Eurasianet reports that Uzbekistan is seeking assistance from top Western academic institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and the London School of Economics, to foster youth entrepreneurship in the Central Asian country.

It cited Sherzod Asadov, the presidential press secretary, as announcing on February 24 that those prestigious institutions would help design and implement a new program called Next Generation Entrepreneurs. The country’s Youth Affairs Agency will oversee the initiative.

The program reportedly aims to provide business management training to at least 40,000 Uzbek students. The top 1,000 participants will be eligible for low-interest loans to launch their own businesses. Additionally, an annual start-up competition will be held, with the 100 most promising projects receiving government grants to support their development.

Asadov also revealed that the program will include mentoring opportunities, where young entrepreneurs will receive guidance on business plans from industry experts, including representatives from major retail chains, according to Eurasianet.

Job creation remains a critical issue for the Uzbek government, which is working to transition the country from a raw-materials supplier to a manufacturing and high-tech hub. The country’s population is growing rapidly, with nearly 1 million new citizens added each year—double the global average. Asadov reportedly noted that currently, 600,000 young people enter the workforce annually, a number expected to rise to 1 million by 2030.

The government sees promoting entrepreneurship as a key strategy to alleviate job creation pressures. Asadov reportedly noted that in 2025, young entrepreneurs launched 15,000 new businesses, generating 50,000 jobs. He also mentioned that the government has allocated $200 million this year to support entrepreneurial activity and job creation.