Research is the Foundation’s evidence-production programme. Outputs cover country-level assessments, sector studies, ecosystem mapping, and regional thematic comparisons. The objective is to make Central Asian realities legible to global frameworks and to make global frameworks operable in Central Asian conditions. The work is the operational arm of the Foundation’s Evidence theory-of-change function described on the Mission page.
Where the Foundation’s research is cited and adopted by other actors — UNECE Good Practice listing 2018, GEN Atlas of Policies, Creative Central Asia Network, GIRAI 1st Edition — the citation reflects the rigour of the underlying record, not the influence of the citing institution.
AI Governance Research
The Foundation conducted the country research for Kyrgyzstan’s submission to the GIRAI 1st Edition (2023) and produced a five-country regional retrospective in 2026. Every Central Asian country profile carries the full three-dimensional breakdown across Responsible AI Governance, Human Rights and AI, and National Responsible AI Capacities. See the Promote Smart Policies page for the full set of outputs.
Ecosystem Mapping
The Kyrgyz ICT Ecosystem Database began as a 2017 mapping exercise prepared by Board Chair Seth Fearey: 97 ICT companies, 88 supporting organisations, 51 individuals, and 19 investors catalogued. It was published openly and has since been cited by UNECE reports, the Creative Central Asia Network, and Mercator Fellowship materials. The database remains a reference for any analysis of Kyrgyzstan’s technology sector.
The 2018 Kyrgyzstan ICT Talent Pipeline research expanded the picture in two directions:
- ICT Talent Pipeline (landing) — synthesis with interactive Kyrgyzstan map.
- IT Education Landscape — supply side: 15 universities, 4,013 undergraduate + 307 master’s students, 2,974 + 277 graduates cumulative; programmes opened 1996–2018; three universities with international certifications.
- ICT Enterprise Registry — demand side: 7,522 ICT entities (January 2018) up from 2,372 in 2008 (+217%); 77.1% individual entrepreneurs; 143 software development firms; 70.6% Bishkek-concentrated.
Regional Digital Development
The Osh City ICT Development Roadmap 2019–2024 — co-led with the Internet Society Kyrgyz Chapter and funded by GIZ Sustainable Economic Growth — set out a twelve-direction regional plan for the country’s second city, with a thirteenth aspirational direction on the Fergana Valley as a regional digital hub. Stakeholder mapping, infrastructure data, tariff history, and operational gap diagnostics are all in the published roadmap.
Sector Studies
The Foundation has produced sector-specific evidence in four substantive areas:
- Creative economy — Creative Economy in Kyrgyzstan (2018), an evidence-led explainer covering Kyrgyz creative-industry definitions, GDP table, IT-park trajectory, and operational constraints. Built from the 2018 Creative Business Cup work.
- Smart cities and urban technology — Forum of Cities, Bishkek 2017, where the Foundation’s Smart Cities panel co-curation produced evidence references that fed the subsequent regional roadmap work.
- Science, technology and innovation — STI Gap Analysis of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNECE Geneva (2020), published in English and Russian.
- Digital skills and entrepreneurship — analytical work for UNDP Kyrgyzstan (2019–2020), informing the National Digital Skills and Competencies Strategy.
Climate and Frontier Technology
The Foundation’s current research focus extends into the intersection of artificial intelligence and climate resilience in Central Asia’s high-mountain regions. Active partnerships include the Vector Institute (Canada), CAIAG, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, the Institute of Water Problems under the Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, and the Tien Shan High Mountain Research Center. The work covers AI weather forecasting in mountain terrain and glacial lake outburst flood prediction. See Climate Change and Climate Datasets for current outputs.
Research sits alongside the Foundation’s other operational programme areas: Build Skills, Promote Smart Policies, Unite Community, and Raise Awareness.