The regional final of Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026 in Central Eurasia concluded with Cerberus, WeGlobal AI, and LOOQ taking the top three places. These startups will represent the region at Startup Battlefield 200 during TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco, an event expected to draw over 10,000 technology leaders.
This year’s competition attracted a record 726 applications from 39 countries, nearly doubling the participation from its 2025 debut. The field was narrowed to 22 finalists through national rounds, who then pitched live before a panel of 47 jurors from eight countries, including an AI judge named AI-Dana.
The winners reflect a strong focus on artificial intelligence, with 84% of applicants developing AI-based products. Cerberus, the first-place winner from Uzbekistan, offers an AI-driven cybersecurity solution that autonomously detects vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems, addressing limitations in current AI security tools. This marks Uzbekistan’s first victory in the Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition.
WeGlobal AI from Kazakhstan secured second place with an AI platform designed to support student mental health and career guidance, tackling the shortage of school psychologists in the region. The company’s success aligns with Kazakhstan’s national emphasis on AI-driven digital development.
Third place went to LOOQ, a Japan-based startup developing camera hardware and an attention measurement API to quantify real-world engagement with outdoor advertisements, aiming to bring analytics similar to online tracking into physical spaces.
The three winners will share a $100,000 investment pool, with Cerberus receiving $50,000, WeGlobal AI $30,000, and LOOQ $20,000. Additionally, OpenAI granted $280,000 in API credits across all finalists to support their development efforts.
The competition highlights the growing AI startup ecosystem in Central Eurasia and provides a platform for founders to gain global exposure and connections. The next step for these startups is competing on the international stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in October.