Final stage of the “45 Minutes Startup” Olympiad held at “INNOLAND”

The final stage of the “45 Minutes Startup” Olympiad, organized jointly by the “INNOLAND” Incubation and Acceleration Center and “Taskool” for 8th–11th grade students, has been successfully held.
The final took place within the framework of the “Startup School” program by “Taskool,” a resident of “INNOLAND.” In 2025, out of 147 applications submitted to the “Startup School” program, 110 participants started the training, and 58 successfully completed it, forming 13 teams across 7 main fields.
The program, aimed at developing entrepreneurship skills and financial literacy at a global level, engaged participants in working on real business ideas and presenting their startup projects. With the support of experienced mentors, the projects covered areas such as Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, GreenTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, Gaming, and E-commerce.
In the final stage, 13 teams captured the jury’s attention with their innovative ideas, creative approaches, and presentation skills. As a result, the startup projects of the “Speacdeaf,” “Tutor AI,” and “Mindmark” teams were highly evaluated and declared winners. All participants who successfully completed the program received certificates.
The “Startup School” program builds a strong foundation for Azerbaijan’s future startup leaders and promotes innovation culture across the country.

At the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (ASPU), a series of educational sessions were organized by the "INNOLAND" Incubation and Acceleration Center in collaboration with the ADPU ENACTUS team to familiarize students with modern educational approaches and foster their innovative thinking.

During these sessions, renowned experts shared detailed insights on the application of new methods and tools in the teaching process, the role of project-based and game-based learning in education, as well as the prospects of using digital platforms.

On May 16, the session titled "Online Education Platform" featured an opening speech by Professor Asaf Zamanov, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at ASPU. During the session, Könül Guliyeva, founder of the "Safavy" platform, delivered a presentation on the development dynamics and application opportunities of online education.

On May 19, the session "Future of Education: Transition to Project-Based Learning" was held, where Nariman Garayev, founder of the "Taskool" platform, discussed the essence and effectiveness of project-based education through practical examples. The session was opened by Shahin Mammadli, Head of the ADPU ENACTUS team, and the presentation part was conducted by Aytac Abbasova.

On May 20, the session titled "Ways of Using Interactive Games in Schools" was opened by the team’s coordinator Zenfira Seyidova. Aynur Huseynova, a teacher at the "Bilim Baku" center, shared practical recommendations on applying game methodologies in teaching and increasing student motivation.

The sessions attracted great interest from students, and all three events were held in an interactive format with discussions and Q&A sessions.

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.