Xsolla Set to Launch the Xsolla StarNest Academy and Incubator Program in Baku
9.12.2024 10:00:00 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Collaboration in Azerbaijan Aims to Build a Thriving Game Development Ecosystem and Empower Local Talent with New Programs Launching in 2025
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, has announced a strategic partnership with StarNest and Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) to establish the Xsolla StarNest Academy and Incubator Program. This transformative collaboration was unveiled at the region's largest gaming festival, Gamesummit Winter Edition 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209823866/en/
(Graphic: Xsolla)
Gamesummit Winter Edition 2024 spotlighted the growth of the gaming industry in Azerbaijan, featuring discussions on trends, global best practices, and presentations of locally developed games. At the festival, IDDA and Xsolla revealed plans to empower local developers, game designers, and studios with cutting-edge training, incubation and accelerator programs, and access to financial and technological resources. This partnership will redefine Azerbaijan's role in the global gaming industry while fostering local talent and innovation.
“This collaboration opens up extensive opportunities for implementing joint projects that will drive the development of Azerbaijan's gaming sector,” said Yevgeniya Bikmurzina, Head of IDDA's Innovation Ecosystem Department. “Azerbaijani game studios will have access to the tools and resources needed to make a mark in the global market.”
“This partnership represents a significant milestone for Xsolla as we collaborate with Azerbaijani leaders to unlock the region’s potential,” said Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Partnerships at Xsolla. “By combining our global expertise with the visionary leadership of our partners, we aim to empower the next generation of talent in Azerbaijan and drive meaningful innovation with global impact.”
Xsolla Incubator & Accelerator in Azerbaijan
The Xsolla Incubator and Accelerator will support Azerbaijan's game development community by providing tools, mentorship, and resources to turn ideas into successful projects. The Incubator will help early-stage developers refine concepts, gain technical expertise, and collaborate with international experts. The Accelerator will assist established studios in scaling their projects, offering access to funding, mentorship, and global industry connections. These programs aim to position Azerbaijan as a key player in the gaming industry, creating opportunities for local talent to succeed globally.
Xsolla StarNest Academy
The Xsolla StarNest Academy will provide 90 young individuals with specialized training in game development. Additionally, an incubation program will launch in 2025 to support local game studios, offering mentorship from international experts, access to financial resources, and opportunities to showcase games globally.
StarNest, an Azerbaijani telecommunications company, will lead efforts to secure a dedicated facility for the Academy, ensuring an environment conducive to growth and learning. IDDA will offer strategic oversight to align the initiative with Azerbaijan’s national goals for digital transformation.
Regional Headquarters
Xsolla is also exploring options to establish its regional headquarters for Central Asia in Baku to further support its commitment to the community and game developers in the region. Not only will it serve as a regional hub, but also a technology center for the leading edge development and support of its industry leading solutions.
With the Xsolla StarNest partnership this marks a new chapter for Azerbaijan’s gaming sector reflecting the shared vision to position the country as a regional game development and digital innovation leader.
This groundbreaking collaboration sets the stage for Azerbaijan to become a hub for gaming innovation and talent development. For more information, please visit: xsolla.blog/azerbaijan
About Xsolla
Xsolla is a global video game commerce company with a robust and powerful set of tools and services designed specifically for the industry. Since its founding in 2005, Xsolla has helped thousands of game developers and publishers of all sizes fund, market, launch, and monetize their games globally and across multiple platforms. As an innovative leader in game commerce, Xsolla’s mission is to solve the inherent complexities of global distribution, marketing, and monetization to help our partners reach more geographies, generate more revenue, and create relationships with gamers worldwide. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, with offices in London, Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Raleigh, Tokyo, Montreal, and cities around the world.
For more information, visit xsolla.com
About the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA)
IDDA is an Azerbaijani government agency specializing in digital diplomacy and analytics, offering research, training, and consultancy to enhance the digital presence of institutions. It plays a pivotal role in shaping modern diplomatic strategies through digital tools and data analysis.
For more information, visit idda.az
About StarNest
StarNest is a leading Azerbaijani telecommunications company providing internet and networking solutions, including broadband services, corporate connectivity, and IT infrastructure support. StarNest is dedicated to enabling technological growth and digital transformation across Azerbaijan.
For more information, visit starnest.io
About GameSummit
GameSummit is a prominent organization in Azerbaijan focused on the development of the gaming industry. Through events like Gamesummit Winter and Summer Editions, it creates opportunities for local game studios, promotes innovation, and raises awareness about career prospects in gaming and esports.
