The opening ceremony of the SID project, implemented under the slogan “Your idea is supported” with the support of the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center, has been held.

The SID project not only promotes the development of creative initiatives but also contributes to optimizing operations at OBA, implementing innovative solutions, and overall diversifying Azerbaijan’s startup ecosystem.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior representatives of Veysəloğlu Group of Companies and the Director of the Innovation Center under the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vusal Rustamov.

Speaking about the project, Vusal Rustamov stated that the Innovation Center is ready to share its resources in order to create an effective incubation environment for the 33 selected startups. He emphasized that this cooperation is a bright example of public-private partnership and highly appreciated OBA’s initiative.

It should be noted that a total of 183 teams applied for the project, and 33 of the most promising teams were selected for the next stage.

Within the framework of the project, a total prize fund of 10,000 AZN has been allocated.

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.

From June 13 to 15, 2025, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Youth Foundation, the Azerbaijan Student and Youth Organizations Union (ATGTI), and organized by Enactus Azerbaijan, the “Enactus Champions League Simulation Camp” was held.

As part of this special program aimed at developing young leaders, participants gained both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, taking another step closer to the world of entrepreneurship.

During the camp, participants took part in various training sessions and workshops on entrepreneurship, innovation, and project management, held with the support of the “Innovation Center.” Among the speakers were: Director of the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center, Nijat Amiraslanov, who delivered sessions on “Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” “Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship,” and “Presentation and Communication”; ASAN Innovative Development Center trainer, Nofal Aliyev, who presented the topic “Artificial Intelligence Tools in Startup Development”; and Deputy Head of the Project Management Department, Ziniddin Babayev, who conducted training on “Project Management and Strategy.” Through these sessions, participants not only gained up-to-date knowledge but also developed teamwork and strategic thinking skills.

Later, the simulation of the semifinal and final stages of the “Enactus National Competition” took place. Teams presented their projects, showcasing their knowledge and skills in a competitive environment.

Based on the simulation results, the winning teams were:
1st place – Azerbaijan Medical University
2nd place – Baku State University
3rd place – Lankaran State University

Congratulations to all the teams! We wish you continued success!