By AZE.US
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the first phase of SABAH.city, a new innovation campus established at the High Technologies Park of the Ministry of Science and Education in Baku, on September 14.
The project will eventually cover 20 hectares. Its first phase occupies more than five hectares and includes 20,000 square meters of indoor space across four interconnected buildings. Construction began in October 2025.
More than 1,500 students from Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University, and Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University are expected to participate in academic and practical programs at the campus. The focus will be on engineering, information technology, applied sciences, and other technology-related fields.
Once SABAH.city becomes fully operational, it is expected to receive approximately 3,000 visitors per day.
The campus includes five restaurants, a grocery store, an event hall, basketball and soccer fields, two padel courts, outdoor recreation areas, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and parking facilities.
Thirteen Research Laboratories
Three Azerbaijani universities have established a total of 13 teaching and research laboratories at SABAH.city.
The laboratories will conduct research and applied work in artificial intelligence, robotics, computer science, cybersecurity, biotechnology, nanobiology, nanophysics, chemistry, telecommunications, and other scientific and technological fields identified as national priorities.
The first phase has brought together 23 principal participants in the innovation ecosystem: three universities, eight technology and innovation companies, and 12 startups.
A coworking zone currently hosts the 12 startups, while 22 office spaces have been allocated for domestic and international technology companies, corporate research and development centers, and other participants in the innovation sector.
ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center
SABAH.city also houses the ASAN Artificial Intelligence Center, known as the ASAN AI Hub.
The center was created to bring together researchers, government institutions, private companies, and individual developers on a unified digital platform. Its goal is to support artificial intelligence initiatives and strengthen cooperation between government agencies, businesses, and educational institutions.
According to information presented at the opening, the center has introduced 50 artificial intelligence solutions to date.
The ASAN AI Hub has established partnerships with eight Azerbaijani universities, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, and several international institutions, including Tsinghua University in China, the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and Boğaziçi University in Turkey.
The campus also includes the INNOLAND Incubation and Acceleration Center. A total of 150 startups have participated in its programs, while four startups have been acquired by foreign investors.
Another project presented during Aliyev’s visit was the ASAN Service Artificial Intelligence Assistant. The platform allows users to obtain information about ASAN Service operations in a simplified conversational format and includes analytical and forecasting tools.
The government says SABAH.city is intended to connect universities, researchers, startups, government institutions, and technology companies in one location. The broader objective is to help transform academic knowledge and technological development into commercially and socially useful products while strengthening Azerbaijan’s innovation ecosystem.
AZE.US