Azerbaijan has opened the first phase of SABAH.city, a new innovation campus in Baku designed to bring together universities, startups, technology companies, researchers and artificial intelligence initiatives within a single ecosystem.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the first phase of SABAH.city on September 14. The campus has been established within the High Technologies Park of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Science and Education, with Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev presenting the project during the opening.
The broader SABAH.city project is planned across 20 hectares, while its first phase covers more than five hectares and approximately 20,000 square metres of built-up space across four interconnected buildings.
At the core of the project is an effort to connect education and research more closely with entrepreneurship and the technology sector.
More than 1,500 students from Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University and Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University are expected to participate in educational and practical activities at the campus, particularly across engineering, information technology and applied sciences. Once fully operational, SABAH.city is expected to receive around 3,000 visitors per day.
AI, Research and Startups Under One Roof
SABAH.city includes 13 teaching and research laboratories established by the three participating universities. Their areas of focus include artificial intelligence, robotics, computer science, cybersecurity, biotechnology, nanobiology, nanophysics, chemistry and telecommunications.
The first phase also includes a coworking area currently hosting 12 startups, alongside 22 office spaces intended for local and international technology companies, corporate R&D centres and other members of the innovation ecosystem.
Overall, 23 core ecosystem participants are involved in the first phase: three universities, eight technology and innovation-focused companies and 12 startups.
A major component of the campus is the ASAN Artificial Intelligence Hub, which has been established to support AI initiatives and connect researchers, government institutions, private companies and users through an open innovation model.
According to official information, 50 AI solutions have already been presented through the initiative. The hub has established cooperation with eight Azerbaijani universities and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, as well as international institutions including Tsinghua University, the University of Oxford and Boğaziçi University.
The campus also incorporates the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center. To date, 150 startups have participated in INNOLAND programmes, with four subsequently acquired by foreign investors.
Another initiative presented during the opening was ASAN Service’s AI Assistant, a conversational platform designed to provide information about ASAN services while supporting analytical and forecasting functions.
Building a More Connected Innovation Ecosystem
SABAH.city is designed as a physical meeting point between academia, technology companies, entrepreneurs, researchers and public-sector innovation initiatives.
By bringing these groups into the same environment, the project aims to strengthen applied research, technology transfer and the commercialisation of knowledge while creating more direct connections between university talent and the technology industry.
Beyond its laboratories and workspaces, the first phase includes an event hall, restaurants, recreation areas and sports infrastructure, positioning SABAH.city as a broader innovation community rather than solely a research facility.
As Azerbaijan works to expand its technology and startup ecosystem, SABAH.city adds a new piece of infrastructure focused on connecting talent, research, AI, startups and industry within a shared campus.
Source: Azertac
