“Idea to Business” Innovation Camp kicks off in Shamakhi to connect aspiring startups and top innovators

Society 16:17 02.09.2019

The second Innovation Camp (InnoCamp) organized jointly by the UN Development Programme and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies ends today opening new possibilities for business-minded youth and innovators to join forces in solving social, environmental and economic challenges through innovations and startups.   

The Innovation Camp is part of the joint Idea to Business (I2B) initiative, which aims to support the increase of startup culture in the country and to help youth across the rural communities of Azerbaijan improve their business acumen and realise their startup ideas turning them into successful small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Launched in April 2018, the initial round of the I2B and the first InnoCamp in Azerbaijan have seen nationwide startup tours set to support young aspiring entrepreneurs in designing proposals and prototypes that are bankable and building startups that can make social impact and spur business growth. 

Speaking at the InnoCamp roundtable discussions with innovation experts, UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Alessandro Fracassetti said: “Innovation, youth, business and technology are important for our development work not only in this country, but across the globe. Youth bring a lot of creative thinking and really have a great potential to lead business startups if they learn and operate in an environment that is conducive to a vibrant economy, a robust innovation ecosystem and a business scene where startups can grow into successful SMEs and flourish.” 

The InnoCamp comes at a crucial time for Azerbaijan, where the Government is capitalising on business opportunities and innovation. Azerbaijan is among the top ten reformers, worldwide, according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report for 2018, making the country 25th most favorable investment destination among 190 countries. Home to 200 startups, Azerbaijan was recently ranked top third among the CIS countries for its startup ecosystem and a number of progressive developments to expand and solidify the national support system for startups.  

Tapping into the current trends, this year’s edition of the Innovation Camp emphasised the need for greater partnership both at the policymaking and grassroots levels to improve the startup and innovation ecosystem in Azerbaijan, leveraging on the country’s unparalleled potential in this sector. 

Noting the importance of ongoing progressive developments to bolster an innovation and startup ecosystem in Azerbaijan, Head of the Shamakhi Executive Authority Mr. Tahir Mammadov also emphasised that “all the stakeholders should come together and tap on the resources they can provide to ensure that innovation processes centred in the capital Baku benefit everyone, including those living in the rural areas.”

The first two days of the InnoCamp offered 54 I2B participants and 18 teams representing different regions of Azerbaijan hands-on training sessions on technical excellence, organizational and project management, business development, marketing and communications skills, agility tools, financial literacy and planning, among other competencies necessary to build a successful business. The training programme continued today with the participating team’s demo presentations, in preparation for the upcoming I2B National Finals scheduled to take place in Baku later this fall, with the total of ten teams from Baku to compete for top prizes at the Finals. 

In addition to the training programme, the InnoCamp also featured roundtable sessions, which brought together key entrepreneurs, technology parks, incubation and startup acceleration centres to discuss major opportunities and challenges of the startup ecosystem in Azerbaijan. 

The InnoCamp was organized within the UNDP and Government-led joint project aimed at modernising the sustainability and efficiency of Azerbaijan’s ICT infrastructure and ICT services and funded by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies.  

The InnoCamp and the nationwide I2B tours were made possible through substantial support of a number of key partners and stakeholders, with the Regional Development Public Union of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan’s Youth Fund, the country’s prominent mobile operator Azercell and the Microsoft Corporation among them.  The innovation programmes and initiatives unfolding in Shamakhi have seen continuous support from the Shamakhi Executive Authorities, which put innovation at the forefront of regional development.

On the sidelines of the second InnoCamp, Head of UNDP in Azerbaijan Alessandro Fracassetti met with Head of Shamakhi Executive Authority Mr. Tahir Mammadov to discuss the immense potential for innovative practices in education, agriculture and environment. Bilateral discussions drew upon future collaboration to build robotics labs and Roboparks for schoolchildren in Shamakhi as well as to develop the Smart Cities concept for Shamakhi.

