Office for Supporting Youth Innovative Initiatives

“Heirs of Mirzo Ulugbek” national competition

A three-stage competition — from district to national level — to discover and support gifted young people aged 16–25

2026 · March – May, 14 regions See the winners
48 566 young people registered from 208 districts and cities
17 890 project pitches uploaded after the IQ test
280 national-stage participants 20 from each region
100 winners UZS 8.24 mln prize each
01About the competition

Taking talent from the district to the national stage

The “Heirs of Mirzo Ulugbek” national competition has been held every year since 2022 to discover and support young people gifted in research and innovation. It is open to 16–25-year-olds with innovative or startup projects or inventions.

Participants Young people aged 16–25
Stages 3 stages, March – May
Platform vorislar.uz
National stage 18–22 May, Tashkent
Top prize 20× base amount

Participants register on the vorislar.uz platform, take an IQ test and upload a project pitch. The competition then runs in three stages — district (city), regional and national; winners of every stage receive a cash prize.

From the second stage, participants are split into 16–19 and 20–25 age categories, each with a quota proportional to its share of participants. At the national stage projects are scored on a 100-point scale.

Eligibility

  1. 01

    Citizenship of the Republic of Uzbekistan

  2. 02

    An idea or a project

  3. 03

    An IQ test score of at least 110

  4. 04

    Diplomas and recommendations confirming wins in competitions

How the competition works

  1. January – February

    Registration

    Application on vorislar.uz, IQ test and project pitch upload.

  2. March · Stage 1

    Districts and cities

    5 winners from each of 208 districts (cities) — 5× base amount.

  3. April · Stage 2

    14 regions

    20 winners from each region — 10× base amount.

  4. May · Stage 3

    National stage

    100 winners — 20× base amount, a certificate and a statuette.

02Selection

From 48,566 participants to 100 winners

Each stage narrows the field: from platform registration to the national final.

  1. 01 48 566 Registered on vorislar.uz
  2. 69% kept 02 33 456 Took the IQ test online IQ test
  3. 86% kept 03 28 789 Passed the IQ test above the threshold
  4. 62% kept 04 17 890 Uploaded a project with a project pitch
  5. 5,8% kept 05 1 040 Stage 1 winners 5 from each district
  6. 27% kept 06 280 To the national stage 20 from each region
  7. 36% kept 07 100 Winners national stage

One in every 486 registrants became a national winner. Winners of every stage receive cash prizes — the total prize fund is about UZS 4.1 bln.

Prize fund by stage UZS mln
  • Stage 1 · 1,040 × 2.06 mln2 14252%
  • Stage 2 · 280 × 4.12 mln1 15428%
  • Stage 3 · 100 × 8.24 mln82420%

Calculated from the base amount (UZS 412,000). Stage 1–2 prizes are paid from local budgets, stage 3 prizes from the Fund for Science Financing and Innovation Support.

03Analytics

What the numbers say

Five years of reach, the make-up of national-stage participants and results by region.

Reach by year participants
  • 202223 811
  • 202343 125
  • 202447 514
  • 202551 621
  • 202648 566

In 2022–2026 the competition reached 214,637 young people.

National-stage participants 280
  • Young men55%
  • Young women45%
  • Aged 16–1930%
  • Aged 20–2570%
  • University students24889%
  • School pupils228%
  • Employed young people104%
Share of finalists who won 100 / 280
  • Aged 16–1942%35/84
  • Aged 20–2533%65/196

The younger category had a higher chance of winning. About 40% of winners are young women (estimated from names).

National-stage scoring criteria 100 points
  • Implementation mechanism30pts
  • Scientific and innovative novelty20pts
  • Research and technical curiosity20pts
  • Presentation materials15pts
  • Expected results15pts

By region

Region Stage 1 participants Stage 1 winners Stage 2 participants National winners (of 20)
Republic of Karakalpakstan 697 85 72 11
Bukhara region 577 65 62 10
Tashkent region 650 109 106 10
Kashkadarya region 890 80 76 9
Surkhandarya region 671 75 72 8
Khorezm region 221 65 59 8
Fergana region 931 95 95 8
Jizzakh region 537 65 62 7
Samarkand region 522 80 79 7
Namangan region 554 60 60 6
Syrdarya region 428 55 53 5
Tashkent city 497 60 — 5
Andijan region 780 80 75 3
Navoi region 748 55 50 3

Figures from regional photo reports. Tashkent city held its stage 2 separately; its participant count is not given in the report.

