startups
Three Baku teams propose ways to connect bus, metro and cycling trips
Fifteen of 510 applicant teams reached the TransportTech final. The winners used public transport data to tackle transfers, fares and passenger feedback.
Marble raises $3.75 million for AI that learns workplace processes
The Munich startup studies how teams work before proposing automation. Heartcore and Seedcamp co-led the company's pre-seed funding round.
More than 70 startups pitch to investors in Baku
Startup School 4 finalists showcased products after three months of training. Projects included a fruit-derived bioenzyme solution for polluted water.
Serval raises $150m as enterprise AI puts implementation economics in focus
Serval’s $3bn valuation and planned automation-engineer hiring highlight the work required to turn enterprise AI into functioning processes.
Kalshi raises $1bn as its $40bn valuation puts the exchange model to the test
Kalshi’s funding supports exchange expansion. Durable fees and market liquidity matter more to the business model than trading volume alone.
Poolside to shut down its AI chat service on 31 October
Poolside Chat will shut down on 31 October. Users are being directed to downloadable models that can run on their own infrastructure.
Polygraf AI wins award for enterprise AI usage controls
Polygraf AI is among the 2026 Top InfoSec Innovators. Its technology checks exchanges with AI tools and applies organizational security policies.
Booknetic strengthens security in its WordPress booking plugin
Booknetic 5.10.4 adds request-protection measures to the plugin used for online appointments, schedules and payment acceptance.
Azerbaijan’s Mediatrends adds TV and radio mention tracking
Mediatrends has expanded monitoring to broadcasts and added API and MCP connections for external systems and AI agents.
Perplexity updates AI models for data classification and request routing
The Decisions API classifies requests and scores data. Perplexity’s October update introduces v1.2 models and enterprise connector controls.
Oyunchu wins Startup Days competition at AzTU
Codigo and RoadSim also took prize-winning places.
Azerbaijan Expands Benefits for Tech Parks and Digital Nomads
Presidential decrees dated 22 October 2026 approve amendments to accelerate the digital economy: residency for freelancers and digital nomads, 20-year tax incentives and new mechanisms for public procurement of innovations.
Iranian Banks Increase Startup Lending by 131% in Six Months
In the first half of the current Iranian year, Iranian banks issued 6.72 quadrillion rials in loans to startups, up 131% year-on-year.
Bir Launches 'Biznesdə birlikdə' Support Program for Micro-Entrepreneurs
The Bir ecosystem has opened applications for its 'Biznesdə birlikdə' program for micro-entrepreneurs. Applications are accepted until October 22, 2026.
A startup needs its first customer: why a grant alone is not enough
Development funding does not guarantee a market. WIPO’s report explains why science-based ventures can stall between successful testing and repeat orders—and offers a framework relevant to Azerbaijan.
Startup finance in Azerbaijan: why perceptions and deals tell different stories
Azerbaijan ranks 11th on an expert assessment of startup finance but 111th for venture deals relative to GDP in GII 2026. Different instruments, periods and geographic definitions explain why the measures cannot be read as equivalents.
Startups Outside Baku Exist. What They Need for Their Next Step
Baku remained the only Azerbaijani city in StartupBlink's 2026 top 1,000. But outside the capital, startups have already gone through incubation and made first sales. The real question is not why they don't exist at all, but what results help a regional team turn into a sustainable business and become visible beyond its program.
Uzbekistan's Startup Leap: What Azerbaijan Should Study
Uzbekistan climbed from 98th to 79th in StartupBlink 2026, two positions above Azerbaijan. Its score rose 227.3%. For neighbouring markets, the useful lesson is not just the record percentage but how a team's path from idea to sales is structured and which results can be verified separately from the ranking.
Index Up, Rank Down: What Happened to Azerbaijan's Startups
Azerbaijan lost seven places in the 2026 startup ranking even though its own score rose by 7.3%. These figures do not describe both a rise and a fall of the same indicator: one reflects the country's movement, the other its position among competitors. The difference matters for assessing government policy and for entrepreneurs' decisions.
Startup Support and Its Results: Where Azerbaijan's Gap Lies
Azerbaijan ranks first in the Caucasus for startup support and community activity, but third for overall ecosystem performance. This combination in the StartupBlink ranking poses a more substantive question for development institutions than the number of events held: what happens to companies after they are helped to launch?
Tbilisi Overtakes Baku in Startup Ranking: What's Behind the Shift
Tbilisi entered the global top 300 startup cities, while Baku fell outside. But the round-number boundary makes the gap look larger than it is in points: the capitals are separated by ten places and about 4.1% in overall score. For businesses, it's more important to understand what opportunities lie behind this comparison.
PASHA Holding seeks startups across the region to meet its companies' needs
PASHA Holding selects startups from the region for specific tasks of its portfolio companies, and successful pilots are scaled within the group. Venture fund INMerge VC has made six investments since January.
Azerbaijan Passes First Reading of Tax Breaks for Startups
Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis has adopted in the first reading amendments to the Tax and Migration Codes providing tax breaks for startups and investors.
INMerge Innovation Summit 2026 to Be Held in Baku on November 30 and December 1
PASHA Holding has announced the INMerge Innovation Summit 2026 in Baku. The event will take place on November 30 and December 1 at the Baku Congress Center, with renowned speakers and startups expected to participate.