Innovation Agency (Azerbaijan)
{{Orphan|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Innovation and Digital Development Agency
| nativename_a =
| nativename_r =
| logo = İnnovasiya və Rəqəmsal İnkişaf Agentliyi.png
| seal_caption = Coat of Arms of Azerbaijan
| formed = October 11, 2021
| headquarters = Mikail Mushfiq 2H, Baku, Azerbaijan Republic AZ1000
| chief1_name = Farid Osmanov
| chief1_position =
| parent_agency =
| child1_agency =
| child2_agency =
| website = https://idda.az/
| footnotes =
}}
The Innovation and Digital Development Agency ({{langx|az|İnnovasiya və Rəqəmsal İnkişaf Agentliyi}}) is a state agency under Ministry of Digital Development and Transportation of Azerbaijan. The agency supports local businesses by facilitating the acquisition and transfer of modern technologies, backing innovation-driven research, and funding startups through grants, concessional loans, and venture capital.{{Cite web |date=28 September 2019 |title=Innovation Agency of Azerbaijan to implement venture financing |url=https://azertag.az/en/xeber/Innovation_Agency_of_Azerbaijan_to_implement_venture_financing-1323063 |website=Azerbaijan State News Agency}}{{Cite web |date=7 November 2018 |title=Azerbaijani president decrees to establish Innovation Agency |url=https://www.azernews.az/nation/140500.html |website=AzerNews}}
History
On November 6, 2018, based on a decree by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Innovations Agency was established under the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and High Technologies of Azerbaijan.{{Cite web |last= |date=6 November 2018 |title="Azərbaycan Respublikası Nəqliyyat, Rabitə və Yüksək Texnologiyalar Nazirliyinin tabeliyində İnnovasiyalar Agentliyinin yaradılması haqqında" Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Fərmanı |url=https://e-qanun.az/framework/40261#_edn1 |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=e-qanun.az |language=en}}
On October 11, 2021, based on a presidential decree, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency was established through the merger and reorganization of the "National Nuclear Center" Closed Joint-stock company, the Innovations Agency, and the Research Center for High Technologies, all of which were under the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and High Technologies of Azerbaijan.{{Cite web |date=11 October 2021 |title="Azərbaycan Respublikasında rəqəmsallaşma, innovasiya, yüksək texnologiyalar və rabitə sahəsində idarəetmənin təkmilləşdirilməsi ilə bağlı bəzi tədbirlər haqqında" Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentin Fərmanı |url=https://e-qanun.az/framework/48367 |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=e-qanun.az |language=en}}
Board of directors
Under the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 5 Auqust, 2019, Tural Kerimli had been appointed as a chairman of Innovation Agency.{{Cite web|url=http://ictnews.az/read.php?lang=2&content=62321|title = Head appointed to Innovation Agency}}
In 2023, Inara Valiyeva was appointed as the head of the agency. She had previously served in this position on a temporary basis.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=İnnovasiya və Rəqəmsal İnkişaf Agentliyinə sədr təyin edilib |url=https://report.az/ikt/innovasiya-ve-reqemsal-inkisaf-agentliyine-sedr-teyin-edilib/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Report İnformasiya Agentliyi |language=az |archive-date=2023-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213195433/https://report.az/ikt/innovasiya-ve-reqemsal-inkisaf-agentliyine-sedr-teyin-edilib/ |url-status=live}}
On January 16, 2025, Farid Osmanov was appointed as the head of the agency.{{Cite web |title=Azerbaijan's Innovation and Digital Development Agency chose new chairman |url=https://en.apa.az/ict/azerbaijans-innovation-and-digital-development-agency-chose-new-chairman-exclusive-458105 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Apa.az |language=en}}
Criticisms
In 2021, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency incurred a loss of 4.163 million manats, and in 2022, a loss of 4.626 million manats.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-28 |title=İnnovasiya və Rəqəmsal İnkişaf Agentliyi ötən ili daha ₼4.6 mln. üzərində xalis zərər edib |url=https://banker.az/innovasiya-v%C9%99-r%C9%99q%C9%99msal-inkisaf-agentliyi-ot%C9%99n-ili-daha-%E2%82%BC4-6-mln-uz%C9%99rind%C9%99-z%C9%99r%C9%99r-edib/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129094723/https://banker.az/innovasiya-v%C9%99-r%C9%99q%C9%99msal-inkisaf-agentliyi-ot%C9%99n-ili-daha-%E2%82%BC4-6-mln-uz%C9%99rind%C9%99-z%C9%99r%C9%99r-edib/ |archive-date=2023-11-29 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Banker.az |language=az}} The organization ended 2023 with a loss of 7.652 million manats, increasing its accumulated loss by 45.9% to reach 24.309 million manats.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-29 |title=İnnovasiya və Rəqəmsal İnkişaf Agentliyi zərərini 65 % artırıb |url=https://report.az/maliyye-xeberleri/innovasiya-ve-reqemsal-inkisaf-agentliyi-zererini-65-artirib/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730143838/https://report.az/maliyye-xeberleri/innovasiya-ve-reqemsal-inkisaf-agentliyi-zererini-65-artirib/ |archive-date=2024-07-30 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Report İnformasiya Agentliyi |language=az}}
The agency has also been criticized for not paying the companies it collaborated with under the training program for months, and for delaying payments without any reason.{{Cite web |title=İnarə Vəliyevanın rəhbərlik etdiyi Agentlik şirkətlərə borcunu niyə ÖDƏMİR? – Şikayətə rəsmi CAVAB |url=https://bizim.media/az/cemiyyet/200578/nare-veliyevanin-rehberlik-etdiyi-agentlik-sirketlere-borcunu-niye-dmr-ikayete-resmi-cavab/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705203737/https://bizim.media/az/cemiyyet/200578/nare-veliyevanin-rehberlik-etdiyi-agentlik-sirketlere-borcunu-niye-dmr-ikayete-resmi-cavab/ |archive-date=2024-07-05 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=bizim.media |language=az}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-05 |title=İnarə Vəliyevanın rəhbərlik etdiyi Agentlik şirkətlərə borcunu niyə ödəmir? |url=https://editor.az/inare-veliyevanin-rehberlik-etdiyi-agentlik-sirketlere-borcunu-niye-odemir |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Editor.az |language=az}}
According to some claims, within the framework of the Technest project, courses were organized in various locations across the city, including unsuitable venues, to serve the personal interests of certain employees of the agency. It is reported that some of these courses were merely formal and did not involve actual teaching activities. Additionally, it has been claimed that some individuals joined the project through non-transparent means and that resources were used inefficiently.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-13 |title=Vəzifəsindən azad olunanlar elə şeylər yazırlar ki, sanki burada gül gülü, bülbül də bülbülü çağırırmış |url=https://redaktor.az/news/country/270278-vezifesinden-azad-olunanlar-ele-seyler-yazirlar-ki-sanki-burada-gul-gulu-bulbul-de-bulbulu-cagirirmis |website=Redaktor.az}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ministries of Azerbaijan}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Economy of Azerbaijan