefield competition. When we began, it was simply an idea, a vision to empower founders from underrepresented geographies. We’re pleased to announce that this has become the largest startup competition in Central Eurasia’s history, demonstrating a significant interest from founders across the region in building truly innovative companies and showcasing them globally. We’re grateful to TechCrunch for their continued partnership and their ongoing interest in the region.

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, and the youngest entrepreneur, just 14 years old, was from Unify (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 — Polygraf AI (Azerbaijan and USA), QuickShipper (Georgia), Surfaice (USA and Kazakhstan), and ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) — have secured spots at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco, where they’ll 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.

Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, said:

The 168 applications from Kazakhstan to the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield regional selection is a clear signal of our ecosystem’s growing maturity and global ambition. This level of engagement reflects the effectiveness of our national innovation strategy. Through Astana Hub and strategic partnerships with global platforms, we are committed to supporting Kazakh entrepreneurs as they scale internationally.

Competition results

Following the national rounds from July 21 to August 12, the competition concluded with a Regional Final of Road to Battlefield on August 15, where 20 finalists presented to an international panel of judges.

The 20 finalists who advanced to the Regional Competition were Arlan Biotech, Artskin, Athena AI, Biometric Vision, EZSpeech by Mila4AI, FabStory AI, HaWoO2, Hi Doctor, Investbanq, and Jobster.hr, LYDYA, MiraiTech, NeuroGuard AI, Pikare SkySource, Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Snory, Steppe AI, Surfaice, and Zero Waste.

A panel of 40 jury members from 10 countries judged the national online competitions, representing a broad spectrum of investors, academics, and ecosystem leaders. The jury included Aidana Bergazdenova (Astana Hub Ventures), Dalerkhon Nodirov (IT Park Ventures), Zolzaya Jargalsaikhan (IT Park Mongolia), Abdulla Al-Naimi (Doha Business 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 Lawyer, Stanford GSB), Deon Nicholas (Forethought AI, winner of Startup Battlefield 2018), Ella Shukho (500 Global), Darsh Mann (StartX), Aziza Zakhidova (EBRD Ventures), Abay Absamet (Silkroad Angels Club), Isabelle Johannessen, Head of TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield program, and others.

Isabelle Johannessen says:

It’s humbling and energizing to see this level of excitement for Startup Battlefield. The SilkRoad Innovation Hub — Road to Battlefield was one of the most organized and high-energy pitch events I’ve seen, and the enthusiasm from founders across Central Eurasia was incredible. We’re thrilled to welcome Polygraf AI, QuickShipper, Surfaice, and ArtSkin to San Francisco as part of the Startup Battlefield 200 — and can’t wait to share their stories with the world.

For the first time in the competition’s history, the panel was joined by an AI judge named AI-Gerim, who served as an independent jury member, adding an innovative layer of evaluation to pitches. Together, this combination of global expertise and AI-driven insights sets a new standard for assessing emerging startups.

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 (Azerbaijan)

Polygraf AI delivers locally deployed AI solutions that detect AI threats and protect policies against any AI solutions. Their SLM (small language model) AI solutions are fast and perform the highest accuracy in third-party audits.

“I think the Central Asian and Caucasus-based founders are growing stronger, and this competition showed again that talent is no longer a problem. It’s no longer just isolated to the Western world. We have an amazing talent in there, and all the participants showed it,” said Yagub Rahimov, founder of Polygraf AI.

“The competition was proper, amazing. All the participants presented amazing solutions and tools. But as in every other competition, there is one number one, and I’m so glad that Polygraph was that number one. We have won South by Southwest, Summerfest Tech AI Summit, and multiple other awards already this year.  We want to win the Startup Battlefield this year, too.” 

QuickShipper (Georgia)

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.

“It was a great experience to compete with startups from so many different and interesting markets. The diversity of ideas and talent was inspiring, and it makes it an even bigger honor to represent the Eurasian market in the finals now,” said Mariam Akhvlediani, co-founder and CEO of QuickShipper.

