Meeting on “Special Regulatory Regime” for Fintech Startups Held

A meeting on the “Special Regulatory Regime,” which is of significant importance for the fintech ecosystem, was successfully held with the joint organization of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center.

During the presentation, detailed information was provided on the purpose of the special regulatory regime, evaluation criteria for applications, and the pilot process, followed by extensive discussions in this direction. The session was both informative and practically useful for startups operating in the fintech sector.

Speakers:
• Sahib Hasanov– Head of Department, Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Vagif Guliyev– Senior Specialist, Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The meeting included extensive discussions on existing opportunities for the fintech ecosystem, regulatory requirements, innovation regulation, and future cooperation prospects. A Q&A session was also organized for participants, during which current issues in the field were explained in detail.

A meeting was held at the “Innovation Center” with representatives of the High Technologies Park.
Vusal Rustamov, Director of the “Innovation Center” of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, met with a delegation led by Nihat Majidov, Chief Executive Officer of the High Technologies Park of the Ministry of Science and Education.

During the meeting, the activities of the “Innovation Center” and the High Technologies Park, the “SABAH.city” innovation township project, as well as potential areas of cooperation were discussed.
The parties reviewed opportunities for joint activities aimed at the development of the innovation ecosystem, enhancing the knowledge and skills of young people in the field of high technologies, and supporting startup projects.

As part of the meeting, the guests also visited the “INNOLAND” Incubation and Acceleration Center, iLab, ASAN Innovative Development Center, and the “Bilim Azerbaijan” project.
They were provided with detailed information about the projects implemented by these centers, resident startups, and innovative initiatives.

The winning teams of the “EESTech Challenge Baku’25” competition will represent our country at the international final!

The “EESTech Challenge Baku’25” was organized by EESTEC JLC Baku, with the support of the “INNOLAND” Incubation and Acceleration Center, the “STEAM Azerbaijan” project, and the “Bir Könüllü” Student Cooperation Public Union.

The main purpose of the competition is to promote innovative thinking and technical approaches to solving real-world problems among students studying engineering and seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in this field.

The competition received more than 100 applications, from which 10 teams — a total of 30 participants — were selected. They demonstrated their knowledge and skills in creatively solving various technological challenges. As a result, the team “AirVive” took first place, and the team “Montyorlar” took second place.

The winning teams will represent Azerbaijan at the international final of the “EESTech Challenge”, to be held on May 13–16, 2025, in Trieste, Italy.

It should be noted that the “EESTech Challenge” is an international competition held in various cities across Europe and aims to foster the development of engineering and innovation among young technology enthusiasts.