BAKU — “Start-ups born in Baku can scale to Almaty or Tashkent. Ideas tested in Istanbul can reach Tbilisi or Samarkand. Innovation knows no borders, so should we,” with these words, Jalal Gasimov, CEO of PASHA Holding, set the tone for this year’s INMerge conference in Baku on Sept. 29. Organized by PASHA Holding, the event brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from across Central Eurasia and beyond to celebrate ideas that transcend geography with The Astana Times participating as the official media partner.
INMerge conference opened in Baku with a creative show. Photo credit: INMerge
Gasimov stressed that supporting innovation across the region is central to PASHA Holding’s mission.
“This belief in innovation and regional development is exactly why PASHA Holding created the INMerge platform and continues to support it,” he said.
According to him, participants from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other regional countries are gathering at INMerge on a new scale with more than 5,000 attendees.
Jalal Gasimov, CEO of PASHA Holding. Photo credit: INMerge
“Today, the focus shifts to ideas and breakthroughs that capital can create,” he added.
Projecting growth of 4–6% a year in Central Eurasia and double-digit expansion in digital sectors, Gasimov emphasized the role of human capital.
“We also talk about people, about our human potential, about unlocking the capacity that already exists within our people, our entrepreneurs, and our leaders,” he said.
With a median age of around 30, Central Eurasia is home to a generation that is digital-savvy, creative, and bold.
“Innovation knows no borders and so should we,” Gasimov repeated, underlining that innovation is a driver of future growth and digital transformation and a way to strengthen the start-up ecosystem so the region can claim its rightful place in the global economy.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikail Jabarov presented the country’s national AI strategy. He highlighted responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, boosting competitiveness, driving digital transformation, and ensuring citizens are active contributors to the global AI landscape.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikail Jabarov. Photo credit: INMerge
Jabarov underscored that diversification is at the heart of Azerbaijan’s economic policy—reducing dependence on oil and gas while fostering sustainable growth in the non-oil sector. Something that echoes with Kazakhstan’s ambitions.
Over the past two decades, Azerbaijan has attracted more than $344 billion in investments, with over $210 billion directed to non-oil industries.
Between 2021 and 2024, the non-oil sector grew at an average annual rate of 6.7%, while non-oil exports nearly doubled over the past six years, reflecting Azerbaijan’s rising global competitiveness.
This year’s INMerge backs those ambitions with scale: over 150 speakers across eight verticals—including fintech, responsible banking, data, AI, telecom, marketing, investment, and e-commerce—plus more than 100 startups and 80 venture funds.
Past editions welcomed global leaders such as Steve Wollnick (Apple), Steve Chen (YouTube), Linda Hu (Harvard), and Amazon’s Goggles. This year, the lineup includes Netflix co-founder Mark Rundle, Pixar’s Ed Catmull, Zapp Class of OpenAI, and Harvard professor Tarun Hamman, underscoring INMerge’s role as a bridge between Central Eurasia and the world of cutting-edge innovation.
