On March 4, 2026, within the framework of the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture,” the “Urban Vision Mingachevir 2026” Startup Hackathon was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in the city of Mingachevir. The initiative stood out as a significant event that brought together the city’s vision for innovative development, the technological potential of youth, and modern urban approaches on a single platform.
The event was attended by Ilham Ismayilov, Head of the Mingachevir City Executive Power; members of the academic and administrative staff of Mingachevir State University; students and master’s students; heads of the city’s law enforcement agencies; young people interested in startup initiatives; school students; and representatives of the local community.
Within the framework of the hackathon, Ilham Ismayilov, Head of the Mingachevir City Executive Power, and Anar Eminov, Rector of Mingachevir State University, along with other officials participating in the event, familiarized themselves with the startup projects presented at the exhibition. Detailed information about the projects was provided to them.
During the review of the projects, Ilham Ismayilov emphasized the importance of innovative approaches, digital solutions, and youth initiative in urban development. He noted that a modern city model is shaped not only by infrastructure but also by the integration of technology and human capital. He also highlighted that the projects presented by young participants offered practical and applicable ideas addressing the city’s current challenges.
Anar Eminov, in turn, touched upon the importance of the innovation environment being formed at the university and the startup initiatives of students. He stated that such projects contribute to revealing the creative potential of young people and support the sustainable development of the city. The Rector noted that the projects jointly developed by students and mentors present real solutions in areas such as ecological balance, energy efficiency, security, and digital governance. He also underlined that the hackathon was organized in accordance with the university’s Development Strategy covering the years 2026–2030.
Following this, the evaluation stage of the startup projects was held. The jury assessed the startups based on criteria such as innovation, applicability, social impact, and sustainability, after which the winning teams will be announced.
In total, 28 startup projects developed by MDU students were showcased at the hackathon. The presented projects covered the creation of smart city and digital governance platforms, interactive systems for monitoring citizen appeals, artificial intelligence–based traffic and transport management, monitoring of water resources through IoT technologies and early detection of environmental risks, the application of renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency, aesthetic and functional renovation of old residential areas, green wall and landscaping solutions, activation of waterfront zones as social spaces, waste sorting and zero-waste initiatives, packaging of agricultural products and development of logistics infrastructure, as well as specialized education models aimed at increasing youth employment.
The projects highlighted key directions such as urban safety, ecological balance, efficient use of resources, and the development of an inclusive public environment.
It should be noted that the “Urban Vision Mingachevir 2026” Startup Hackathon served as an important platform for revealing the technological capabilities of young people, promoting innovative solutions aimed at the sustainable development of the urban environment, and strengthening cooperation between the university and the city. The event is also considered a significant indicator of Mingachevir’s steps toward becoming an environmentally sensitive, safe, and digitally transformative city.