"INNOSTART" has provided innovative entrepreneurship training to more than 700 people in 23 regions

In partnership with the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IRIA) and organized by SUP.VC, a series of community events of the “INNOSTART” project were held in a number of regions of Azerbaijan during September-October 2024. Participants of the practical sessions received detailed information on the innovation ecosystem, startup creation and the transformation of ideas into businesses.
The “INNOSTART” project covered large cities such as Ganja, Sumgayit, Lankaran and Nakhchivan, as well as the surrounding regions of Goygol, Samukh, Astara, Jalilabad, Lerik, Masalli, Ismayilli, Gobustan, Shamakhi, Absheron, Guba, Gusar, Khachmaz, Babek, Julfa, Ordubad, Sharur, Shahbuz, Sadarak. More than 700 citizens participated in the educational events.
As a continuation of the project, hackathons and incubation programs are also being implemented in the regions that create conditions for the formation of startups. Thus, applications were accepted from the participants to participate in the hackathons carried out in the next stage of the project. Based on the applications, regional hackathon competitions were held in Ganja and Lankaran in October 2024, and in Sumgayit and Nakhchivan in January 2025.
A total of 62 people, including 16 teams, participated in the 2-day hackathon in Ganja, 46 people, including 12 teams, in the hackathon in Lankaran, 57 people, including 17 teams, in the hackathon held in Sumgayit, and 41 people from 11 teams in the hackathon held in Nakhchivan. In addition to the regions mentioned, innovators from surrounding areas also joined the hackathons.
Startups offering various innovative solutions in areas such as payment systems, healthcare, education, and agriculture participated in the hackathon competition. 3 winning teams were selected in each of the hackathons held in Ganja, Lankaran, Sumgayit, and Nakhchivan. The winners were awarded cash prizes in order to increase financing opportunities and implement the projects. The full list of winning teams can be found on the official website of IRIA.
Among the winners of the hackathon competitions and the participating startups, promising ideas were selected and involved in regional incubation programs that will last for 3 months and provide startup teams with mentoring support in areas such as innovative entrepreneurship, technology company management and market access, as well as financing opportunities.
It should be noted that the main goal of the “INNOSTART” project is to strengthen the startup creation movement in the regions of our country, educate on innovative entrepreneurship, and encourage the creation of new startups, including innovative projects, in the regions. At the same time, startup teams gain relevant knowledge about the transformation and development of ideas into businesses and the benefits of innovative activity to the country's economy.