ITU Regional Acceleration Centre Launches Operations in Azerbaijan

The new ITU Regional Acceleration Centre has officially started operations in Azerbaijan, established within the framework of strategic cooperation between the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency for digital technologies.

The opening ceremony of the Centre brought together high-profile attendees, including Azerbaijan"s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, and ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau Director Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, as well as representatives from numerous local and international public and private organizations.

As the first ITU Acceleration Centre in the CIS region, the facility is designed to connect startups, businesses, government institutions, and educational organizations to drive innovative entrepreneurship, promote collaboration across the tech ecosystem, and support the acceleration of digital transformation at the regional level.

The ITU Acceleration Center is part of a network of 17 innovation hubs that aim to advance new, more resilient, and forward-thinking approaches to safely navigate a fast-changing digital world. The initiative was launched as part of ITU"s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development. By supporting technology-driven projects, the alliance promotes economic inclusion and sustainable development. ITU Acceleration Centres serve as key platforms to forge public-private partnerships and transform innovation potential into impactful outcomes.

The Centre"s operations will strengthen Azerbaijan"s position as a growing regional leader in innovation by aligning the country"s national priorities with ITU"s global mission. This strategic partnership will also provide strong momentum for the development of the regional innovative ecosystem.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of IDDA Farid Osmanov noted that the Centre will serve as a hub for startups and innovative projects from Azerbaijan and other countries in the region:

"In this Centre, startups will be able to participate in acceleration programmes developed in accordance with the methodologies and standards of the International Telecommunication Union. This will accelerate their entry into global markets while contributing to the growth of an innovation-driven culture in our country through exposure to international best practices."

The ITU Regional Acceleration Center will operate within the administrative building of the Azerbaijan Innovation Center. The facility includes event halls, rooms for meetings and presentations, as well as dedicated training and coworking spaces.