Thanks to my Japanese Gods*!

Azis Abakirov
Aug 26, 2017 · 4 min read

about unique people, unique country, unique technologies

2004

In 2003, when I was 23 years old, my friend Maxim Shmelev and I established “Unique Technologies” to create a job for myself & survive due to the lack of opportunity & jobs in the Kyrgyz Republic. The average monthly salary was 36$ USD at the time & all foreign experts assessed the country as economically doomed as it lacked gas & oil to fuel its’ growth unlike its’ neighbors. This was 14 years ago, I am Azis Abakirov & I knew they were wrong as this was all about to change.

Maxim Shmelev and I (2017)

I found my first jobs over the internet and Japanese friends with a client IT company in Japan with whom I am still friends with to this day. He is now well-known IT entrepreneur in Japan and Silicon Valley his name Yamamoto Toshiyuki and he owner ChatWork Inc.

With EC studio (now ChatWork) 2007
in SIlicon Valley with Yamamoto-san 2016

It was a great & challenging learning experience for me & those around me since Japan has a very laborious & disciplined culture which I believe we have wholeheartedly learned from & adopted in Kyrgyzstan. I keep reminding the new generation here that our fuel is measured in talented human capital & not in gallons of produced oil per day & even though we are landlocked, the internet is our ocean! We have a highly sustainable society with an adeptness for internet business. So I thought to myself, if I can achieve the goal of serving IT customers, why can’t my neighbors, classmates or fellow citizens? I believe this is the cause to promote!

UT Team 2003–2010
Celebrating UT7 in 2010
UT Team 2010
UT Team 2012
UT Team 2014
UT Lab and UT Team 2017 and Ito-sensei
UT Alumni Meeting 2017

Founded in 2008, the Kyrgyz Software Services & Developers Association (KSSDA) is formed as a conglomerate of many small companies like mine with the goal of promoting the idea of living in Kyrgyzstan & working with the world. It gained immediate popularity nation-wide & was further promoted with a low tax regime for businesses focused on exporting IT services & products worldwide.

Urban Data Hackaton by KSSDA 2016

With our High-Tech Park as a virtual port on the New Silk Road, we are now able to serve & connect both the East & West with outstanding people, spectacular IT services, BPO servicing & many other IT facilities! We support the “Free Flow of Ideas, People, Technologies, Creativeness & Innovation” which is our slogan.

Founded 2016 IT academy, our real mission is to raise a nation of IT specialists who can live in Kyrgyzstan & work with the whole world!

IT Academy 2016

It was an unbelievable & long journey in our small Kyrgyzstan, but despite the odds, we are not only surviving without fossil fuels but also providing to our neighbors & globally! As a recognized global partner in the New Silk Road & with companies cooperating with us from all over the globe, I am anxious to see what is next!

Arigato to my Japanese Gods* for everything!

— — — — —

*The Client is God!

)

Azis Abakirov

Written by

Work with IT professionals from Kyrgyz Republic! ut.kg

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