Azerbaijan is once again joining one of the world’s largest game development hackathons!

This year, GameJamPlus will also take place in Azerbaijan on October 16–18, jointly organized by Gamepons and IGDA Azerbaijan, with the support of INNOLAND.

What is GameJamPlus?

GameJamPlus is an international game development program that brings together game developers from more than 50 countries around the world. During the first stage, participants have 48 hours to create a game prototype based on a given theme. Selected projects then go through several stages — including incubation, regional stages, acceleration, and the Global Final — giving teams the opportunity to further develop their projects.

GameJamPlus consists of several stages: a 48-hour Game Jam, Incubation, Continental Semifinals, Acceleration, and the Global Final. Throughout these stages, participants improve their games, work on their project presentations, and get the opportunity to present their projects before an international jury. At the end of the program, selected projects come together at the Global Final stage.

Registration is conducted through the official GameJamPlus website. To register and learn more about the program: www.gamejamplus.com

Spots are limited. Form your team, register, and create your own game!

October 16–18, 2026
GameJamPlus 2026 | Azerbaijan

Mentor meetings have officially started as part of the “NeecroLearn” program!

The first mentor meeting of the program was held to support participating teams in the development of their projects.

Our guest was Professor Can Güvenir, Head of the Design and Research Center at Yaşar University, Türkiye.

During the meeting, the teams “Delete It!”, “The Defender”, and “Mysterious” discussed project development, refining their ideas, and the next stages of their work.

"Rekrio AI", a resident of INNOLAND, has been accepted into Turkey's leading startup acceleration program, "İTÜ Çekirdek Express". Within the framework of the acceleration program, the team will gain the opportunity to further develop their product, build new partnerships, benefit from mentorship support, and expand their access to the international startup ecosystem. We congratulate the "Rekrio AI" team and wish them continued success!

On September 14, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, attended the opening of the first phase of the "SABAH.city" innovation campus, established in the High Tech Park of the Ministry of Science and Education in Baku. The State Public Services (ASAN) Artificial Intelligence Center has also been established here. Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, informed President Ilham Aliyev about the ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center, the INNOLAND Incubation & Acceleration Center, and the "AI Assistant" project of the State Public Services. The ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center was established to support innovative initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence in Azerbaijan, bring together researchers, state institutions, the private sector, and individual users on a single digital platform (www.asanhub.ai), and strengthen cooperation between government, business, and educational institutions by promoting an open innovation model. To date, a total of 50 artificial intelligence solutions have been presented. The ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center has established partnerships with 8 universities operating in the country, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, several prestigious foreign universities (Tsinghua University (China), Oxford University (United Kingdom), and Boğaziçi University (Turkey)), as well as other prominent international partners. To date, 150 startups have benefited from the "INNOLAND" Incubation and Acceleration Center of the State Public Services, with 4 startups acquired by foreign investors. The "AI Assistant" platform allows users to access information on various operational areas of the State Public Services in a fast, simple, and conversational format, as well as perform analysis and forecasting.

Details: https://president.az/az/articles/view/73495

A webinar titled “From Product to Demo Day” was held.

During the webinar, participants learned about the journey game projects go through from the product stage to Demo Day, the key aspects to consider throughout this process, as well as practical experiences and insights.

The session was moderated by Şamil Namazov, founder of “Neecro Project Studio.” During the meeting, Nicat Amiraslanov provided participants with information about the activities of #INNOLAND.

Following this, the co-founders of “Game Design Academia,” Egehan Doğan, Nurevşan Doğan, and Nihat Baran Menteş, delivered presentations on the topic, sharing their experience and practical approaches with the participants.

The webinar concluded with a Q&A session, during which the participants’ questions were answered.

As part of the "Skills for the Future" project, a meeting was held with the "Enactus" teams of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS).

During the meeting, startup projects including those from participants of the 5th "TUSI" Incubation Program were presented, followed by an exchange of ideas. The youth's proposals were heard and discussed, and valuable recommendations and advice for their development were provided.

We continue our activities to support, mentor, and properly guide these ideas into successful projects.

Networking and experience-sharing sessions continue as part of the “NeecroLearn” Game Incubation Program.

As part of the program’s second stage, another networking and experience-sharing session was held with Javid Shukurli, a 3D Game Artist at “M3DS Academy” and “Vertpaint Studios”.

Speaking on the topic of “Building a Portfolio and Finding Jobs Abroad,” Javid Shukurli shared his experience with participants on creating a professional portfolio, the key aspects that attract employers’ attention, and career opportunities in the international game industry.

Training sessions within the “NeecroLearn” Game Incubation Program are ongoing.

As part of the program’s second stage, a networking and experience-sharing session was held with Shahin Aliyev, Co-Founder of “Dynamic Box Studio”.

Speaking on the topic of “Prototyping Games and Digital Products,” Shahin Aliyev shared insights into the initial stages of turning ideas into products, the prototyping process, and his practical experience in the field with the participants.

An information tour to INNOLAND and the Bilim Bakı Center was organized for ADA School students.

As part of the program, students from Grades 7, 8, and 9 of ADA School first visited the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center, where they learned about the startup ecosystem, innovative projects, and the activities of resident startups, while also gaining first-hand insight into a real innovation environment.

The students then explored the Bilim Bakı Center, learning about its areas of activity, laboratories, and technological capabilities.

The program concluded with a training session on Game Development led by Şamil Namazov, founder of Neecro Projects game studio. During the session, students gained practical insights into the opportunities within the game development industry and the first steps toward building a career in this field.