In the city of Nurafshon, a research and development center will be established in cooperation with the ADB

Research and development center to be established in Nurafshon in cooperation with ADB

The project of the research and development (R&D) center planned to be built in the city of Nurafshon will be implemented in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This was announced by the Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, at the opening ceremony of ICT Week held in Tashkent.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Digital Technologies, on September 22, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov met with Kanokpan Lao-Araya, Director of the ADB Resident Mission in Uzbekistan, to discuss accelerating digital transformation in Uzbekistan, developing advanced technologies and innovations, and further expanding cooperation in these areas. During the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at increasing Uzbekistan's potential in the field of advanced technologies was signed.

Speaking at the opening of ICT Week, Sherzod Shermatov stated that a memorandum had been signed with the ADB on the implementation of the "Center for Future Technologies" project, and that a research and development (R&D) center would be established in Nurafshon in cooperation.

"Yesterday, we signed a memorandum with the ADB on the implementation of the 'Center for Future Technologies' project. When we just started our work, we tried to present Uzbekistan as an outsourcing hub. And we have already achieved the first billion dollars in IT services outsourcing. Now, we need to increase the potential of our universities and research institutes," he said. "Together with the ADB, we want to establish a research and development (R&D) and technology center in the city of Nurafshon. I express my gratitude to the ADB for supporting this important project."

IT Park Uzbekistan's plan to establish a research and development (R&D) center in Nurafshon was presented to the president in early May.

It is reported that the center is planned to be located on an area of 7.3 hectares: the project includes six high-tech laboratories, a computing center with 200 GPUs, a startup campus, and a commercialization center. The total cost of the project is estimated at $200 million, and it is planned to be implemented in 2027–2031.

According to the ADB, the UPGRADE (Unleashing Potential for Growth through Research and Advanced Digital Technology Excellence) project is aimed at accelerating Uzbekistan's transition to a knowledge-based and private sector-led economy through digital transformation, commercialization of innovations, and deep technological innovations. The project envisages achieving the following results:

The project will finance the construction and equipment of the Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Research and Business Center (DARC), managed by IT Park as the backbone of Uzbekistan's high-tech cluster. DARC will become part of the Center for Future Technologies — a broader innovation cluster planned by the government, which aims to turn Nurafshon into a national hub for artificial intelligence, digitalization, research, and high technologies.

According to the ADB, the center will consist of four parts.

The first is the Modular Artificial Intelligence Computing Center (MACC). MACC will be a shared, energy-efficient (low-power, under 400 kilowatts) artificial intelligence computing facility equipped with about 200 high-performance GPUs, serving relevant universities, startups, researchers, and laboratories by providing them with GPU and private cloud capacity.

Also, the modular hardware of the center will be updated every 3 years, and the decommissioned equipment will be transferred to regional universities.

The second is 6 high-tech laboratories. These laboratories will serve for industrial-grade production, testing, and certification of AI applications, devices, and technologies focused on agriculture, healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity.

The third is the commercialization center. The center will provide advice on product-market fit and market entry, intellectual property, and regulatory guidance. It will also support international certification and product testing services.

The fourth is an open innovation and startup campus accommodating up to 50 startups along with 10 corporate open innovation offices.

The project is currently in the preparation stage, and the selection of contractors is planned for the first quarter of 2027. It is worth noting that the project value is not specified on the bank's website.

In July, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Cyber University in Nurafshon and launched the construction of the Center for Future Technologies next to the university.

Nearly $500 million in investments will be attracted for the construction of this center, which covers an area of 36 hectares. It is planned to become a single innovation ecosystem combining education, scientific research, technological testing, and production processes.

Six laboratories in the fields of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and cryptography will operate at the center. Also, an artificial intelligence data center, an engineering cluster, and centers for the production of secure computers, data transmission equipment, and high-tech tokens will be built here. In addition, a special testing ground will be established for testing unmanned aerial vehicles and robotics.

With the support of the Asian Development Bank, a platform will be created to commercialize local technologies and bring national products to international markets. To provide the projects with sustainable electricity, 5-megawatt power capacities will be built.

It is also planned to attract the world's leading companies, universities, and scientists to the center, and to create modern social, cultural, and domestic infrastructure for students and staff.

More than 5,000 highly qualified jobs are expected to be created within the framework of the project. It was also noted that the center will provide an important impetus to the development of the region's digital economy.