TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 17, 2026 (EZ Newswire) — Uzbekistan hosted the 38th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI 2026) in Tashkent from August 9 to 16, welcoming the global technology community for eight days of high-level algorithmic competition and cultural exchange. As the premier global programming event for secondary school students, IOI 2026 brought together 386 top young coders from over 97 countries — including the United States, China, Germany, Singapore, and South Korea — with total attendance exceeding 900 international delegates and guests.
Against this world-class field, Uzbekistan’s primary team delivered a strong national performance, with all four members earning honors: Jahonali Khaydaraliev (Muhammad al-Khwarizmi School) secured silver, while Timur Kadirbergenov, Ulugbek Rakhmatullaev, and Jahongirshoh Avazkhonov earned bronze, alongside an Honorable Mention for Sardorbek Salimov.
“Hosting the IOI in Uzbekistan for the first time is more than a milestone, it is a homecoming,” said Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “Uzbekistan is the land that gave the world the concepts of algebra and algorithm, through the work of the 9th-century scholar Muhammad al-Khwarizmi. A thousand years later, that same land is training the next generation of coders and innovators. Under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s leadership, Uzbekistan has made IT education and creative thinking a national priority — building an environment where young talent can code, build companies, and compete globally. We are proud to host events of this scale, bringing together people from all over the world. They help raise our international visibility. This week, Tashkent showed the world’s tech community what this country has become. A place with a favorable tax environment, strong infrastructure, and deep talent — with the ambition to be Central Asia’s leading innovation hub.”
Uzbekistan’s historical ties to mathematics date back more than a millennium. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, the 9th-century scholar whose name inspired the words algebra and algorithm, was born in Khwarazm (modern-day Khiva, Uzbekistan). Today, the country is translating that historical legacy into a modern technology workforce.
Several of the medalists are students at Uzbekistan’s selective network of state Presidential Schools, where 65% of recent graduates gain early admission to top international universities. To scale this academic pipeline nationwide, the government-backed “One Million Uzbek Coders” initiative — launched in partnership with the UAE — has expanded digital literacy across the country, driving over 2.5 million registrations and 1.5 million course completions since 2019.
“Competing against the world’s top talent right here in Tashkent was an unforgettable challenge,” said Jahonali Khaydaraliev, 15-year-old silver medalist. “Winning silver proves that young coders from Uzbekistan can compete at the highest global level.”
This broad push for accessible digital education has delivered unmatched global benchmarks in gender inclusion. According to a post-year analysis from Coursera assessing the gender gap in AI, Uzbekistan is currently the only country in the world where women form the majority of Generative AI enrollments, standing at 58.9%.
This talent pipeline directly feeds a rapidly expanding tech ecosystem. In the first half of 2026, the number of resident companies engaged in exports reached 1,050, with the export geography expanding to 102 countries. Of the total volume of service exports, 54% was directed to North America, 17% to the European Union and the United Kingdom, 22% to the CIS and Asia-Pacific regions, and7% to MENA countries.
In June 2026, IT Park Uzbekistan recorded a monthly high of 82 newly registered foreign-capital companies. As of August 1, 2026, the total number of resident companies with foreign capital reached 1,112, highlighting the continued growth of foreign investment and international business activity within the IT Park Uzbekistan ecosystem.
The Park’s government scheme offering free office space, equipment, and partial wage reimbursements has already helped create over 4,000 jobs and $43 million in exports. Global firms including EPAM, VEON, Plug and Play, and Techstars now maintain an active presence in Tashkent.
StartupBlink named Uzbekistan its “Country of the Year” in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, citing a 227% growth rate. The country also saw the rise of its first two tech companies valued at over $1 billion, marking the beginning of a new era for the region’s technology sector.
With 60% of Uzbekistan’s population under the age of 30, government strategy focuses on building local infrastructure to retain top young tech talent and foster home-grown global companies. These efforts are helping transform Uzbekistan into a leading IT hub, creating new opportunities for young people, attracting investment, and ultimately improving people’s quality of life.
The next edition, IOI 2027, will be hosted in Germany.
SOURCE: Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan
