With the view of providing support to the expansion of the startup movement and the implementation of new innovative ideas of citizens, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, jointly with Public Association "Regional Development" of Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the company Microsoft, have started the next stage of startup tours in Baku and regions within the framework of the project "From Idea to Business".
 
Azerbaijan Youth Foundation and the United Nations Development Program have joined the ranks of organizations providing support to the project "From Idea to Business".
 
The company Azercell is a partner of the project.
 
The startup tours that will be held at this stage have a very rich program.
 
Thus, along with infosessions to be held at higher education institutions, separate startup tours will be organized.  
 
Startup tours will be conducted at Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, Khazar University, Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Baku Engineering University and Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy.    
 
At the same time, within the project "From Idea to Business" and with the participation of representatives of foreign and local tech-parks and incubation centers, the International Innovation Camp ("InnoCamp") will be organized in Sheki city for preparing, discussing and presenting business projects, as well as forming startup teams and ideas with the support of mentors.      
 
Regional startup tours are planned to be held in Sumgayit, Sheki, Ganja, Baku and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with covering surrounding regions and cities.
 
It will be recalled that startup tours were already held in Mingachevir, Lankaran and Guba cities and the winners were announced.
 
Within the startup tours, the High-Tech Park of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, the State Fund for Development of Information Technologies and the company Microsoft are conducting infosessions, interactive parts, competitions and trainings on different topics in the abovementioned cities.           
 
In the first part of the event, small business trainings will be organized to prepare startups for the main competition, and in the second part, startups will present their ideas to the jury. Then the selected projects will compete for the first place. After each presentation, the authors will answer questions and the project will be discussed. At the end of the second part, the jury will announce the winners of the 1st and 2nd places for each region. The winners will be eligible to participate in the National Finals in Baku.
 
Winners of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the National Finals will be awarded by the organizers and partners. They will also have the opportunity to present their projects within the framework of the 24th International Exhibition and Conference "Telecommunications, Innovations and High Technologies" Bakutel.