A startup competition titled “Social Innovation for Food Accessibility” was held at Mingachevir State University (MSU) with the aim of increasing social welfare, expanding access to food resources for vulnerable groups in society, and promoting social innovation initiatives among young people. Organized jointly by the Department of Physics and Ecology and the Department of Information Technologies, the competition created a favorable platform for students to present creative and technological solutions to social challenges.

Within the framework of the competition, participating teams worked on innovative ideas aimed at improving food provision for various vulnerable groups in society, including low-income families, elderly people, and others in need of social support. Students developed startup projects in several areas, such as creating food-sharing platforms, ensuring efficient redistribution of surplus food resources, establishing assistance mechanisms through digital technologies, and building social networking systems to facilitate support.

The main objective of the event was to strengthen students’ sense of social responsibility, engage them in addressing pressing societal issues, and support the development of innovative projects that combine technology with social initiatives. Participants transformed their ideas into project models and prepared presentations explaining their potential implementation and social impact.

During the final stage of the competition, teams presented their startup ideas to the jury panel. The projects were evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, social benefit, practical applicability, and sustainability. The most successful ideas were specially recognized by the jury, and participants received recommendations for the further development of their projects.

It should be noted that such initiatives make an important contribution to the development of students’ innovative thinking skills at Mingachevir State University, strengthen teamwork, and encourage young people to actively engage in solving social problems. Projects of this kind support the formation of a social innovation environment at the university and contribute to the development of responsible and active citizens.