Central Asia has emerged as the fastest-growing startup subregion in the world, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026 by Startup Genome. The report, released on June 17, found that Central Asia recorded 81% growth over the past two and a half years, the highest among all startup subregions globally.
Tashkent and Almaty were identified as the primary drivers of this growth, expanding by 155.7% and 70.1% respectively. The findings place Central Asia ahead of other fast-growing regions, including South Asia (27.5% growth) and Eastern Europe (13% growth).
According to StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, Kazakhstan ranked 71st globally with annual ecosystem growth of 26.5%, while Uzbekistan recorded the strongest growth rate in the region, climbing 19 positions to rank 79th globally with annual ecosystem growth of 227.3%. Tashkent rose 121 positions to rank 229th globally, while Samarkand and Fergana entered the top 1,000 startup ecosystems for the first time.
The rise of Central Asia comes amid a broader recovery in the global startup economy. According to GSER 2026, late-stage startup funding increased by approximately 17% in 2025 to around $210 billion, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Startup exits rebounded sharply, with total exit value increasing 164% year-on-year to nearly $800 billion.
Neighboring countries also recorded notable gains. Georgia ranked 66th globally with 78% growth and Armenia ranked 55th with 16.2% growth, underscoring that Central Asia and the Western Balkans are becoming important sources of startup ecosystem growth worldwide.
Source: The Astana Times
