Cerberus Wins Central Eurasia Startup Final as Three AI Teams Advance

Cerberus, WeGlobal AI and LOOQ have taken the top three places in Central Eurasia’s 2026 Road to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield final, earning investment allocations and places in Startup Battlefield 200 in San Francisco this October.

A record field narrowed to 22 finalists

The regional competition drew 726 applications from 39 countries, up from 485 applications across 27 countries in its 2025 debut. Twenty-two finalists emerged from that pool, and AI startups accounted for 84% of all applicants. The three finalists that finished highest now become Central Eurasia’s representatives at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.

Three different bets on AI

First-place Cerberus, based in Uzbekistan, is building an AI cybersecurity agent that automatically hunts for vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems. Second-place WeGlobal AI, from Kazakhstan, offers a platform for student mental-health tracking and career guidance. Japan-based LOOQ placed third with camera-based hardware and an attention API intended to measure how many people view billboards and other out-of-home advertisements.

• Cerberus will receive a $50,000 equity investment.
• WeGlobal AI will receive a $30,000 equity investment.
• LOOQ will receive a $20,000 equity investment.

Capital and credits arrive before Disrupt

Astana Hub Ventures, IT Park Ventures and Silkroad Innovation Hub are providing the $100,000 pool in exchange for equity on standard market terms. OpenAI also awarded $280,000 in API credits across the 22 finalists. The winners received $100,000 in credits in total, while each of the other 19 finalists received $10,000.

The next round moves to San Francisco

Startup Battlefield 200 will run during TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco from October 13 to 15. The regional final has settled which three companies move on; the next stage will give Cerberus, WeGlobal AI and LOOQ a place at the global startup event.