Central Asia has the fastest growing startup ecosystem of any sub-region worldwide, according to a new survey published by a leading research platform that measures business development. The survey labeled Uzbekistan as “Country of the Year 2026.”

The Global Startup Ecosystem Index Report 2026 compiled by StartupBlink shows that Central Asia’s regional startup environment expanded by 81 percent. The report noted that the Uzbek capital Tashkent and Kazakhkstan’s commercial hub of Almaty were “the primary drivers of this momentum”, The Caspian Post reports via Eurasianet.

Uzbekistan shot up 19 spots in the 2026 country rankings to come in 79th worldwide, achieving 227 percent ecosystem growth, according to StartupBlink metrics. The country registered the largest single-year ranking improvement of any country surveyed. Since 2024, Uzbekistan has moved up 31 spots in the global table.

“Uzbekistan ranks 1st in Central Asia in the Startup Community Activity, Corporate Engagement, Funding & Capital, and Ecosystem Visibility Functional Categories, leading the subregion across engagement, investment, and recognition,” the report notes.

Similarly, Tashkent has established itself as the region’s leading startup and innovation hub, surging 121 places to 229th on the global list of 1000 top cities for startup development. Samarkand and Bukhara also cracked the Top 1000 list.

“Uzbekistan is making a significant effort to become a regional tech hub, and the commitment is visible at every level,” StartupBlink evaluators gushed in the report. “We particularly commend the work of IT Park Uzbekistan [in Tashkent], which has become a central pillar of the country's startup growth. … IT Park is doing exactly the kind of institution-building that supports ecosystem development.”

The survey also lauds Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem, which ranked 71st in the 2026 survey, down one spot from the previous year. The country recorded 26.5 percent ecosystem growth according to StartupBlink. Almaty is Kazakhstan’s leading startup center, ranked 291st in the Top 1000 cities list. Astana wasn’t far behind at 332nd.

The survey indicated that the “split structure” of Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem in which Almaty and Astana essentially compete with each other for leadership status may be hampering overall growth in the country. Having a “single, dominant center” in any given country helps optimize sector development.

“Strengthening one city's dominance as the primary startup hub could help consolidate national ecosystem outcomes,” StartupBlink analysts wrote.

In the Caucasus, Armenia was deemed as having the most vibrant startup ecosystem, ranking 55th. That was down one spot from the 2025 rankings. The downward trend was more pronounced in the Top 1000 cities list for Yerevan, which fell 18 spots to 199th.

Georgia moved up five places in the 2026 rankings, placing 66th. Azerbaijan lagged behind in 81st place, falling seven spots from its ranking the previous year.