On September 19, the Startup World Cup’s Regional Stage Ashgabat 2026 qualifying tournament, the largest startup event in Turkmenistan’s history, took place at the Bilelik Hub (Ashgabat Mall). The winner was SalamMotion, an AI-powered video content creation service. The startup secured a spot in the Startup World Cup finals, scheduled for November 4–6, in San Francisco.
Out of 51 applications submitted for the competition, the top 12 startups were selected to participate in the pitch battle. Each team presented its project in English, the language of international business. Presentations were evaluated by a jury comprising representatives from the BIZANGEL business club, active entrepreneurs and investors, as well as a representative from the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan.
The “People’s Choice” award went to the startup Elkitap. The winner was chosen by event attendees through a QR-code vote.
Over 150 guests attended the event, including Kristin Hawkins, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan. Bill Reichert, Chief Evangelist for the Startup World Cup and a partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, addressed the participants and guests via a video message from the Startup World Cup team. The event was broadcast on Instagram and YouTube.
The Startup World Cup finals will take place on November 4–6, in the heart of Silicon Valley San Francisco. More than 200 startups from around the globe will gather there, and the winner will receive 1,000,000 dollar. The primary value of participating in the finals is the opportunity to connect with venture capitalists and potential partners from all over the world. For SalamMotion and Turkmenistan’s entire startup ecosystem, this is an opportunity to make a mark on the international stage, enter the global market, and attract investment.
The organizers extend their gratitude to the event sponsors for their support: the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, Turkish Airlines, Miwe, the Erem brand, Berk Tor, private entrepreneur Kerim Annabayev, Kuwwatly Enegiya Hyzmat, and Archalyk.
Background
Startup World Cup (startupworldcup.io) is a global startup competition organized by the American venture capital firm Pegasus Tech Ventures.
StartUp Academy (startup-tm.com) is Turkmenistan’s first private startup accelerator; it has been developing the country’s technology ecosystem for six years. It has conducted 14 startup programs, with over 120 startup projects graduating from them. StartUp Academy’s business incubation program was a finalist for the CEVF Awards in the “Best Startup Support Program in Central Asia and the Caucasus” category. StartUp Academy serves as the regional partner (for Turkmenistan) for Pegasus Tech Ventures in hosting the Startup World Cup.
