PARTNERS

PARTNERS

4th STRATEGEAST STATE AND IT EURASIAN FORUM

SAMARKAND, 24-25 OCTOBER 2022

The StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum is an annual event, held in one of the Eurasian cities, that serves as a unique platform for dialogue between governments and leaders of the IT industry. The inaugural StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum took place in 2019 in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2020 the Forum was held in Tbilisi, Georgia, and in 2021 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

This year StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum will be held in
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on October 24-25 with the Lead topic: Diversity through Inclusivity.

The Forum brings together representatives of global and local tech companies, governments, international financial institutions, and development agencies. It provides an opportunity to discuss what needs to be done to enhance the innovative economy across the region and assist Eurasian countries with their integration into the global economy. The event offers:

  • Over 70 high-level speakers;
  • Over 200 participants;
  • Over 30 global and regional institutional partners;
  • Informal communication between the government officials and the IT

LEAD TOPIC:

DIVERSITY THROUGH INCLUSIVITY

GOALS:

  • To identify common opportunities and challenges of the IT sector in the Eurasian countries;
  • To suggest practical solutions to the existing challenges in the fields of legislation, taxation and IPR;
  • To attract international IT companies and venture funds to the potential of the IT industry in the region;
  • To share best practices, experience and knowledge regarding the relations between the government and the IT sector.

PARTICIPANTS:

  • Senior representatives of the governments of the Eurasian states;
  • High-level representatives of global IT companies, VC funds, and investment banks;
  • Heads of IT associations and leaders of the IT sector from the region.

AGENDA (Tashkent time, GMT+5)

OCTOBER 24: OPENING CEREMONY

16:00 – 17:00

Participants registration

17:00 – 18:00

Welcome coffee

18:00 – 19:00

Opening remarks:

Anatoly Motkin, President, StrategEast

Sherzod Shermatov, Minister for Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Iulia Sandu, Private Enterprise Officer / Acting Director of the Economic Growth and Environment Office, USAID Uzbekistan Mission

Yurii Antoniuk, Vice President, CEE Head, EPAM Systems

Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan

19:00 – 20:00

Keynote speech “Innovation Explosion” by Steve Hoffman,Chairman and CEO of global innovation hub Founders Space, Author of bestsellers “Make Elephants Fly”, “Surviving a Start-up” & “The Five Forces”.

20:00 – 22:00

Special reception for the forum participants

OCTOBER 25: PLENARY DAY

09:00 – 10:00

Participants registration & Welcome coffee

Plenary sessions

10:00 – 11:15
Global IT Industry Trends

Moderator: Nikolay Yarmov, Senior Business Advisor, AmCham Uzbekistan

Speakers:

Yurii Antoniuk, Vice President, CEE Head, EPAM Systems

John Farr, Industry Value Advisor SAP Middle East

Steve Hoffman, Chairman and CEO, Founders Space

Elena Krukovskaya, Chief Operations Officer, Exadel

Felix Lammers, Manager Corporate Partnerships & Co-Founder, Plug and Play Uzbekistan

Olga Skorokhodova, Head of Former Soviet Union, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Emerging Markets, Google

11:30 – 12:45
Inclusive Digitalization of Central Asia

Moderator: Eric Livny, Regional Lead Economist, Central Asia, EBRD

Speakers:

Yurii Aronskii, Chairman, Union of Economists of Turkmenistan

Farhod Boboev, Vice Director, State Unitary Enterprise “Smart City”, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Irakli Kashibadze, CEO and Founder, Future laboratory

Bekzod Kasimov, International Operations and Exporters’ Support Manager, IT Park Uzbekistan

Avigail Menashe, Executive Director, Kyrgyz Software and Services Developers’ Association

William Tompson, Head of the Eurasia Division, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate OECD

12:45 – 14:00 Networking lunch

Special event in Partnership with Astana Hub

14:00-15:00
Development of the export IT industry of Kazakhstan

Moderator: Anatoly Motkin, President, StrategEast

Speakers:

Yersultan Yermanov, Director of Development of the IT Industry, Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abay Absamet, Managing Director at Astana Hub

