Turkmen AI Startup SalamMotion Earns a Spot in the Startup World Cup Final in San Francisco
On September 19, the qualifying round of the international Startup World Cup 2026 competition was held at Bilelik Hub (Ashgabat Mall) in Ashgabat. The winner was SalamMotion, a startup that has developed an AI-powered service for creating video content. The project will represent Turkmenistan at the global final in the United States.
The final of the prestigious technology competition will take place on November 4–6 in San Francisco, the center of Silicon Valley. More than 200 of the strongest teams from around the world will participate, with the grand prize amounting to US$1,000,000. Reaching the final gives the Turkmen project an opportunity to gain visibility in the global market and attract international investment.
A total of 51 applications were submitted for the competition, of which the 12 best projects were selected to participate in the pitch battle. Participants presented their ideas in English. The jury included representatives of the BIZANGEL Business Angels Club and the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan. The Audience Choice Award, based on online voting, went to the Elkitap startup.
The event brought together more than 150 guests, including Christine Hawkins, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States in Turkmenistan. Bill Reichert, Chief Evangelist of Startup World Cup and a partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, also addressed the participants in a video message.
The national selection was organized by StartUp Academy, the first private startup accelerator in Turkmenistan and an official regional partner of the Pegasus Tech Ventures fund.
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