EnterpriseAzerbaijan StartUp School

Where startups turn to business

Our goal:

“Give participants the opportunity to meet and learn from entrepreneurs to tap into the global startup ecosystem and improve their skills.”

About The "StartUp School" project

The "StartUp School 1" project was created to turn the ideas of more young people into reality and support them along the way through cooperation by the "Enterprise Azerbaijan" portal of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship of the University of Nevada, USA.

The main goals of the "StartUp School 1" project were to support start-ups for business management by providing academic knowledge to instill innovative entrepreneurial spirit and culture in the youth of Azerbaijan.

The main missions of the "StartUp School 1" project included supporting startups in presenting their projects to investors, enabling them to enter the Global Startup Ecosystem, and attracting alternative funding sources to the country's economy.

The main targets of the "StartUp School 1" project were to stimulate the growth of small and medium-sized businesses by training innovative young people with modern teaching methods.

Conditions were created for more than 200 projects from about 10 countries (USA, Germany, Ireland, Turkiye, Mauritania, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, etc.) to compete on an internationally competitive platform.

This project provided trainings by professors and international experts from the USA, Israel, Poland, Turkiye, and Azerbaijan. The trainings continued online for 2 months (March and April).

Over 60 hours of online and offline courses were offered.

A real opportunity was created for startups to receive training at leading US universities and entrepreneur centers.

15-day trainings were conducted in SABAH.HUB.

Contributions were made to the development of the startup ecosystem of the country, as well as to the acceleration of its integration into the global ecosystem.

The winning projects were awarded various opportunities:

The winner of the 1st place received the opportunity to participate in "Reno Startup Week" and take I2B trainings in Nevada University in the USA. Additionally, "Enterprise Azerbaijan" provided the opportunity for the the winner of the 1st place to present itself in a meeting with the Nevada Governor's Economic Development Office.
The winners of I, II, and III places and "The Best Idea" category was provided inventary support from the State Employment Agency.
The winners of I, II, and III places were given the opportunity to participate in the acceleration program of SABAH.HUB.
The 10 best projects were provided accelerated support by KOBIA to the application for "Startup Certificate"
The team selected in the "Fintech" nomination was given the opportunity to get an internship at PASHA Bank.
Gifts were given by DIV Academy.
The Graduation Ceremony was sponsored by the Innovation and Digital Development Agency.

About The "StartUp School" project

"StartUp School 2 - AI for Green Solidarity"

The “Entreprise Azerbaijan” portal, managed by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, launched the next “Startup School” project together with the University of Nevada, USA, and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. This year's competition, with the theme "AI for Green Solidarity", also offers startups a wide range of opportunities:

The "StartUp School 2 - AI for Green Solidarity" project is a forward-looking initiative that seeks to harness the transformative potential of AI to create a smart, sustainable, and prosperous future. The project includes educational sessions and a hackathon to equip participants with AI skills, encouraging creative solutions to challenges.

Phases of the project:

Participant Selection: Reviewing and evaluating applications. Shortlisting candidates based on specific criteria.
Educational and Mentorship Phase: The project will conduct AI and Business oriented educational sessions by highly educated international (USA, Germany, England, Turkiye, Russia, Poland, Republic of South Africa and Azerbaijan) experts. The trainings will be continued online for 2 months (April and May).
Hackathon: Following the educational sessions, selected 5 projects will be invited to join a "AI for Karabakh" hackathon with expert mentorship. During this hackathon, participants will have the opportunity to apply their newly acquired AI skills to develop innovative solutions to address local challenges. Winners receive ongoing support for their development.

The winning projects:

1st place winner will have the opportunity to participate in I2B training in the USA:
The best 5 projects will have the opportunity to take part in the “Hackathon”;
The best 10 projects will have the opportunity to participate in SABAH.HUB's incubation program;
The 10 best projects will get provision of accelerated support by KOBIA to the application for "Startup Certificate".

Application process:

If you're affiliated with a higher education institution and have a groundbreaking AI project or idea, we invite you to apply to "StartUp School 2 - AI for Green Solidarity" project.

Timeline: February 1, 2024 - March 17, 2024 (deadline)

Eligibility: Individuals or teams of 3-5 members representing local or international universities, with a business idea or startup centered around AI for environmental sustainability. Teaching and communication throughout the project will be conducted in English.

