First day of INMerge Innovation Summit 2025 concludes in Baku

The first day of the INMerge Innovation Summit 2025, organized by PASHA Holding LLC, has concluded in Baku.

According to Report, the summit-which wraps up tomorrow-focuses on innovation, investment, and collaboration.

INMerge brings together policymakers, corporations, investors, startups, and ecosystem players from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. With over 5,000 participants, 150 speakers, 100 startups, and more than 80 venture funds, the summit offers strong opportunities for cooperation and growth.

This year"s program covers eight key areas, ranging from fintech and responsible banking to data and artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, telecommunications, marketing, e-commerce, and investment. Throughout the day, global thought leaders such as Edwin Catmull from Pixar, Zack Kass-Former Head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI-and Harvard professor Tarun Khanna shared insights shaping the future of business and technology.

The opening ceremony featured speeches by Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, PASHA Holding CEO Jalal Gasimov, and Head of Innovation Tughra Musayeva.

Minister Jabbarov spoke about how technology and creativity open new development pathways and enhance human capital. He highlighted reforms that have attracted over $344 billion in investment to Azerbaijan over the past 20 years, with more than $210 billion directed to the non-oil sector.

PASHA Holding CEO Jalal Gasimov described INMerge as Central Eurasia"s leading innovation forum, emphasizing its regional significance. He noted that the summit has evolved from a small corporate event into a major platform uniting experts from across the region.

Gasimov added that the summit not only inspires participants but also plays a vital role in education and knowledge exchange: "The world has never changed as rapidly as it does today. In such an environment, staying curious, being open to learning, and relearning what we thought we knew are essential. Organizations and individuals fall behind not due to a lack of resources or ideas, but when they stop learning."

The final panel of the day focused on the importance of transforming knowledge into national development. Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev, PASHA Holding Deputy CEO Dayanat Sadullayev, and Harvard Business School"s Tarun Khanna shared views on how education fosters entrepreneurship, drives innovation, and contributes to sustainable national progress.