The “Startups Meet Investors” side event at the StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum 2025 held in Baku, Azerbaijan, created a dynamic platform for startups from Central Asia and the Caucasus to engage directly with leading investors from the US, the Gulf, and Europe.
This high-velocity pitching session offered founders the opportunity to pitch live, receive real-time feedback from global venture experts, and gain visibility among top policymakers and tech leaders. Each startup had 3 minutes to pitch followed by Q&A and feedback from the judges.
Speakers: Clíona Jordan, Early Stage Startup Lead, Google; Samir Hamidov, National Program Manager, EBRD.
Judges: Amy Peck, Founder & CEO, EndeavorXR; Ryan Wang, Co-founder & GP, Outpost Capital; Fabio La Franca, Managing Partner, Blueverse; Masud Alisoy, Investment Associate, SABAH.fund; Abdulla Al-Naimi, Managing Director, Doha Business Consulting; Ilkay Demirdag, Co-CEO, Energy Shift Capital.
Participating startups: Buyonida – All-in-one e-commerce SaaS for small sellers; Ebiletstore smart platform for event management and ticketing; dmp – Intelligent procurement automation platform; Lilitopia– AI-powered digital preschool ecosystem; Invnex – platform for real estate and alternative investments; Luhive – all-in-one community management platform.
The event successfully connected vision with investment, sparking new collaborations and opportunities for Eurasia’s next generation of innovators.