Aktore Barlybayev, Product manager, LLP “Toolpar”, Tastamat project,

Rostislav Konyashkin, Chairman of the Management Board, National Information Technologies JSC

Pavel Koktyshev, Managing Partner & co-founder MOST Ventures

Aida Dikhanbayeva, Director of a Project Office StrategEast Kazakhstan

15:00 – 15:50 Panel discussions

Startups Acceleration: Route to Silicon Valley

Moderator: Lika Merabishvili, Project Manager for Caucasus, StrategEast

Speakers:

Emin Aliev, Founder, Partnerships Center

Chris Burry, Co-CEO, US Market Access Center

Rozik Chorshambiev, Country Manager for Tajikistan, Accelerate Prosperity

Avtandil Kasradze, Chairman, Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency

Naomi Kokubo, Cofounder & COO, Founders Space

E-governance in Eurasia

Moderator: Hannes Astok, Executive Director and Chairman of the Management Board, e-Governance Academy

Speakers:

Shakhboz Akhmedov, Senior Research Fellow, Knowledge and Research Networking, CAREC Institute

Anastasia Kalinina, Co-Founder and CEO, Re-State Foundation

Davit Nadirashvili, Chair, Digital Governance Agency of Georgia

Oleg Pekos, First Deputy Minister for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Digital Economy and E-government Issues

Olga Tumuruc, Director, Electronic Governance Agency of the Republic of Moldova

16:00 – 16:50 Panel discussions

IT Investment Funds in Eurasia

Moderator: Lyazzat Mukhamedsafa, Big Tech Manager for Kazakhstan, StrategEast

Speakers:

Pavel Koktyshev, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, MOST Ventures

Sergey Tokarev, Founding Partner, Roosh

IT Industry in Uzbekistan

Moderator: Filip Stoyanovich, Chief of Party, USAID’s Future Growth Initiative for Central Asia

Speakers:

Renat Akhtyamov, Office Head, EPAM Uzbekistan

Céleste Laporte-Talamon, Policy Analyst in the Eurasia Division, OECD

Dilovar Mavlonov, Partner, Tax Services in Uzbekistan, EY

Sultonmurod Rasulov, International Markets Promotion Manager, IT PARK Uzbekistan

Kamola Sabirova, Advisor of the Minister, Ministry of the Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Yulia Yakovleva, Director, Exadel Uzbekistan

16:50 – 17:10 Coffee break

17:10 – 18:00 Panel discussions

Smart Fintech Solutions

Moderator: Daria Batalova, Education Program Director, StrategEast

Speakers:

Azizjon Azimi, Founder & CEO, zypl.ai

Natia Gvazava, CLO, Identomat

Rafal Trepka, General Manager Central Asia, Mastercard

New Education for the New Economy

Moderator: Aida Dikhanbayeva, Project Manager for Kazakhstan, StrategEast

Speakers:

Botir Arifdjanov, Founder, Astrum IT Academy

Muzaffar Djalalov, Rector, Inha University in Tashkent

Farzom Hamdamov, Partnerships Lead, Ilmhona Skills Accelerator

LOCATION

Grand Hotel Sogdiana

76 A Narpay str Samarkand, Uzbekistan

StrategEast Center for a New Economy has the mission to reinforce the values of inclusivity, connectivity, gender equality and equal opportunities in Eurasian countries through the digital economy. StrategEast is a non profit organization with the offices in the United States, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine.

For more information about StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum 2021 in Bishkek:
https://newforum.strategeast.org/strategeast-state-and-it-eurasian-forum-2021/

For more information about StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum 2020 in Tbilisi:
https://newforum.strategeast.org/forum-2020-summary

For more information about StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum 2019 in Kyiv:
https://newforum.strategeast.org/strategeast-state-and-it-eurasian-forum-2019

CONTACTS

Head Office

office@strategeast.org

1900 K Street, NW
Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20006

Stanislav Kovalchuk

(Forum coordination)

Stanislav.Kovalchuk@strategeast.org