For more information, visit gamesummit.ai
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209823866/en/
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
NetApp Helps Customers Accelerate Adoption of Latest VMware Cloud Foundation Innovations2.9.2026 22:30:00 CEST | Press release
NetApp solutions validated to support VCF 9.1, giving mutual customers access to a modern private cloud with enterprise-grade data management, cyber resilience, and cost-efficient scaling NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the Intelligent Data Infrastructure company, announced new capabilities in NetApp ONTAP® have been tested and validated to support VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.1, giving customers an optimized and secure data infrastructure foundation for their private and hybrid clouds. By combining the advanced capabilities of VCF 9.1 with cost-effective and enterprise data management with built-in security features from NetApp, including safeguarding data against ransomware attacks with rapid recovery, mutual customers can lower costs and accelerate the deployment of their AI software into production. VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1 provides enterprises with a unified private cloud platform for running both traditional and modern workloads. NetApp's solutions are tested and validated to suppo
Venture Global Announces Closing of $3,000,000,000 364-Day Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility2.9.2026 22:30:00 CEST | Press release
Venture Global, Inc. (“Venture Global”) announced today that its subsidiary Venture Global LNG, Inc. (“VGLNG”) has entered into a new, $3,000,000,000 364-day revolving credit facility (the “Facility”). Venture Global expects to use the proceeds from borrowings under the Facility for general corporate purposes of VGLNG and its subsidiaries, including to fund certain project costs for the CP2 and Plaquemines bolt-on expansions prior to their respective FIDs. Bank of America, N.A. served as Coordinating Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner and will also serve as Administrative Agent. BBVA, Goldman Sachs, ING, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho, MUFG, NBC, RBC, Scotia, SMBC, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo served as Coordinating Lead Arrangers and Barclays, Santander, and Deutsche Bank served as Joint Lead Arrangers. About Venture Global Venture Global is an American producer and exporter of low-cost U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) with over 100 MTPA of capacity in production, construction, or development. Vent
Invivoscribe Begins Commercial Shipments of PrepQuant™ Systems, Enabling High-Sensitivity Sample Preparation for MRD Testing2.9.2026 21:31:00 CEST | Press release
New automated platform is designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and consistency of DNA extraction and concentration from large-volume blood and plasma samples, supporting downstream assays capable of detecting disease-associated signals at MRD sensitivity levels. Invivoscribe®, a global leader in precision diagnostics and measurable residual disease (MRD) testing, today announced that commercial shipments of the PrepQuant™ System have begun in North America. First unveiled at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2026, PrepQuant is now being delivered to customers, marking the platform's progression from development and validation into commercial deployment. The commercial milestone extends Invivoscribe's capabilities into laboratory instrumentation and addresses a critical bottleneck in highly sensitive molecular testing: efficiently recovering, concentrating, and quantifying DNA from larger blood and plasma inputs. PrepQuant is assay agnostic, de
C.H. Guenther Opens Centre of Excellence in Coventry, UK to Accelerate Bakery Innovation and Support Future Manufacturing Growth Across UK and Europe2.9.2026 18:00:00 CEST | Press release
C.H. Guenther & Son LLC (“C.H. Guenther” or “CHG”), a leading food manufacturer, has opened a new Centre of Excellence (the “Centre”) at its flagship Coventry bakery, creating a dedicated innovation and customer collaboration hub designed to accelerate the development of premium bakery products across the UK and Europe. The new facility has been designed to support CHG’s customers including leading global quick service restaurants, foodservice operators and retailers as they develop, test and refine new bakery products. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260902696890/en/ The purpose-built, 172-square-metre Centre of Excellence brings together a commercial-scale bakery, customer demonstration kitchen, sensory evaluation facilities, innovation suite and dedicated collaboration spaces in one specialized location. Designed to support and accelerate product development from concept through to commercial manufacturing,
Record Asset Management Enters New Phase of Growth2.9.2026 17:35:00 CEST | Press release
Record Asset Management GmbH (“RAM”), a subsidiary of London-listed Record plc (“Record” or the “Group”), is pleased to announce that it is now operating cashflow positive, thereby marking a transition from its investment phase into a growth business within the Group, and a significant milestone towards sustainable profitability. RAM is the European asset management arm of Record, the London-listed specialist investment group managing USD 122 billion of assets on behalf of institutional clients worldwide. Record's client base comprises pension funds, foundations, sovereign institutions and other asset managers, with whom the Group has built long-standing relationships through its focus on bespoke investment and risk management solutions. RAM was established as a sister company to Record’s core currency business and obtained its BaFin license in 2022. RAM has grown rapidly in the last two years and has developed into a diversified private markets platform with dedicated infrastructure e
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom