Technology transfer centers to be established
By Abdul Karimkhanov
Baku hosted a forum entitled "Made in Azerbaijan: Innovations and Technologies" (MAINTECH-2019) on June 3.
The event, which was held as part of the Innovation Festival, was organized with the support and at the initiative of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies.
The purpose of the forum was to raise awareness of innovative and technological products and services, to support their export.
The event was attended by representatives of government agencies, the private sector, international organizations, the diplomatic corps operating in Azerbaijan, as well as participants of the innovation ecosystem, startups and representatives of foreign countries.
Speaking at the event, Ramin Guluzade, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, spoke about the innovation infrastructure created in the country.
He noted that high technology parks and industrial parks were created in Azerbaijan. “Privileges are applied to the residents of these parks.”
The minister also said that there are funds to ensure access of innovative subjects to the financial resources, through which innovative projects are given grants, concessional loans, adding that innovative entrepreneurship is rapidly developing.
Touching upon the achievements in this area, the minister stressed that the products of Azerbaijani IT companies enter international markets. “Company HTech Invest - a resident of Mingachevir High-Tech Park - has launched the production of Acer computers. In addition, some startup projects are taking steps towards entering the global market.”
Guluzade added that the Agency for Innovations was created under the authority of the Ministry to accelerate innovation development.
“The Agency’s goal is to create a dynamic innovation system in the country that serves to transform ideas into products to get access to the market,” he noted, adding that within this process, the main goal is to create conditions for the production and export of innovative and technological products under the Made in Azerbaijan brand.
The minister also stressed that the head of state issued a number of important instructions to improve efficiency and ensure coordination in the field of innovative development in the country. “We build our work in several directions to accomplish these tasks.”
In his words, the first direction is to assist local businesses to get modern technologies and technological solutions. “For this purpose, technology transfer centers will be created, entrepreneurs will be able to use the relevant services.”
Guluzade added that the data center commissioned by the ministry in 2016 currently provides state and non-state structures with services such as cloud-based solutions, co-location, hybrid solutions, etc.
The minister noted that the second direction is the introduction of appropriate support mechanisms, in order to provide the issuance of grants, concessional loans to innovative projects, as well as startups. “The ministry has been carrying out activities in this direction for several years. During this period, 117 grants were issued to start-ups, and 16 businesses were given concessional loans,” Guluzade said.
He also pointed to the promotion of innovative initiative in the country, which is considered the third direction. “Some steps in this direction have already been taken. The project “I2B - From idea to business” is being implemented, students and youth are actively involved in this process.”
The minister added that in accordance with modern development trends, such as robotics, the Internet of Things, laboratories are being built, various contests and competitions are held.
Azer Bayramov, Executive Director of the State Fund for the Development of Information Technologies, in turn, said that 903 projects have been submitted to the Fund so far.
In his words, a total of 1.5 million manats ($0.8 million) were allocated to 117 projects or 12.9 percent of these projects. Heads of 12 project are women. In addition, 16 entrepreneurs received preferential credits worth 11.2 million manats ($6.6 million).
Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovation under the President; Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Reforms and Communication; Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Representative for Azerbaijan; Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Directors’ Board of the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs); and Vitaly Ponomarev, CEO of WayRay, also addressed the forum.
It should be noted that the main purpose of MAINTECH-2019 was to widely popularize technological and innovative products and services and to support their export.
The event featured presentations and discussions on the export prospects of local innovative products and technologies, the development of the innovation business ecosystem, as well as promotion of the use of products and services created by the private and public sectors within Azerbaijan.
---
Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
