Cerberus, WeGlobal AI, and LOOQ have won the top three places in the 2026 Road to Battlefield regional final, earning them a spot representing Central Eurasia at Startup Battlefield 200 during TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco from 13-15 October. The competition, run by Silkroad Innovation Hub with TechCrunch, Freedom Holding, Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan, is designed to give founders from the region visibility and connections with the wider global startup community, and this year's contest drew record interest, underlining growing momentum in the region's tech scene.

The three winners emerged from 22 finalists, themselves narrowed from a record 726 applications spanning 39 countries, up nearly 50% on the 485 applications received in 2025. Finalists pitched before 47 human jurors from eight countries alongside an AI judge, AI-Dana. Cerberus, from Uzbekistan, took first place with an AI agent that hunts for cybersecurity vulnerabilities in corporate systems; WeGlobal AI offers an AI platform for student mental health and career guidance; and LOOQ builds AI-powered hardware to measure billboard viewership. Reflecting the field overall, 84% of all applicants were building AI products, with other notable finalists including Suriy (Mongolia), TelAgri (Georgia) and SeaDar (Azerbaijan).