Visa, Ipak Yuli Bank name She’s Next winners in Uzbekistan

Visa and Ipak Yuli Bank said seven women entrepreneurs won a combined $22,000 in grants in the first Uzbekistan wave of She’s Next. More than 5,000 women joined the program, which aims to pair training and mentoring with funding for business growth.

Why it matters: - The program is one of the biggest recent support efforts for women entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan, drawing more than 5,000 applicants in its first wave. - The grants give selected founders money to expand existing companies, launch startups and build tech businesses. - The initiative also adds training and mentoring, which can matter as much as cash for early-stage businesses.

What happened: - Visa and Ipak Yuli Bank announced the first-wave winners of She’s Next, Empowered by Visa, at a final Pitch Day in Tashkent. - The program launched in Uzbekistan in April 2026. - Seven projects across Existing Business, Startup Business and IT Business categories received grants totaling $22,000. - The 30 highest-rated participants were invited to Tashkent to present before a jury from Visa, Ipak Yuli Bank and the business community.

The details: - Participants completed training in entrepreneurship, marketing, financial planning and business development. - They then built business plans for expert review. - The winners were Maftuna Mutallibkhujayeva, Nigorakhon Kodirova and Fatima Bazarbayeva in Existing Business. - Mohinur Okhnorova, Nargiza Makhmudova and E’zoza Mirsaotova won in Startup Business. - Sevinch Makhmudova won in IT Business. - The grants were $6,000, $4,000 and $2,000 for the top three Existing Business winners. - Startup Business winners received $4,000, $2,000 and $1,000. - The IT Business winner received $4,000. - Visa said the program supports women through education, mentoring, expert guidance and financial support. - Ipak Yuli Bank said the initiative fits its long-term ESG strategy. - Kamola Sobirova, adviser to the Minister of Digital Technologies, said women account for 58.9% of enrollments in generative AI courses in Uzbekistan, citing Coursera statistics.

Between the lines: - The strong turnout suggests demand for practical business support among women founders in Uzbekistan. - The category split points to a broader push to back both traditional small businesses and tech-enabled ventures. - The emphasis on AI and digital skills signals that the program is trying to connect entrepreneurship with the country’s digital economy agenda.

What's next: - Visa and Ipak Yuli Bank said they will continue supporting initiatives that expand opportunities for entrepreneurs. - The program is positioned as part of a broader effort to help more women turn business ideas into scalable companies. - The bank said it will keep helping startup founders integrate AI and innovation into their projects.

The bottom line: - She’s Next is turning mentorship and training into direct capital for women founders in Uzbekistan, with seven early winners now getting a financial boost to grow.