The startup tour was held in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for the second time within the project “I2B – Idea to Business”, the implementation of which began in 2018.
Over 100 young people attended the event, which was held at Nakhchivan University.
Minister of Communications and New Technologies of Nakhchivan Rovshan Mammadov, rector of Nakhchivan University Ismayil Aliyev and representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan participated in the event.
In the informative part of the event, it was reported that over the past period the Ministry of Communications and New Technologies of Nakhchivan has carried out a number of measures to expand the startup movement in the Autonomous Republic benefiting from the experience of the project “I2B – Idea to Business” implemented by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan jointly with Regional Development Public Association of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan Youth Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme and companies Azercell and Microsoft.
The work done in this direction is designed to reveal the best projects to improve the investment climate, the development of creative thinking and to convert innovative ideas into successful business entities.
For this purpose, an expert group has been set up on the basis of the proposals of the ministry and related organizations in order to evaluate the project internet portal to facilitate the control mechanism of startup projects and projects to be submitted. The main purpose of creating the portal was to unite projects and reveal good ideas.
Thus, the expert group selected 15 out of 31 projects to participate in Nakhchivan stage of the startup tour “I2B –Idea to Business”.
Then 20 teams were formed to present their ideas in the interactive part. Mentors conducted training for the participants, which covered issues such as correct preparation of presentations, drawing up successful business plans and formation of startup teams and ideas. They prepared the teams for the competition.
Then the participants presented their ideas to the jury.
As a result of the competition, the winners of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Nakhchivan city were determined. The first place was taken by the project Professional, the second place – Caravan Company, the third place– Pay Port. Given the high level of preparation, all 3 teams were invited to the National Finals to be held in Baku.
It is to be recalled that Nakhichevan’s Noahland team won the 3rd place in the National Finals of the startup competition last year.
The winning teams together with the winners from 12 regions won the right to participate in the summer camp Innocamp that will be held in late August. In the summer camp, this year’s winners of the project “I2B – From Idea to Business” will participate in the preparatory trainings for the finals with the support of mentors, representatives of business incubation centers, as well as psychologists.
Winners of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places will be determined in the National Finals to be held in October.
The winners of the first three places in the National Finals will be provided with financial support by the organizers and partners to turn their ideas into business.
Finalists and winners of the first places in each region will get a chance to present their projects to investors and participants at the 25th Anniversary Azerbaijan International Telecommunications, Innovations and High Technologies Exhibition Bakutel 2019 to be held in December.
It will be recalled that winners of startup tours held in Mingachevir, Sabirabad, Sumgayit, Ganja, Goychay, Tovuz, Lankaran, Shamakhy and Nakchivan cities within the framework of the project “From Idea to Business” are already known.
To participate in the upcoming startup tours in Zagatala and Shaki, you must register on the website http://www.i2b.az.
