I learned about the “iFest – Innovation and Technology Festival,” which will be held in Azerbaijan, through the Webrazzi website, where I follow industry news and innovations. 

It was a country I had wanted to visit for a long time but had not found the opportunity. In the field of software, just as we have been working with Turkey Dünyagöz Hospitals, we have also been carrying out projects for the Azerbaijan Dünyagöz Branch. 

I thought the festival would be a great opportunity both to visit them and to observe Azerbaijan’s position within the industry. 

In recent weeks, I traveled across 10 cities in 7 European countries. Some of these trips were planned as business trips, while others were cultural visits. Through this experience, I had the opportunity to evaluate different cultures’ approaches to business and their perspectives on the industry. I will share the advantages and disadvantages of European countries in a more comprehensive article later; however, today I would like to focus on Azerbaijan. 

From the moment I landed, I was welcomed by a very warm atmosphere. Taxi drivers, hotel staff (Marriott Baku Hotel Boulevard), iFest representatives, and all the companies I met were extremely friendly.

The festival was generally organized to bring startup companies together with investors. It was stated that the event attracted an average of over 2,000 visitors. It was truly very crowded, and this crowd demonstrated that Azerbaijan has a strong and promising vision. 

As Code and More, we took our place at the festival with our software booth. Our focus areas included healthcare software solutions, retail sector software, and education sector software. We also had the opportunity to showcase our VR and AR applications, which we had previously developed through R&D efforts. 

Especially in the VR field, our booth received incredible interest. With the POC we developed using Oculus, we offered visitors an engaging experience. I can say that it attracted significant attention from academics visiting from universities. 

Apart from us, I did not come across any other Turkish companies at the festival. The festival organizers invited me to their office the following day. I visited the president of KOBSKA (Union of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Associations), the organizer of iFest. KOBSKA General Manager Ms. Nigar Alasgarova and Mr. Aziz hosted me very warmly. We went out to dinner together and had an in-depth discussion about potential collaborations and future opportunities. 

We held productive meetings where we laid the foundations for strong partnerships and meaningful projects that we can build together. 

One of Azerbaijan’s biggest upcoming preparations is COP29 (United Nations Climate Change Conference), which will take place between November 11–24, 2024. I highly recommend reviewing it, as it may present opportunities for all of us.

Due to both the location and the similarity of the languages we speak, I felt very much at home. I would like to once again extend my gratitude to the host organization KOBSKA and Ms. Nigar Alasgarova for their hospitality.