Selection Process:

Online Registration: Submit your project proposal or idea through our online registration form.
Interview: Shortlisted applicants will proceed to the interview stage, where they will have the opportunity to further elaborate on their proposal and discuss its potential impact.

About The "StartUp School" project

Startup School 3: Green and Digital Silk Road international acceleration program

The "Entreprise Azerbaijan" portal, managed by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication, has launched the "Green and Digital Silk Road" international acceleration program within the framework of the "Startup School 3" project. Within the framework of the “Startup School 3” project, the participants and partners of the international acceleration program “Green and Digital Silk Road” include Central Asia and the countries of the Ancient Silk Road: Azerbaijan, Hungary, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afganistan, Pakistan, South Korea, China, USA, Germany.

The goal is to support the development of startups offering services or products in the fields of green and digital development, to bring new startups into the ecosystem, to form closer communication between regional startup ecosystem participants, to promote the regional integration of innovative ideas, and to create investment opportunities for these projects.

The mission is to promote digitalization and the development of green technologies in participating countries, and to support sustainable and digital development by exchanging experiences in this field and contributing to the development of startups.

The target is to promote the creation of innovative solutions that contribute to sustainable development and digital transformation processes.

Implementation period of the "Green and Digital Silk Road" international acceleration program within the framework of the “Startup School 3” project:

Registration stage (April-August) – Applications for the program opened in April and will close on August 1, 2025. Info sessions are being held for startups from Central Asia and Silk Road countries to raise awareness, explain requirements, and encourage participation;
Selection stage (July-August) – The selection phase will last until August 1, 2025. At this stage, a preliminary technical examination of startup projects will be conducted and only those that meet the requirements will proceed to the next stage. Projects that meet the technical requirements will be submitted to the jury for online evaluation. As a result, the startups selected for the acceleration program will be announced;
Training sessions (August-October) – The trainings require active participation. Participants' performance will be assessed through tests, surveys, and practical assignments. Mentors will identify participants' strengths and areas for improvement through assignments. The assessment process will continue until September 1, 2025, and eligibility for the next stages will be determined based on the results;
Identification of finalists (October) – At this stage, the most promising projects will be selected among the startups that received training and mentoring in the acceleration program. Bootcamps or online presentations will be organized, and teams will present the potential of their projects. As a result, startups that will move on to the final stage will be determined. The process will continue until October 15, 2025;
Mentoring support (October-November) – During this phase, finalists will receive intensive, tailored mentoring support through November 1, 2025, aimed at refining their business models, enhancing product development, and strengthening market positioning and presentation capabilities. This preparation will culminate in their readiness for Demo Day, with a strong focus on delivering compelling, investor-ready pitches;
Demo Day (November) – At this stage, finalist startups will have the opportunity to exhibit their solutions and present to a wider audience. During the exhibition, products and services will be showcased and evaluated by expert judges. The “Final Demo” will feature project pitches, winner announcements, and award presentations, serving as a key platform for investor engagement and visibility.

Statistics of applications

Total 140 projects;
Azerbaijan – 95, Türkiye – 23, Pakistan – 18, Georgia – 2, Kyrgyzstan – 1, South Korea – 1;
Female – 59, Male – 81;

Key Outcomes and Competitive Gains for Startups

Direct access to distinguished experts and mentors from the USA, Germany, South Korea, China, Türkiye, and other countries;
Global knowledge exchange and the opportunity to join an international network of startup ecosystem participants;
Potential investment opportunities from local and international venture funds (including the USA, Malta, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan);
Awarded for participating in online trainings in the “Green and Digital Silk Road” international acceleration program within the framework of the “Startup School 3” project.
Free, high-quality online training programs for startups;
Individualized professional mentorship support for each team;
Practical knowledge and real-world experience sharing in areas such as digital transformation, green technologies, market strategy, and more;
The chance to meet global and local investors during “Demo Day”;
Opportunities to access regional and global markets;
Grants and other funding opportunities;
The possibility of obtaining a “Startup Certificate”;
Access to a collaboration platform with public and private sector institutions within the program;
Networking with international organizations and establishing partnerships for future projects;
Public recognition and media exposure for successful startups;
Final stage 1st and 2nd place winners (2 projects) will each receive a 1000 AZN travel ticket voucher from Baku Holiday Travel.