SaaS leads Uzbekistan startups at 32%, AI/ML leads Kazakhstan at 36%

Umed Rahimov published an analysis of startup distribution by sector in the Stanbase database for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The data is dated 3 November 2026. Rahimov said in a post on a public Telegram channel on 4 November 2026 that one company can operate in several sectors.

In Uzbekistan, SaaS accounts for 32% of the startups in the database. AI/ML follows at 27%, EdTech at 16%, Fintech at 12% and Marketplace at 11%.

Kazakhstan's distribution differs. AI/ML leads at 36%, SaaS is second at 33%, EdTech third at 16%, Fintech fourth at 11% and HealthTech fifth at 8%.

Rahimov said roughly the same sectors dominate both countries. He asked whether those startups solve the right problems. He noted that Tashkent regularly appears in global rankings of cities with the most polluted air, and asked how many ClimateTech startups work on environmental monitoring, emissions and air purification. Agriculture raises similar questions, he said, citing water, productivity and efficiency problems. He also pointed to industrial automation, freight optimization and energy management, including reducing electricity losses.

Rahimov named six areas where he wants to see more startups: ClimateTech, AgriTech, IndustrialTech, LogisticsTech, EnergyTech and HealthTech. He said AI could be used to solve problems in traditional industries.

He added that a small number of startups in a sector does not prove a large market exists, but it is a reason to look at those areas.

Source:Umed Rahimov, 04.11.2026