On September 14, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, attended the opening of the first phase of the "SABAH.city" innovation campus, established in the High Tech Park of the Ministry of Science and Education in Baku. The State Public Services (ASAN) Artificial Intelligence Center has also been established here. Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, informed President Ilham Aliyev about the ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center, the INNOLAND Incubation & Acceleration Center, and the "AI Assistant" project of the State Public Services. The ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center was established to support innovative initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence in Azerbaijan, bring together researchers, state institutions, the private sector, and individual users on a single digital platform (www.asanhub.ai), and strengthen cooperation between government, business, and educational institutions by promoting an open innovation model. To date, a total of 50 artificial intelligence solutions have been presented. The ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center has established partnerships with 8 universities operating in the country, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, several prestigious foreign universities (Tsinghua University (China), Oxford University (United Kingdom), and Boğaziçi University (Turkey)), as well as other prominent international partners. To date, 150 startups have benefited from the "INNOLAND" Incubation and Acceleration Center of the State Public Services, with 4 startups acquired by foreign investors. The "AI Assistant" platform allows users to access information on various operational areas of the State Public Services in a fast, simple, and conversational format, as well as perform analysis and forecasting.
As part of the “NecroLearn” Game Incubation Program, Asad Hasanov, Co-Founder of “KutForge Studios,” conducted a seminar on the topic “Secrets of Successful Game Design: From Idea to Mechanics.”
During the seminar, he shared his practical experience on how game ideas are developed, how engaging game mechanics are created, level design, and making the right decisions to capture and maintain players’ attention.
During the first week of July mentors and startups from “INNOLAND“ visit the new “INNOLAND“ Sheki to discover new startups. Participants will be introduced to basic entrepreneurial concepts during 2 days of workshops, followed by a Hackathon to apply the newly gained knowledge and put it into practice. The winners of the Hackathon will be accepted to “INNOLAND“ Sheki 6-month Incubation Program including working space in “INNOLAND“ Sheki Coworking.
Selection Criteria
Agenda:
Day 1: General Workshops
Day 2: General Workshops
Day 3: Start of Hackathon + Speakers
Day 4: Teamwork + Mentoring
Day 5: Teamwork, Final Presentations + Winner Announcement
For registration: http://bit.ly/2MWFSQX
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.