Bishkek – On February 13, 2020, British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, Charles Edmund Garrett, and Minister of Economy, Sanjar Mukanbetov, will attend the opening ceremony of the PEAK Business Innovation Centre in Bishkek.
The PEAK Bishkek centre is a result of the initiative, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), that will improve the ability of entrepreneurs to start, grow and develop their business. The Centre will work with startups and micro, small and medium enterprises representing diverse economic sectors nationwide and guide them in transforming their ideas and products into viable businesses or scaling their existing businesses to international markets.
The ultimate goal of this centre is to create jobs, apply good and innovative business practices, and create life-changing opportunities for local entrepreneurs. It will become a platform for British-Kyrgyz cooperation and will offer world-class business training programmes and linkages to UK markets.
Over the coming two years, five PEAK Centres will be opened in Kyrgyzstan. PEAK Bishkek is the first launched. PEAK Business Innovation Centres aim to build the business competencies of at least 425 local entrepreneurs, startups and existing enterprises and create 2,500 jobs. The centres also plan to train business advisors and provide consultations to startups and MSMEs. On January 27, 2020, the PEAK Bishkek launched its first 12-week acceleration programme, which is tailored for early stage tech startups in Kyrgyzstan. PEAK received almost 100 applications for its inaugural cohort and twelve selected companies are currently receiving the programme offerings that include weekly live sessions, trainings on high-need business topics relevant to tech startups, one-on-one mentoring with international experts, individual business consultations and free workspaces. One of the most important outcomes for the programme participants will be the demo day where they can do pitching and networking.
About PEAK Bishkek
PEAK Bishkek business innovation centre is funded by the UK Government as part of a four- year 20-million GBP Enterprise and Innovation Programme (branded as ‘PEAK’). The Programme promotes a stronger, diversified and inclusive private sector in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, by increasing innovation and growth in startups and micro, small and medium-sized companies, through (i) the establishment of business innovation centres and (ii) the improvement of the business advisory market.