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The Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield– run by Silkroad Innovation Hub in collaboration with TechCrunch, Freedom Holding, Astana Hub, and IT Park Uzbekistan– drew almost 50% more applications than its 2025 launching, when 485 start-ups from 27 nations used. National rounds narrowed the field to 22 finalists, who pitched live at the Regional Final before 47 jurors from 8 nations. AI-Dana, an AI judge, joined them as an independent juror for the 2nd year.
“Road to Battlefield 2026 had record applications and representation from more nations than ever. The business pitching throughout health tech, education, performance, business, and cyber were innovative and excellent. These creators are getting worldwide presence at TechCrunch Disrupt, which sends out a message to the next generation: You can develop in your area and scale internationally. That presence is a driver. Roadway to Battlefield shows this environment is growing which there’s a genuine path for creators here to contend on a world phase,” stated Isabelle Johannessen, head of the Startup Battlefield program at TechCrunch.
It’s likewise a field that has actually gone nearly completely AI– of the 726 start-ups that used this year, 84% were developing AI items. All 3 winners fit that mold: An AI representative that searches for security vulnerabilities (Cerberus); an AI platform for trainee psychological health and profession assistance (WeGlobal AI); and AI-powered hardware that determines who really takes a look at a signboard (LOOQ).
“We had a really strong candidate swimming pool this year, that made the last choice really tough,” stated Asset Abdualiyev, creator and CEO of Silkroad Innovation Hub. “From the start, the concept behind Road to Battlefield has actually been to provide gifted creators a platform to be seen, heard, and linked to chances beyond the area. Throughout the competitors, we welcomed knowledgeable VCs and tech leaders from various nations, providing creators the chance to pitch their business, get feedback, and construct relationships with the worldwide start-up neighborhood. The greatest groups made it through to the last, and we are happy to have TechCrunch as a partner in producing this worldwide path for creators from Central Eurasia.”
The remainder of the leading 10 Road to Battlefield finalists consisted of Suriy (Mongolia), TelAgri (Georgia), SeaDar (Azerbaijan), Kaptın Kaptın (Türkiye), Admyra (United States), MVSxAI (Qatar), and Soup (Kazakhstan).
The Winners
Cerberus (Uzbekistan)
First-place winner Cerberus is an AI-powered cybersecurity start-up that instantly looks for vulnerabilities in business IT systems. The business is dealing with an issue it sees in the existing generation of AI-driven security tools: Many rely greatly on general-purpose language designs that can hallucinate, with possibly severe effects when admitted to business systems. Cerberus has actually currently gone through 500 Global Eurasia and has actually been accepted into the Alchemist Silkroad– Silicon Valley Residency program.
“We were merely grateful to be part of Road to Battlefield. Completing versus 726 applications from 39 nations is important in itself, whatever the result,” stated Aziz Akhmedkhodjaev, creator and CEO of Cerberus. “What made our pitch distinct is that we’re resolving an issue the marketplace is currently feeling. Everybody is composing code with AI now, vulnerabilities are appearing faster than groups can discover them, and there’s no recognized method to let an AI representative test genuine facilities securely. Our company believe the judges acknowledged that, and we’ll do our finest, treating it as a major obligation. We do not plan to let our area down.”
The win likewise offers Uzbekistan its very first Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield champ, as the nation seeks to bring more of its emerging innovation business onto the global phase.
“Uzbekistan’s start-up community has actually altered substantially in the previous couple of years,” stated Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technology of Uzbekistan. “We are seeing more creators developing advanced innovation items and thinking of worldwide markets from the start. Cerberus taking top place and advancing to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 is a strong example of that development, and an essential chance to reveal the international innovation neighborhood what creators from Uzbekistan can develop.”
WeGlobal AI (Kazakhstan)
Second-place winner WeGlobal AI developed its platform around a scarcity of school psychologists in Kazakhstan, providing schools AI tools to track trainee psychological health and deal profession assistance at a scale no working with push might match.
“Road to Startup Battlefield was an unbelievable experience for our group,” stated Bolat Ashim, co-founder and CEO of WeGlobal AI. “Going through the National and Regional rounds provided us the chance to challenge our thinking, hone our story, and fulfill some incredible creators along the method. Completing 2nd and making the chance to sign up with TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 in San Francisco is a substantial turning point for us. We’re thrilled to represent Kazakhstan on an international phase and present what we’re developing at WeGlobal AI to the broader tech neighborhood.”
For Kazakhstan, WeGlobal AI’s outcome likewise comes as the nation puts AI at the center of its digital advancement program and wants to link more of its innovation business with global markets.
“AI is developing a chance for nations like Kazakhstan to contend internationally in manner ins which were not possible a years back,” stated Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan. “Our job is to ensure skilled creators have the facilities, abilities, and global connections to benefit from that chance. Roadway to Battlefield is among those bridges, linking business owners from Kazakhstan and throughout Central Eurasia straight with the worldwide innovation community.”
LOOQ (Japan)
Third-place winner LOOQ, established by Ayan Sakenov and Yudai Ishida, is developing camera-based hardware and an “attention API” to determine the number of individuals in fact see signboards and other out-of-home ads. The innovation is created to offer marketers a clearer step of real-world attention to outside marketing.
“LOOQ began with an easy however enthusiastic concept: If we can determine every click online, why can’t we determine what occurs in the real world? Ever since, we’ve taken that concept from a model to real-world releases, consumers, and now 3rd location at Road to Battlefield. Making our method to San Francisco is a big turning point, however for us, it’s actually simply the start. Start-up life is generally developing, screening, finding out, and periodically sleeping– and now we’re delighted to bring LOOQ to the U.S. and reveal what Google Analytics for the real world can end up being,” stated Ayan Sakenov, creator and CEO.
The 3 winners will likewise share a $100,000 financial investment swimming pool, moneyed collectively by Astana Hub Ventures, IT Park Ventures, and Silkroad Innovation Hub. Cerberus will get a $50,000 financial investment, WeGlobal AI $30,000, and LOOQ $20,000, spent for basic market terms in exchange for equity.
OpenAI granted $280,000 in API credits throughout the 22 finalists. The 3 winners got $100,000 in overall, matching the financial investment reward structure, while each of the other 19 finalists got $10,000 in API credits.
“Founders throughout Central Eurasia revealed genuine aspiration, a clear concentrate on fixing genuine issues, and strong technical ability in structure with AI,” stated Thomas Jeng, Head of Startups APAC at OpenAI. “It’s fantastic to see competitors like this linking them with the international networks they require to turn their concepts into items that reach individuals far beyond the area.”
For the 3 winners, the local last marks completion of Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026, however the start of a much larger competitors in San Francisco.
Have a look at the broadcast of the last round:
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