In an era of accelerating digital transformation, youth-oriented technology spaces are emerging as powerful tools for shaping the economies of tomorrow. While such initiatives are well established in parts of Europe, their emergence in Central Asia marks a turning point in the region’s approach to innovation and workforce development.
One standout example of this trend is the Center for Youth Initiatives in Tashkent, Uzbekistan — launched with the support of businessman and investor Ovik Mkrtchyan, known for his socially driven and education-focused investment philosophy.
With the global economy being relentlessly transformed — by waves of digital advancement, aging populations, and green transitions, among other driving forces — tech-focussed education institutions, in Central Asia as elsewhere, are unusually well-placed to have a profound impact on the future.
Why Now? The Global Context
Ways in which people work have always changed from one decade or one century to the next but the pace of change currently in evidence is being accelerated as rarely, if ever, before, as detailed extensively by a recent World Economic Forum report on ‘The Future of Jobs’.
In short, the spectacular widening of access to digital technologies in recent decades has fundamentally changed ways of working across the world and transformed the essential nature of millions of businesses, and entire industries in the process.
From a structural, economic perspective, that demand for evolution often leaves countries, industries and individual companies struggling to find employees with the educational grounding, the digital skill sets and the capacity for innovation that’s needed of them as potential future members of a given workforce.
As such, it makes sense increasingly for institutions — educational institutions in particular — to set themselves the goal of preparing young people, as best they can, for the workplaces and the fundamental challenges they’re likely to face in the coming decades.
A Global Trend Meets Regional Opportunity
Across Europe, tech hubs, STEM accelerators and ‘FabLabs’ have become essential elements of innovation policy, contributing not only to technological literacy but also to talent retention, SME creation, and sustainable economic growth.
Similar principles are now taking root in Central Asia, where investments in youth tech education are beginning to bridge gaps between traditional economic models and the demands of the future.
The Center for Youth Initiatives in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, reflects this global shift. Designed to provide young people with access to world-class technology and a collaborative environment, the center combines practical training with innovation-focused education — from 3D printing and robotics to virtual reality and digital prototyping.
“The Centre for Youth Initiatives was designed to help Uzbekistan prepare for the future we all share,” says Ovik Mkrtchyan. “I’m proud that it is inclusive, sustainable, and grounded in both global educational models and regional needs.”
FabLabs
The Center for Youth Initiatives is the first in Uzbekistan to become part of what’s called the FabLab network, an initiative created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world’s best known and most prestigious educational institutions.
There are now ‘FabLabs’ in dozens of countries worldwide, with each of them offering MIT-level training programs in the realms of ‘digital fabrication’, a fast-advancing discipline which is now well-established as a key focus area for innovative businesses worldwide.
“Being part of the FabLab network connects Uzbekistan’s youth with global standards,” says Ovik Mkrtchyan. “But it’s not just about students — it’s about empowering creators, founders, and anyone with the drive to build something meaningful. We’re giving them tools, community, and the belief that they can shape the region’s future.”
Education as Economic Infrastructure
Initiatives like FabLab are not merely about equipping young people with tech skills — they’re about building the foundation for sustainable economic systems.
As economies face pressures from demographic shifts, automation, and the green transition, countries are realizing that innovation can no longer remain siloed in universities or large corporations. It must be democratized.
As Uzbekistan aims to enter the top 50 of the Global Innovation Index by 2030, institutions like the Center for Youth Initiatives form the soft infrastructure that underpins sustainable growth.
With more than 60% of the country’s population under the age of 30, the government has made education and youth empowerment a strategic priority. But private initiatives are increasingly recognized as critical to scaling innovation ecosystems.
Rethinking the Role of Private Investors
The Center for Youth Initiatives began with the vision of Ovik Mkrtchyan, a private investor who has long believed in aligning human capital development with national competitiveness.
Founder of Gor Investment, Ovik Mkrtchyan is known for his work in sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, and public health across Europe and Central Asia. His approach combines market intelligence with long-term impact — not just in financial returns but in shaping resilient, inclusive economies.
“We aim to solve two problems: building modern specialists and giving them the means to realize their potential for the benefit of society,” Ovik Mkrtchyan says. “That’s our main mission.”
This approach reflects a wider rethinking of private sector involvement in societal development — one that doesn’t stop at sponsorships or charity, but reaches into infrastructure, education, and regional ecosystems to play a more active role in evolving economies and readying them more sustainably for the future.
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