Participants of the “Future 100” Internship Program, launched at the initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, began the first day of their educational program in Silicon Valley, USA, with hands-on training sessions and meetings with industry experts.

The program opened with an orientation session during which representatives of Silkroad Innovation Hub introduced the objectives of the internship, the academic modules, the schedule of practical visits, and the expected learning outcomes.

The participants also attended a seminar on Silicon Valley’s innovation and startup ecosystem, where they explored effective models of collaboration among universities, technology companies, accelerators, venture capital funds, and startups.

Special attention was given to the application of Silicon Valley’s best practices to Uzbekistan’s higher education and innovation ecosystem. Discussions focused on strengthening university-based startup support, commercializing scientific research, attracting greater private-sector and venture capital investment, fostering collaboration among universities, investors, and industry, and promoting promising projects through international acceleration programs.

As part of the internship, the participants visited Stanford University, one of the world’s leading higher education institutions. They explored the university’s research infrastructure, innovation-driven entrepreneurial environment, and successful model of cooperation between academia, industry, and private capital.

In addition, Professor Georgiy Blank of Stanford University conducted a practical workshop titled “Digital Innovation.” The session provided participants with practical insights into fostering innovation-driven entrepreneurship, startup incubation, technology transfer, and modern approaches to the commercialization of scientific research and technological developments.