Regional Champions Selected for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
In an exciting development for the startup community, three innovative companies have triumphed at the regional final for the Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026. Cerberus from Uzbekistan, WeGlobal AI from Kazakhstan, and Japan’s LOOQ have earned their places to compete at the prestigious Startup Battlefield 200 during TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, set to take place in San Francisco from October 13-15. This year, the competition attracted more than 726 applications from 39 countries, marking a significant increase from the previous year.
The Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield is organized by the Silkroad Innovation Hub in collaboration with TechCrunch, Freedom Holding, Astana Hub, and IT Park Uzbekistan. The number of applications received this year was nearly 50% higher than in 2025, surprising many in the tech community. From the initial pool, 22 contenders were selected to pitch their ideas live to a panel of 47 judges from eight countries, including an AI judge for the second consecutive year.
Isabelle Johannessen, head of the Startup Battlefield program at TechCrunch, expressed her enthusiasm, noting, “The competition attracted record applications and showcased diverse companies in health tech, education, productivity, enterprise, and cybersecurity. These founders are gaining global attention, highlighting that local startups can scale on an international level.”
This year’s entries heavily featured artificial intelligence, with 84% of applicants developing AI-related products. The three winning startups exemplified this trend: Cerberus specializes in identifying cybersecurity risks, WeGlobal AI provides mental health and career support for students, and LOOQ offers technology to measure real-world engagement with advertisements.
Asset Abdualiyev, founder and CEO of Silkroad Innovation Hub, shared his thoughts on the competition: “We had a remarkable group of applicants, making the final decision challenging. From the start, our aim was to connect talented founders to wider opportunities. The strongest teams have made it through, and we’re proud to partner with TechCrunch to create pathways for Central Eurasia startups.”
In addition to the winners, the top ten included startups from various countries, such as Suriy from Mongolia, SeaDar from Azerbaijan, and Admyra from the United States.
Meet the Winners
Cerberus (Uzbekistan)
Cerberus took first place as an AI-driven cybersecurity startup that identifies vulnerabilities within corporate IT systems. Aziz Akhmedkhodjaev, the founder, highlighted that their solution addresses urgent market needs. He emphasized the importance of their win for Uzbekistan, showcasing the country’s emerging tech landscape.
WeGlobal AI (Kazakhstan)
In second place, WeGlobal AI addresses the shortage of school psychologists in Kazakhstan by offering AI tools to monitor student mental health and career guidance. Co-founder Bolat Ashim described their experience in the competition as transformative and looked forward to representing Kazakhstan in San Francisco.
LOOQ (Japan)
Third-place winner LOOQ, developed by Ayan Sakenov and Yudai Ishida, creates sensor technology to measure how many people actually notice outdoor advertisements. Ayan explained their journey from concept to competition and expressed excitement about expanding their presence in the U.S. market.
The top three teams will share a total investment pool of $100,000, with Cerberus receiving $50,000, WeGlobal AI $30,000, and LOOQ $20,000, all aimed at helping them grow further.
In addition to financial support, OpenAI awarded $280,000 in API credits to the finalists, with each of the three winners receiving $100,000 in credits that matched their cash awards.
The winners are now poised to take on the global stage at the Startup Battlefield 200 competition, marking a significant step in their entrepreneurial journeys.