04Winners

100 winners of the national stage

Each winner received a certificate, a statuette and a cash prize of 20× the base amount — UZS 8,240,000.

Participants aged 16–19 · 35 winners

  1. 01 Uzaqbergenova Azada Daryabay qizi Republic of Karakalpakstan
  2. 02 Toshpolatova Durdona Sharifbekovna Surkhandarya region
  3. 03 Saatbaeva Shahlo Shuxrat qizi Republic of Karakalpakstan
  4. 04 Fayzullayev Boymurod Bobomurod o‘g‘li Khorezm region
  5. 05 Mamadaliyev Zayniddin Xusniddin o‘g‘li Namangan region
  6. 06 Karimov Behruz Baxtiyor o‘g‘li Samarkand region
  7. 07 Muzaffarov Samoyiddin Zarif o‘g‘li Bukhara region
  8. 08 Shokirov Karim Kamolovich Bukhara region
  9. 09 Mavlonov Asiljon Azizbek o‘g‘li Fergana region
  10. 10 Nuraliyev Nurmuhammad Baxtiyor o‘g‘li Tashkent region
  11. 11 Maxmudov Asadbek Maxamad o‘g‘li Tashkent region
  12. 12 Ikhtiyor Sadulloyev Otabek o‘g‘li Tashkent city
  13. 13 Bekchanov Ollashukur Og‘aboy o‘g‘li Khorezm region
  14. 14 Xudaybergenova Gulay Konaevna Republic of Karakalpakstan
  15. 15 Alisherov Nurbek A’zamjon o‘g‘li Namangan region
  16. 16 Rasulova Muslima Mirsobit qizi Tashkent city
  17. 17 Eshnazarov Azizbek Xusniddin o‘g‘li Tashkent city
  18. 18 Abdumo‘minova Salomat Otabekovna Surkhandarya region
  19. 19 Nurmatjonova Sabrina Elyorjon qizi Namangan region
  20. 20 Shukurov Otabek Sadriddin o‘g‘li Jizzakh region
  21. 21 Davronboyev Sardor Halimjon o‘g‘li Syrdarya region
  22. 22 Rasulova Solixaxon Mirvosil qizi Tashkent city
  23. 23 Turdialiyev Nodirbek Abduqodir o‘g‘li Surkhandarya region
  24. 24 Masaidov Sayfullo Xayrullo o‘g‘li Andijan region
  25. 25 Xalilova Marjona Hasanovna Bukhara region
  26. 26 Amirov Avazbek Kamiljon o‘g‘li Kashkadarya region
  27. 27 Allaberganova Aziza Rashidovna Khorezm region
  28. 28 Ollaberganov Juratbek Mansurbek o‘g‘li Khorezm region
  29. 29 Saydiraxmonova Saida Saydimurod qizi Tashkent region
  30. 30 Olimov Abdulaziz Alijon o‘g‘li Tashkent region
  31. 31 Shamsiddinova Shaxzoda Nuqliddin qizi Navoi region
  32. 32 Hamroyeva Feruza Azizjon qizi Samarkand region
  33. 33 Mamarasulova Zulfiya Ziyodulloyevna Navoi region
  34. 34 Safarov Sarvarjon Sobirjon o‘g‘li Bukhara region
  35. 35 Mamataliyev Shukurbek Mirtemirbek o‘g‘li Andijan region

In addition, winners of 10 special nominations received souvenirs.

National stage

Five days in Tashkent

On 18–22 May finalists from 14 regions defended their projects, explored the capital, and the winners were awarded.

For participants

Accommodation, meals and presentation facilities were fully arranged for all finalists from the regions.

276finalists took part
5days of programme
3free meals a day
10special nominations
  • Comfortable hotel accommodation
  • Project presentations at Tashkent State University of Economics

Excursions and partners

Free time was well spent: finalists visited cultural and innovation sites of the capital.

  • “New Uzbekistan” park
  • INNO technopark
  • Writers’ Alley
  • Turin Polytechnic University

Organisers

  • Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
  • Innovative Development Agency
  • Youth Innovation Initiatives Support Office
  • “Ulugbek” Foundation for Talented Youth
Photo albums

Three stages in pictures

From the first stage in the districts to the national final: photo reports for every region.

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The next “Heirs of Mirzo Ulugbek” is waiting for you

Registration and news are on vorislar.uz. Winning projects are developed further in the Office’s acceleration programmes.

vorislar.uz All projects