Beeline Uzbekistan Announces UPiDEA Results: Best Innovative Projects Awarded
Beeline Uzbekistan has announced the winners of the UPiDEA innovation contest. Seven of the best teams from over 100 applications submitted from across Uzbekistan made it to the shortlist. University students and postgraduates received valuable prizes such as Apple MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iPad Pro devices.
More than 100 young participants submitted their promising business ideas and projects for the contest. The teams developed and proposed digital solutions in areas such as EdTech, sports, tourism, fintech, ecology, and digital services. The finalists were selected by experts from Beeline Uzbekistan, and the projects were evaluated based on the following criteria: innovation, feasibility, commercial potential, potential impact on customers and society, and quality of presentation.
«Developing the startup culture in Uzbekistan is a strategically important direction for Beeline Uzbekistan. UPiDEA contest has become a unique opportunity for us to witness the incredible potential and talent of our youth. We believe such initiatives contribute to the development of an innovative ecosystem and the digital transformation of Uzbekistan,» emphasized Andrey Pyatakhin, CEO of Beeline Uzbekistan.
The shortlist includes the following teams:
- SARGUZ – smart tourism platform;
- Stadion.uz – online stadium booking service;
- RenderNet – decentralized cloud platform for 3D rendering;
- Tokcha – Uzbek-language subscription platform for books, podcasts, and audio content;
- BeeJob – an app for finding short-term local job places;
- Zina – a digital platform supporting women entrepreneurs in technology and tailoring;
- DoctorLive – telemedicine platform for finding doctors, online consultations, and pharmacy services.
During the final pitch session, where teams presented their projects to the company’s top management and Shavkat Karimov, Head of Uzbekistan’s IT Community, three winners were selected:
- Abbos Ergashev won 1st place with his project Stadion.uz.
- 2nd place went to Mirodil Ismoilov for his project Tokcha.
- 3rd place was awarded to Roman Lunin for his project BeeJob.
The contest final and the award ceremony took place at School 21. The finalists received valuable prizes from Beeline Uzbekistan — Apple MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iPad Pro devices.
«I’m grateful to Beeline Uzbekistan for organizing this wonderful competition and for the chance to witness just how talented and ambitious the young generation of our country is. The projects presented at UPiDEA are clear proof that a new wave of bold, creative, and determined individuals is emerging in Uzbekistan. And my advice to them is simple: believe in yourselves, trust your ideas, and keep working on them no matter what,» said Shavkat Karimov, head IT Community of Uzbekistan.
«I first heard about the competition through the Hambi app, checked the requirements, and submitted my own project focused on helping people find football fields. Honestly, I didn’t expect to take first place, and I’m still overwhelmed by the experience. UPiDEA is truly a transparent and fair contest. I encourage everyone to keep an eye on company updates so they don’t miss out on opportunities like this,» said Abbos Ergashev, winner of the first prize.
About Beeline Uzbekistan
Unitel LLC has been operating as a digital operator under the Beeline Uzbekistan trademark since September 12, 2006. Beeline Uzbekistan is a part of VEON Group, an international telecommunications holding with headquarters in Dubai. Unitel is a Certified Top Employer 2024 and 2025.
VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. Headquartered in Dubai, VEON is listed on NASDAQ.
Beeline Uzbekistan has about 2 thousand employees. VEON has invested more than USD 1.4 billion into Uzbekistan’s telecommunications sector since 2006, when the Group first entered the market. Unitel LLC is one of the largest taxpayers in Uzbekistan. Beeline has paid an estimated USD 2 billion in taxes during the duration of its operations in Uzbekistan.
