The Chairman of the Creative Industry Park, Daniyar Amanaliev, noted at the recent B5+1 forum that the creative economy in Central Asia is becoming a key driver of the region's development. According to him, Kyrgyzstan has already made significant achievements on the international stage. For example, the YouTube channel D Billions has amassed an impressive 20 billion views in less than three years. Since its inception, the Creative Industry Park has managed to launch over 170 companies, create 800 jobs, and generate over 200 million dollars in revenue, opening up opportunities for the export of cultural and digital products to the global market.
“The creative economy is what we consume and live with every day. Some may consider it insignificant, but believe me, in Central Asia, this is the most interesting thing happening right now,” emphasized Amanaliev.
He added that D Billions has official confirmation from YouTube regarding its record achievement. The channel has received three diamond play buttons, indicating that it has more than 10 million subscribers on each of its three channels. Additionally, Kyrgyzstan can be proud of having two more diamond play buttons from other companies, totaling five such awards in the country.
“This is the largest export of Kyrgyz products to the USA and abroad. Many children around the world know about D Billions and other Kyrgyz products without even realizing their origin,” he noted.
Daniyar Amanaliev also shared that their company was founded in 2016 and has since shown consistent growth, operating without attracting venture capital. Currently, they have 10 creative hubs with assets totaling around 100 million dollars, all of which are profitable, which is a rare achievement for this industry.
He emphasized the importance of the IT sector in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia as a whole, noting that this government decision has become one of the most successful. The rapid growth of the IT sector is projected to allow it to surpass key industries such as agriculture and textiles, taking second place in exports after mining by 2025.
“Today we observe:
* More than 170 resident companies
* Over 800 jobs
* More than 200 million dollars in revenue last year
Not all of this is exported, but in the next phase, companies will become stronger and start entering international markets. Among the residents are architectural firms, film producers, and other creative companies,” added Amanaliev.
He also noted that Kyrgyzstan is one of the few countries where more than half of box office revenue in cinemas comes from local films. Local comedies attract more viewers than blockbusters like “Avatar,” and almost all of these films are financed by private investors, making investments in cinema quite attractive.
“It is necessary to create a coherent vision of the creative economy and define its priorities for the entire region, which will be an excellent product even for the American market,” concluded Daniyar Amanaliev.
