Bakcell, the First Mobile Operator and the Fastest Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan signed a cooperation agreement with the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan.

At the official signing ceremony, held on December 20th at the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center, Bakcell CEO Nikolai Beckers has pointed out that application of innovations and supporting startups is one of the main priorities of Bakcell strategy: “It is a known fact that Bakcell is one of the first companies in the country to support various projects aimed at development of startups. Our “AppLab” incubation center is one of the rare environments where some of the country’s most interesting projects are accumulated. I’m confident that our cooperation with the newly opened INNOLAND center will contribute largely to development of the country’s entire startup ecosystem and will become one of the most successful partnerships in the area of innovations”.

Director of the "Innovation Center” Tagi Taghi-Zade spoke about the importance of this cooperation, being a public-private partnership. It was noted that the main goal of this partnership is to support entrepreneurship ecosystems for technology startups in our country and to implement high-level cooperation that serves the needs of emerging technology entrepreneurs. Cooperation between parties will have a great significance in terms of establishing a startup culture in Azerbaijan, developing a spirit of innovative entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems, supporting existing initiatives, creating conditions for the application of innovative initiatives in the current economic processes of the country, forming a motivating factor for the development and creation of various discoveries and other innovations.

It should be noted that INNOLAND is an incubation, acceleration and research center created to develop the private sector, promote innovation and expand the startup movement both in Azerbaijan and beyond its borders. INNOLAND consists of the Co-working, Incubation, Acceleration and IT Training and Education Center.

The AppLab program of Bakcell will from now on function as an Acceleration Center to continue supporting the startup project in a broader format. Since the year 2014, local startups and developers engaged in creation of various hardware and software receive support from Bakcell for implementation of their ideas.

Being a known leader in innovation, Bakcell constantly supports the local startups, as well as project implemented in the area of education, science and technology.

“ASAN Service” Hosts the “DIGIAGE BAKU 2025” Digital Game Camp

From December 5–7, 2025, the “DIGIAGE Baku 2025” digital game camp was organized as part of the collaboration between the Innovation Center of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and DIGIAGE.

The camp aimed to enable talented youth to create games and present their projects with the guidance of professional mentors. It also sought to help participants gain experience for entering the global market and foster new startup initiatives. Throughout the process, participants developed teamwork, project presentation, and marketing skills, strengthened their creative approaches, and prepared new game concepts. They also received valuable advice from industry experts on networking and career development.

In total, 238 applicants participated in the camp, including 28 teams and 134 individual applications. From these, 100 selected participants received two separate trainings over two weeks on data-driven game marketing and publishing processes.

During the three-day camp, participants who passed the selection stages took part individually or in teams. They learned about modern tools used in game development, different stages of game creation, and career opportunities in the sector. Representatives from well-known companies and game designers shared motivational experiences and insights.

Throughout the camp, Vüsal Rüstəmov, Director of the Innovation Center, and Erkam Tüzgen, CEO of Bilişim Vadisi, monitored team activities and met with participants.

At the conclusion, 19 teams presented their games to the jury. The teams “Untitle Game Studio,” “Neecro Projects,” and “Voyagers” ranked in the top three, while “Rital Interactive” received a special encouragement award from the jury. Investment meetings and mentorship support will continue for the winning teams, and all teams will continue to receive mentorship support from DIGIAGE.

Since 2023, over 500 applications have been received for the camps, with more than 300 participants qualifying to compete. More than 60 teams have participated in total, with many attracting investment and mentorship opportunities.

The camp has been implemented since 2023 within the framework of a cooperation protocol between the Innovation Center and Bilişim Vadisi Baku, aiming to develop technological skills, organize trainings, and support the implementation of innovative solutions in the country. Joint projects based on hackathon and bootcamp models are also a priority.

Sponsors: PASHA Holding
Partner: Code Academy
Media Partner: ASAN Radio & TV

“Polygraf AI” has secured a $9.5 million investment!

Based in the United States, “Polygraf AI” has gained the trust of international investors, becoming one of the most successful startups in the field of artificial intelligence.

The company provides AI-powered solutions for risk detection, fraud prevention, and data integrity protection for enterprises.

With this investment, “Polygraf AI” will accelerate product development and further strengthen its position in global markets.

We sincerely congratulate the “Polygraf AI” team!