On October 15, 2026, Khazar University’s Neftchilar campus hosted the Grand Opening of the Center for Technology Transfer & Entrepreneurship. Organised by the Center of Technology Transfer & Entrepreneurship, the event brought together university faculties, student researchers, engineers, and project teams to spark innovation and foster startup growth within the academic community.

The highlight of the event was an interactive panel discussion structured around the key phases of startup development. Key ecosystem leaders and startup founders shared actionable insights and real-world advice with the participants, featuring Samir Karimov (Co-Founder, Apar) who spoke on testing startup ideas on a budget and navigating early team dynamics, Ilkin Karimli (Co-Founder, Dapti) who shared practical strategies for building early prototypes, managing founder stress, and organic product growth, and Samir Hajibayli (VC, Caucasus Ventures) who outlined what venture capitalists look for in student-led teams and highlighted common fundraising mistakes. The discussions also featured Laman Ibrahimova (Head of ASAN AI Hub) who discussed opportunities opening for university students under Azerbaijan’s national AI and digital action plans, Vusal Mursalzada (Deal Flow Manager at SABAH.angels) who gave financial guidance for low-budget startups and explained when projects become attractive to angel investors, and Taleh Karimli (Head of Innovation at IDDA) who addressed key trends driving innovation across local technological initiatives.

The establishment of the Center for Technology Transfer & Entrepreneurship marks a strategic step forward for Khazar University in bridging the gap between scientific research and commercial venture creation. The center aims to serve as a hub for transforming student ideas into scalable technological solutions.