 

Azerbaijan takes measures to turn Khankandi into safe city - VİDEO

News line

Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of state of emergency regime
Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of state of emergency regime
13:12 29.03.2024
How will the EU's visit to the South Caucasus affect the peace process? - Former ambassador talks to Ednews
13:00 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan tightens sanctions for breaching special operation zone rules on religious extremism
12:45 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of social emergency environment regime
12:33 29.03.2024
About $7 bln of foreign direct investment was invested in Azerbaijan last year
12:00 29.03.2024
Number of people injured in Crocus City Hall terrorist attack reaches 382
11:48 29.03.2024
Media: Netanyahu rejected the Mossad Chief's proposal for a possible agreement in Gaza
11:37 29.03.2024
Azerbaijani Parliament's meeting kicks off
11:26 29.03.2024
An American couple founded a website, which identifies brands that support Israel
An American couple founded a website, which identifies brands that support Israel
11:07 29.03.2024
US scientists name infection more dangerous for brain than coronavirus
US scientists name infection more dangerous for brain than coronavirus
11:00 29.03.2024
Parviz Shahbazov: Foundations of 4 new renewable energy plants will be laid this year
Parviz Shahbazov: Foundations of 4 new renewable energy plants will be laid this year
10:50 29.03.2024
Japan eyes self-driving expressway lane network
10:40 29.03.2024
Oil prices end 1Q24 with strong growth
10:30 29.03.2024
SECRETS of the European Union's visit to the South Caucasus - Fikret Sadigov EXPLAINS
10:25 29.03.2024
Ammunition found in Khankandi
Ammunition found in Khankandi
10:10 29.03.2024
Iran’s top diplomat: Military presence of third countries in Caspian Sea goes against interests of region
Iran’s top diplomat: Military presence of third countries in Caspian Sea goes against interests of region
10:00 29.03.2024
Armenia officially announces freezing its participation in CSTO
09:50 29.03.2024
US hopes to return to purchase of 72 fighter jets per year amid budget cuts
09:38 29.03.2024
Another 138 IDPs leave for Fuzuli
09:28 29.03.2024
Netanyahu: "We have strategic assets of Hamas"
09:17 29.03.2024
Date of next meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Parliament Speakers announced
09:00 29.03.2024
Russia prepares for new offensive in May-June l – says Zelensky
23:52 28.03.2024
Russian investigators have evidence of Ukraine link to Crocus terrorists
22:24 28.03.2024
Committee members of the EU Council will visit the South Caucasus region
19:48 28.03.2024
Bayern to pay Thomas Tuchel 12M euro compensation
Bayern to pay Thomas Tuchel 12M euro compensation
19:00 28.03.2024
Crocus City Hall terrorists took drugs before attack - law enforcement agencies
Crocus City Hall terrorists took drugs before attack - law enforcement agencies
18:33 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan, UN Development Program mull future co-op
18:00 28.03.2024
An Independent Trade Union Established within International Eurasia Press Fund - First in NGO sector - PHOTOS
17:39 28.03.2024
Italian PM condemns Macron for idea of sending troops to Ukraine
Italian PM condemns Macron for idea of sending troops to Ukraine
17:23 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan lends clarity to color requirement for taxis
17:02 28.03.2024
Isaac Herzog: Israel has no greater friend than US, and US has no greater friend than Israel
Isaac Herzog: Israel has no greater friend than US, and US has no greater friend than Israel
16:45 28.03.2024
Nigerian army eliminates over 200 militants in 2 weeks
16:30 28.03.2024
Armored Vehicle Coalition for Ukraine launched in Poland
Armored Vehicle Coalition for Ukraine launched in Poland
16:15 28.03.2024
Russia strengthens transport security measures after terror attack at Crocus City Hall
Russia strengthens transport security measures after terror attack at Crocus City Hall
15:55 28.03.2024
Türkiye plays an important role between Russia and Ukraine - says political scientist Ismail Cingoz
15:45 28.03.2024
2 schoolchildren detained in France on suspicion of sending bomb threats
15:35 28.03.2024
Ski resort in Georgia hit by avalanche
Ski resort in Georgia hit by avalanche
15:26 28.03.2024
Another protest against French colonialism held in New Caledonia, Azerbaijani flag raised
Another protest against French colonialism held in New Caledonia, Azerbaijani flag raised
15:15 28.03.2024
Media: US did not transfer all information about terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall to Russia
15:00 28.03.2024
Movement ‘Together’ calls on Armenia’s parliamentary forces to express vote of no confidence in Pashinyan
14:41 28.03.2024
Hamısı