From pitch deck to the TechCrunch Disrupt stage: 20 Central Asian startups make their way to Silicon Valley

Back in August, most of them had little more than an idea and a ten-slide pitch deck. By October, they were at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, side by side with investors who shape the fate of technology companies around the world. This is how GoAbroad 2026 came to a close: an accelerator for startup founders from Central Asia, run by SITF in partnership with Silkroad Innovation Hub and with the support of NU Impact Foundation.

Two months that shape years

The program opened with a two-week online intensive (September 15–26): participants reworked their pitch decks, learned how negotiations with US investors work, and prepared for the legal and tax specifics of launching a business abroad. The program also included visits to research labs, a trip to Stanford University and a meeting with the StartX team. The highlight was participation in TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.

Results and key figures

~100 applications to GoAbroad 2026. 20 startups completed the program. 13 startups at the Silicon Valley bootcamp. 57 startups across three cohorts, 2024–2026 — nine of them have taken the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt.