"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

On March 17, memorandum of understanding signed between "Innovations Center" LLC (INNOLAND), which is subordinate to the State Agency for Citizens Service and Social Innovations under the President of The Republic of Azerbaijan, and “Yeni Fikir” LLC. The purpose of the Memorandum is to support entrepreneurship ecosystems for technological startups in our country and in the regions of Azerbaijan and to implement a high-level partnership that serves the needs of emerging (or other) technology entrepreneurs.

The document, along with the formation and development of technology entrepreneurship, also reflects cooperation issues related to the strengthening of business initiatives. Thus, the content of the Memorandum reflects the factors that are being estimated for the establishment and development of innovation ecosystems in our country, as well as business initiatives.

"Innovations Center" LLC (INNOLAND) cooperates with local and international organizations in accordance with the strategy of the development of innovation ecosystem in our country and in the region, as well as for the development of technology entrepreneurship (startups). As one of such organizations, "Yeni Fikir" LLC is one of the companies operating in the intellectual sector in Azerbaijan and having a specific role in the formation of startup culture.

Thus, the "Yeni Fikir" startup competition, which was held for the sixth time this year, is being implemented by "Yeni Fikir" LLC, sponsored by BP, the Baku Engineering University. The company "Yeni Fikir" cooperates with "Innovations Center" LLC (INNOLAND) in organizing the same startup competition. Five startup projects that will win the competition.

The development of five startup projects that will win the competition will also be supported at the Innoland Incubation and Acceleration Center.