~$300M
Managed or advised across venture capital and private equity
STARTUP WORLD CUP · TASHKENT 2026 — PARTNER AWARD
The Sturgeon Capital Startup Package.
Presented by Sturgeon Capital
Acta non verba.
A partner award for the three highest-ranked finalists at Startup World Cup Tashkent 2026. Each finalist receives a private 60-minute session with a member of the Sturgeon Capital investment team. Bring the question that matters most — your strategy, go-to-market plan, financial model, fundraising approach or pitch. The agenda is yours.
Format
Private strategy session
Duration
60 minutes
Focus
Founder-directed
Recipients
Three highest-ranked finalists
The award
Three founders. One hour each. Your agenda.
This is not a ceremonial prize. It is a focused working session with an investment team that has spent years backing technology companies across Central Asia and other emerging markets. Bring the decision, assumption or challenge that matters most now.
The Sturgeon Capital · SWC Tashkent 2026Three private sessions
Recipients
011st-ranked finalist60 min
022nd-ranked finalist60 min
033rd-ranked finalist60 min
1:1
Each recipient receives a private 60-minute session with a member of the Sturgeon Capital investment team. The session is individual and founder-directed.
Choose your focus
Business modelMarket sizing, revenue model and unit economics
Go-to-marketCustomer acquisition, distribution and early growth
Pitch and investor narrativeStory, structure, evidence and clarity
Fundraising strategyRound planning, investor readiness and targeting
Product-market fitValidation, positioning and competitive landscape
Your most important questionBring the decision or challenge that matters most now
Awarded to the three highest-ranked finalists based on the final scores assigned by the Startup World Cup Tashkent 2026 jury.
The session is advisory and does not represent an investment commitment, due diligence process or guarantee of future funding.
The partner
Explore Sturgeon Capital Global capital. Local presence.
→
Sturgeon Capital is a London-headquartered investment firm backing founders in markets early in their digital transition across Central Asia, the Caucasus and South Asia. With dedicated teams managing two investment strategies, the firm manages or advises on approximately $300M in committed capital across venture capital and private equity.
Sturgeon operates through teams in London, Almaty, Astana, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Karachi and Dhaka. This on-the-ground presence keeps its investment team close to the founders, customers and market conditions shaping Emerging Asia.
Sturgeon Emerging Opportunities II closed at $25M in June 2026, with investors including IFC, SBI Holdings, Qazaqstan Investment Corporation and Alem Capital Management. Sturgeon's venture strategy is sector-agnostic: the firm invests $500K–$2M from Pre-Seed to Pre-Series A and leads or co-leads rounds.
Sturgeon Capital · AT A GLANCE
$25M
SEO II final close · June 2026
12
Portfolio investments announced for SEO II
7
Operating locations across Europe and Asia
Acta non verba
Actions, not words.
Sturgeon's motto, and the standard behind this award: three facts that show how the firm works.
01
Present in the markets it backs
Sturgeon operates through teams in London, Almaty, Astana, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Karachi and Dhaka. Its regional presence keeps the investment team close to the founders, customers and conditions shaping each market.
02
Early conviction in BILLZ
Sturgeon was the first investor in BILLZ in 2020. In 2025, TBC Bank Group agreed to acquire a majority stake at an implied $20M valuation — one of Uzbekistan's most notable technology transactions.
03
Backed by global institutions
Investors in Sturgeon Emerging Opportunities II include IFC, SBI Holdings, Qazaqstan Investment Corporation and Alem Capital Management — combining international institutional capital with long-term regional commitment.
Proof
Companies Sturgeon has backed.
A selection from Sturgeon's venture portfolio, with a focus on companies building in Uzbekistan and the wider region.
BILLZ
Offline retail automation software · Tashkent
TBC Bank majority investment · 2025
Geomotive
DOOH analytics and marketplace · Tashkent
SEO II
ZoodPay / ZoodMall
E-commerce and digital lending · Tashkent
Finmedia
Telco value-added services and FinTech · Tashkent
Zip24
E-commerce logistics software · Tashkent
Cargon
Cross-border digital freight · Tbilisi
Klipy
AdTech monetisation software · Tbilisi
Farel
Airline operating system · California
YC S20
Startup World Cup · Tashkent 2026
Take your startup to the Startup World Cup stage.
Applications close 31 August 2026.