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.

"INNOLAND" Incubation and Acceleration Center of the State Agency for Citizen Services and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan will start a Joint Acceleration Program with AzerGold CJSC. The goal is to bring together the precious metal industry's most emerging startups to stimulate inter-industry innovation, increase the effectiveness of processes and establish a new standard for this industry in Azerbaijan and the region. 

The startups eligible for this batch can be focused on:

• optimizing processes

• enhancing capabilities

• enhancing skills

• utilizing leading technologies

 within the precious metal industry and provide solutions that can be adapted to the needs of AzerGold CJSC. 

Along with innovative solutions for the precious metal industry, startups can offer solutions suitable for AzerGold’s organizational needs including:

• Mining

• Industrial

• Geology

• HR 

• Database / Digitalization

• Legal

• Finance

• Ecology

• HSE, etc

Criteria 

Other than being relevant to AzerGold CJSC’s activities, the selection criteria include:

1.Team: Minimum 2 People (No solo founders)

2. Minimum physical full-time presence on-site 1 Team member with good knowledge of English

3. Product: Developed or are developing a minimum viable product (MVP), Proof of concept

4. Market: Identified market and target segments

5. Pitch Deck needed 

6. Qualification and experience in the field of precious metals will be considered as a big advantage

7. Research for export opportunities and readiness to enter new markets

For registration: https://forms.gle/8YqYx6mh6d1J7sXd8

During the first week of July mentors and startups from “INNOLAND“ visit the new “INNOLAND“ Sheki to discover new startups. Participants will be introduced to basic entrepreneurial concepts during 2 days of workshops, followed by a Hackathon to apply the newly gained knowledge and put it into practice. The winners of the Hackathon will be accepted to “INNOLAND“ Sheki 6-month Incubation Program including working space in “INNOLAND“ Sheki Coworking.

Selection Criteria

• over 18
• basic level of English

Agenda:

Day 1: General Workshops

• What is a startup?
• How to come up with a startup idea?
• Market Research: Why and How?
• Value Proposition

Day 2: General Workshops

• Business Model Canvas: Business Modelling, Business Planning
• Lean Methodology
• Pitching

Day 3: Start of Hackathon + Speakers

• Startups from “INNOLAND“ Baku will share their entrepreneurial experience
• Hackathon will be launched: Ideas put on voting, best 5-6 will be chosen for team forming with a goal to form a startup by the end of the Hackathon

Day 4: Teamwork + Mentoring

• Selected teams will work on their projects with the support of “INNOLAND“ mentors + “INNOLAND“ Baku startups.

Day 5: Teamwork, Final Presentations + Winner Announcement

• Half day: Continue teamwork
• Half day: Final Presentations in front of the jury to determine the top 3 teams

For registration: http://bit.ly/2MWFSQX