07 March 2023

“Green Business Conference: Women in Tech & Climate” Demo Day and the Conference
within the program “Accelerating Women’s Green Tech Startups in Uzbekistan”

On March 6 2023, Agency of Youth Affairs in Nukus hosted the Green Business Conference and the Demo Day of the second cohort of a startup acceleration program for women-led projects in the field of climate change actions and “green” technologies.

This conference is the final event of the two-year program “Accelerating Women’s Green Tech Startups in Uzbekistan”, implemented by the NGO Tech4Impact and funded by the UN Democracy Fund, in cooperation with the Association for the Support of Children and Families of Karakalpakstan.

Women entrepreneurs from Nukus, Muynak, Shumanai, Kungrad and Kegeyli regions of Karakalpakstan, participating in the project from April 2021 to March 2023, worked on the creation of innovative “green” technology companies that implement climate action to mitigate the consequences of a man-made disaster in the region, in areas such as agriculture, sustainable land use, water and solid waste management, sustainable production systems (reducing CO2 emissions), sustainable tourism, sustainable fashion, zero waste manufacturing, environmentally responsible business, etc.

Among the participants of the conference were speakers from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan (experts on women’s technology entrepreneurship, innovation, climate change and combating climate change) as well as program partners, startups, mentors and representatives of business and civil society.

Participation in the conference is a great opportunity for women entrepreneurs to discuss their projects and ideas, as well as find new partners and investors to develop their startups. We hope that the Green Business will attract a wide audience and become a regular event for climate change startups in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Conference was organized with in different session formattes, including:

• Demo Day (Pitch Day)  of the 2nd acceleration cohort of women entrepreneurs  (working on their startups since August 2022);
• Award Ceremony for the TOP-3 best projects (founders will receive 22 million soums of grants each, for the development of their business);
• Stakeholders Roundtable in Breakout Rooms (including civil servants, universities etc), on the challenges and opportunities for women-led cleantech entrepreneurs in Karakalpakstan;
• Mentors’ panel discussion;
• Presentation of project results for 2 years of work;
• Exhibition of the participants’ startups;
• Exchange of experience among female founders.

Guests and speakers of the Green Business Conference:

• Christian Lamarre, Senior Programme officer at UNDEF, United Nations Democracy Fund;
• Sholpan Asanova, Head of the Children and Family Support Association in Karakalpakstan;
• Saida Yusupova, Director, NGO Tech4Impact;
• Gulzarkhan Toreniyazova, one of the winners of the first acceleration program with the MicroGreens project (Nukus);
• Ainura Sagyn, founder of Tazar, a platform that helps to collect and dispose of recyclable materials in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).
• Ralina Khasanova, founder of La Lavande company, zero-waste shop with organic cosmetic products (Tashkent);
• Eco Blogger and activist Mutabar Khushvaktova (Tashkent).

Results of the program “Accelerating Women’s Green Tech Startups in Uzbekistan”:

• 2 cycles of the startup acceleration program for women entrepreneurs in cleantech were organized;
• In 2 cycles of the program, 190 applications from female founders were received;
• 41 projects were accepted into the startup accelerator;
• More than 20 women entrepreneurs completed the 6-month program and gained knowledge and skills to create and develop their own business, taking into account minimization of environmental impact;
• 13 finalists (from 2 cohorts) presented their projects at the Demo Day;
• In 2 years, 5 Ideation workshops were organized in Nukus, Muynak and Shumanai, with the participation of 200 women entrepreneurs, farmers and students;
• Trainings were organized for 10 startup mentors in Karakalpakstan;
• A database of mentors has been created on the Central Asian Mentoring Platform, www.mentoringplatform.org;
• Online database for startups in Karakalpakstan was developed and updated, website link is www.data.accelerator.uz;
• Cooperation has been established with partners to develop an ecosystem to support women’s startups in the field of climate change in Karakalpakstan.

On March 6 2023, 7 finalists of the 2nd set cohort of the startup acceleration program presented their projects at the Demo Day:

• Aizada Auezova, student, Nukus
• Aigul Tashibayeva, entrepreneur, Muynak
• Gaukhar Jiiemuratova, activist of the Women’s Public Council, Shumanay
• Gulperi Otepova, head of kindergarten, Kegeyli
• Zliykha Sabirbayeva, Master’s student, Nukus
• Klara Khudaibergenova, journalist, Nukus
• Shakhzada Turdimuratova, student, Nukus

Experts from various local and international organizations were invited to evaluate the projects:

• Seitova Leyli Pulatovna, deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, member of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan;
• Dildora Ataullayeva, deputy manager, of the Karakalpak branch of JSCB “Halq Bank”;
• Amélie Leclere, business development manager for the French water technology company SUEZ International SAS;
• Ainura Sagyn, founder of Tazar platform;
• Ralina Khasanova, founder of La Lavande company;
• Mutabar Khushvaktova, ecoblogger;
• Taubaldiev Yerpolat, Director of JV Ayim Tour.

Each project was given 5 minutes for a presentation and 5 minutes for a session of questions from the jury experts.

Projects evaluation criteria are the following:

• market/business potential;
• social impact/ job creation;
• innovative / technological potential;
• environmental aspects of the project / climate impact;
• team competencies;
• quality of pitch.

As a result of the pitches, the judges selected the 3 best projects:

• Klara Khudaibergenova, Shen`ber Style project (creating furniture from old car tires);
• Gaukhar Zhiemuratova, a project to provide the population of Shumanai with clean drinking water;
• Zliykha Sabirbayeva, a project growing melons under film on vermicompost.

The winning teams will receive 22 million soums of investments each, for the development of their business.
Congratulations to all participants, and we wish you success in the growth of your startups!

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Project “Accelerating Women’s Green Tech Startups in Uzbekistan“ is implemented by Tech4Impact and funded by The United Nations Democracy Fund.

We would like to thank the Association for the Support of Children and Families of Karakalpakstan and the Youth Affairs Agency for their assistance in organizing the event.

Media contacts: Saida Yusupova, director of NGO Tech4Impact, +99890 3197721

www.data.accelerator.uz / www.tech4impact.uz