Central Asia Startup Fund Targets AI and Series A Companies
SparkLabs and Mirae Asset Venture Investment have signed a term sheet to launch the SparkLabs Mirae Silk Road Fund I, targeting Series A and later-stage startups across Central Asia. Kazakhstan’s Qazaqstan Investment Corporation and Uzbekistan’s IT Park Ventures are expected to participate as anchor investors, subject to approvals.
The Central Asia startup fund will invest across sectors but prioritise AI-native companies with proven business models and international expansion plans. Portfolio companies will receive support entering South Korea, the United States and the Middle East and North Africa region. Initial capital is reportedly $2 million, with potential to increase to $10 million.
The fund will be managed by SparkLabs and Mirae Asset Venture Investment. SparkLabs co-founder and General Partner Aslan Sultanov cited Higgsfield, Kazakhstan’s first unicorn, as evidence that globally competitive AI companies can emerge from the region. Higgsfield reached a valuation above $1 billion in 2025.
The Central Asia startup fund comes as venture capital shifts towards later-stage AI and technology companies. The initiative may strengthen the region’s startup financing, cross-border expansion and digital-asset ecosystem, although its direct effect on cryptocurrency prices is likely to be limited.
Neutral
The expected market impact is neutral because the announcement concerns venture funding for Central Asian startups rather than direct purchases, issuance or regulation of cryptocurrencies. In the short term, traders may view the fund positively as evidence of growing institutional interest in AI, technology and emerging markets, but the reported initial size of $2 million is too small to materially affect Bitcoin or broader crypto-market liquidity.
The fund could have a more constructive long-term effect by supporting AI-native companies, blockchain-related infrastructure and cross-border technology businesses. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are also expanding their digital-asset and technology frameworks, which may improve regional adoption and attract additional capital. However, these benefits depend on fundraising, regulatory approvals and successful portfolio exits. Similar announcements of corporate venture funds typically generate limited immediate price action unless they include direct token investments, major partnerships or significant regulatory changes. Traders should therefore treat the news as a regional technology and sentiment signal, not a standalone crypto trading catalyst.