The Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) and “Xsolla” have completed the first international incubation program for local game studios, the Xsolla–IDDA Incubation Program. On August 7, during “Demo Day,” participating teams presented their projects to a panel of judges and investors. At the official closing ceremony on August 8, the winners of the competition—worth a total of 225,000 AZN—were announced.
During the closing ceremony, Taleh Karimli, Head of the Innovation Ecosystem Department at IDDA, emphasized that the incubation program would significantly contribute to the development of the local gaming industry:
“At IDDA, we see the potential of the local game ecosystem and pay special attention to its growth. Through this incubation program, our country’s game studios have gained essential knowledge and skills for entering foreign markets and learned best practices from international experts.”
Fuad Karimov, Regional Executive Director of Xsolla, highlighted the importance of cooperation between IDDA and the company, stressing that this incubation program is an invaluable contribution to local talents, opening new prospects for their future growth.
The projects of participating game studios were evaluated by a jury of local and international experts, including: Ernest Chang, Lead Video Game Analyst at Xsolla; Rebekka Lautner, Head of Business Management at Landfall Games; Casper Tanner-Barns, Senior Business Portfolio Manager at Fireshine Games; Ilayda Bayari, VP of Business Development for Southern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Xsolla; Vusal Karimli, Founder and CEO of Gamepons; and Novruz Javadov, Founder of Darts Games Studio.
The top three winners of the Xsolla–IDDA Incubation Program were:
- Cool Bears Game Studio – 1st place (100,000 AZN)
- Exterra – 2nd place (75,000 AZN)
- Dynamic Box – 3rd place (50,000 AZN)
It should be noted that last year, IDDA partnered with the globally recognized game commerce company Xsolla to strengthen the development of the gaming ecosystem in Azerbaijan. As part of this cooperation, the first hybrid-format international incubation program—Xsolla–IDDA Incubation Program—was launched on May 12 this year. The main goal of the program is to bring advanced international expertise and mentorship to Azerbaijan, thereby fostering the growth of high-potential local game studios.
