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In partnership with the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IRIA) and organized by the company “SUP.VC,” a series of community events for the “INNOSTART” project were held in several regions of Azerbaijan during September and October 2024. Participants of the practical sessions gained detailed information on the innovation ecosystem, startup building, and transforming ideas into businesses.

 

The “INNOSTART” project covered major cities such as Ganja, Sumgayit, Lankaran, and Nakhchivan, as well as surrounding districts like Goygol, Samukh, Astara, Jalilabad, Lerik, Masalli, Ismailly, Gobustan, Shamakhi, Absheron, Quba, Qusar, Khachmaz, Babak, Culfa, Ordubad, Sharur, Shahbuz, and Sadarak. Over 700 citizens participated in the educational events.

 

As part of the project, hackathons and incubation programs that create conditions for the formation of startups are being carried out in the regions. Applications for participation in hackathons, which are part of the next phase of the project, were accepted from participants.

 

Based on the applications, regional hackathon competitions were held in Ganja and Lankaran in October 2024, and in Sumgayit and Nakhchivan in January 2025. The hackathon in Ganja lasted for two days, with 16 teams and a total of 62 participants; the Lankaran hackathon had 12 teams and 46 participants; the Sumgayit hackathon involved 17 teams and 57 participants; and the Nakhchivan hackathon had 11 teams and 41 participants. Innovators from the surrounding areas also joined these hackathons.

 

The startups participating in the hackathons proposed various innovative solutions in areas such as payment systems, healthcare, education, and agriculture. Three winning teams were selected from each of the hackathons held in Ganja, Lankaran, Sumgayit, and Nakhchivan. The winners received monetary prizes aimed at increasing funding opportunities and implementing their projects.

 

Winning Teams:

Ganja:

1. “Linnovo” - A platform that consolidates all activities in Ganja and surrounding areas into a subscription-based service. Prize: 3000 AZN.
2. “Pracfix” - A guidance application for farmers. Prize: 1500 AZN.
3. “Qapıda” - Delivery service for pharmacies and grocery stores. Prize: 500 AZN.

 

Lankaran:

1. “Balbee” - Remote management of bee hives, with real-time data on honey quantity and humidity in the hives displayed on the phone. Prize: 3000 AZN.
2. “Greenpath” - Wholesale sales of agricultural products through a unified platform. Prize: 1500 AZN.
3. “Evrika” - An innovative app that enables online doctor consultations and appointment scheduling at medical facilities. Prize: 500 AZN.

 

Nakhchivan:

1. “Sepcdeaf” – A device that attaches to glasses to convert sound into text for people with hearing impairments. Prize: 3000 AZN.
2. “OnePharm” – An online platform for electronic prescriptions and pharmacy delivery. Prize: 1500 AZN.
3. “SafeOrbit” – A platform that teaches programming through gaming. Prize: 500 AZN.

 

Sumgayit:

1. “IzPay Offline” – A next-generation payment system. Prize: 3000 AZN.
2. “StartApp” – A support community and application for bringing together startups. Prize: 1500 AZN.
3. “IdeaLab” – A digital medical assistant in the healthcare sector. Prize: 500 AZN.

 

In the next phase, promising ideas from the winning teams and participants of the hackathons will be selected for a three-month regional incubation program. During this program, startups will receive mentoring support in areas like innovative entrepreneurship, technological company management, and market access, as well as funding opportunities.

 

The main goal of the “INNOSTART” project is to strengthen the startup ecosystem and promote innovative entrepreneurship awareness in Azerbaijan’s regions, fostering the creation of new startups and innovative projects. Additionally, startup teams gain knowledge on transforming ideas into businesses, as well as the benefits of innovative activities to the country's economy.