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The “Vistar” Center of Excellence has been established in Azerbaijan through the joint efforts of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), the Azerbaijan Space Agency, and Israel Aerospace Industries Corporation.The Center’s mission is to foster innovation in Azerbaijan by promoting innovative education, supporting startup development, and encouraging entrepreneurial initiatives. It also aims to advance innovative approaches in the space sector and strengthen international technological cooperation.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel to Azerbaijan, senior representatives from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Holon Institute of Technology, as well as officials from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and Azercosmos, a company within AZCON Holding.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the “Vistar” Center of Excellence held on December 16, Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev emphasized the importance of international partnerships in the context of fostering a culture of innovation:
“We support expanding collaboration with leading global technology companies, encouraging them to come to Azerbaijan and implement mutually beneficial projects. The newly established Center of Excellence will also drive the development of highly competitive startups and foster the overall innovation culture in Azerbaijan.”
At the event, Boaz Levy, IAI’s President and CEO, also delivered a welcoming address. He stated that the newly established Center reflects the steadily growing relations between Azerbaijan and Israel.
“Our countries have always maintained relations based on mutual trust, and today we have taken an important step to strengthen our cooperation in the field of technology. “The “Vistar” Center of Excellence will create new opportunities for innovators, further enabling a more dynamic development of technological cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel.”
It should be noted that the activities of the “Vistar” Center of Excellence are based on a training and acceleration model covering education, innovation, the space industry, and research. The Center is designed to facilitate the testing of ideas, the development of prototypes, and the delivery of training programs—supported by international experts—aimed at helping startups secure investment and access markets.
