Cerberus, WeGlobal AI, and LOOQ have taken the top three positions at the regional final of Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2026. These companies will now represent Central Eurasia in the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled to take place in San Francisco from October 13-15.
The three winners emerged from a group of 22 finalists, who were selected from a record 726 applications submitted by startups across 39 countries. The Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition saw nearly 50% more applications this year compared to its 2025 debut.
All three winning startups focus on artificial intelligence. Cerberus, from Uzbekistan, is an AI-powered cybersecurity startup that identifies vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems. Kazakhstan's WeGlobal AI offers an AI platform for student mental health and career guidance. LOOQ, from Japan, develops AI-powered hardware designed to measure billboard viewership.
Isabelle Johannessen, head of the Startup Battlefield program at TechCrunch, stated that the competition had record applications and representation from more countries than ever. Asset Abdualiyev, founder and CEO of Silkroad Innovation Hub, noted the strong applicant pool made the final selection challenging.