“We feel proud and excited to be in the Top 4. It is a significant milestone for QuickShipper and other startups to be on such a stage. We see it as both a recognition of our hard work and a chance to show what we can do on a global level.”

Surfaice (Kazakhstan and USA)

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, for example, doubling the number of store builds per year from about 100 to 200. It provides a single, comprehensive platform for all their construction software.

“I think our journey to Battlefield has been very dramatic because we almost missed the deadline to apply for this program, but then I motivated my team. So imagine if I hadn’t pushed them and we missed this deadline, we probably would have missed this opportunity,” said Alim Uderbekov, Surfaice CEO and co-founder.

“Overall, it was great to compete with all the other startups and finally be on the stage. It is also funny that, just today, I randomly came across a video about Pied Piper from the Silicon Valley TV show, where they were also attending TechCrunch Battlefield, and I thought, ‘Wow, is this real?’ It’s really hard to understand your feelings because you’re just walking forward, which is a journey that we are going through. But it’s so exciting, looking at my whole past, where I’m coming from, a small city in South Kazakhstan, and I’d be on the main stage for a startup in Silicon Valley, that I used to see only virtually, and now I’m become part of it. I think it’s unbelievable.”

ArtSkin (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan)

In an unprecedented move that added even more excitement to the competition, TechCrunch decided to make its own selection and choose ArtSkin as a special pick, bringing the total to four startups representing the region. 

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.

“Being selected as one of the top four startups to pitch on the main stage at the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield finals is an extraordinary honor and a thrilling milestone,” said Iliias Dzheentaev and Madina Sabitqyzy, co-founders of ArtSkin.

“It validates our team’s dedication, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Knowing we’re among the top 200 startups in the world fills us with pride and excitement, but also a profound sense of responsibility. We’re now more motivated than ever to elevate our pitch, refine our strategy, and showcase our vision to a global audience. Our ambition is clear: we’re aiming to win TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, and this opportunity is a critical step toward achieving that goal.”

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, they’ll pitch alongside startups from all over the world competing for investment, partnerships, and global recognition.

Beyond the pitch

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 in ways they hadn’t anticipated.

What’s happening across Central Eurasia reflects a crucial development. This isn’t just about individual companies seeking investment; it’s about an entire region’s entrepreneurs measuring themselves against global standards and finding they belong in the conversation.

“For Uzbekistan, participation in global arenas like TechCrunch Startup Battlefield is not just about visibility,  it’s about shaping a future where our tech talent leads on the global stage,” said Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “Our goal is to ensure that the next generation of breakthrough technologies isn’t just used in Uzbekistan; it’s built here.”

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.

The main partner is Freedom Holding Corp., a Nasdaq-listed financial services holding company (ticker: FRHC) headquartered in Kazakhstan. As of May 2025, the company achieved a remarkable milestone with a valuation of approximately $10 billion, reflecting investor confidence and market strength.

It has established itself as one of the most influential financial players in the region, earning a strong reputation for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. 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, helping them connect with international markets and scale their impact.

More significantly, it has introduced Central Eurasia to the tech world in Silicon Valley as a source of innovative solutions and emerging talent. The competition was supported by leading innovation hubs and accelerators across the region: Azerbaijan — Innovation and Digital Development Agency, SABAH.Hub, SABAH.angels; Bulgaria/USA — Future Unicorns; Georgia — Future Laboratory; International Organizations — Organization of Turkic States, EBRD; Kazakhstan — Astana Hub, Astana Hub Ventures, Nazarbayev University, Silkroad Angels Club; Kyrgyzstan — Accelerate 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 connected founders who might not have otherwise collaborated and provided a platform to showcase regional talent on a global scale.

“As the Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan, we are very happy to partner with Silkroad Innovation Hub and actively participate in TechCrunch Road to Battlefield startup competition,” said Farid Osmanov, chairman of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) of Azerbaijan.

“We are excited that Polygraf AI, an Azeri-founded startup, got into the top four in this competition and will represent the region at the prestigious TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco. This shows that the Azeri ecosystem is developing fast and we are on the right track.”

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.

This article was co-written with Aikumis Seksenbayeva.