Technopark
https://texnopark.wcu.edu.az
What is Technopark?
Technoparks are organisations which increase cooperation among universities, industry, research centres, entrepreneurs and the markets through knowledge and technology transfers and create an infrastructure based on development, high-tech product manufacturing and highly valuable research. Technological inventions at Technoparks create a catalytic incubator environment for research which can then be prepared for production. Technoparks create opportunities for academic research to become commercialised within the academic environment. The creation of many academic companies would be impossible without them.
Who We Are
The Park was established in the 2017-18 academic year. The main purpose of the Technopark is the realisation and commercialisation of scientific research and practical work of WCU’s academic staff and students, thereby making a contribution to society. The Technopark is a positive stimulus in the development and redevelopment of the University’s research activities.
The Technopark stimulates and supports students’ ideas of innovative entrepreneurship. To these ends, the Technopark has a mechatronics and robotics laboratory, business incubation centre, idea bank and technological transfer office. Currently, the Robotics Club and Business Incubation Centre are active in the park. Frequently, employees of the Robotics Club go to other regions and hold various trainings, seminars and presentations for school children. In the Business Incubation Centre, students from other universities as well as school children work on their startup projects alongside WCU students.
The Technopark and WCU collaboration have a positive impact on innovation. Seminars and training sessions are organised to support the realisation of students’ social, business and educational ideas and to promote initiative-taking among students starting from the first day of Technopark service.
The Technopark also hosts competitions with technical and organisational support. A Game Jam hackathon competition, which supported students with training sessions in 3D game preparation, was held in Azerbaijan for the first time. This competition supported students’ training for 3D game preparation.
Our Policy
The Technopark’s activity policy comprises developing students’ innovative ideas and supporting them through to the process of commercialisation. The creation of innovative products from novel ideas is one of our main goals. Every student idea is evaluated by professional teachers and experts in all aspects. We visit different regions of Azerbaijan and inform secondary school pupils about the University and Technopark’s role in the region’s development.
Our Infrastructure
The Technopark’s extensive infrastructure creates opportunities to support any academic activity. Five rooms in the University’s Narimanov building, two rooms in the High Technologies and Innovative Engineering School building, two production areas (288 sq. m. with offices) in the Ministry of Economics of the Azerbaijan Republic’s Balakhani Industry Park, a small production area (4 hectares) for students and academic staff to stay and work in our Baku-Sumgait Highway location, the Business Incubator Centre (150 sq. m.) in the new teaching building of 2018-19 and the Mechatronics, Robotics and Mechanics lab rooms (600 sq. m.) are all available for Technopark activities.
Technopark Working Structure
Idea processing in the Technopark is achieved with the joint activity of the following centres. Professional consultants are available to answer all your questions:
Idea Bank
Every person begins by applying to the Idea Bank to use the Technopark services. Every applicant’s idea is accepted. Every aspect of the idea is evaluated, and its application scale, innovation and practical importance are assessed. Following a successful evaluation, a consultant is appointed to talk about improvements. Later, the applicant is directed to the Prototype Technical Centre to continue the process.
Technological Prototype Centre
It is necessary to form an idea prototype in order to work on necessary technology for the formation and application of the idea. The Technological Prototype Centre at WCU was built for this purpose. Welding and soldering work may be completed in metal, while wood and plastic workshops are also available. Students prepare an appropriate device prototype of their idea in these labs. This is the first efficient, practical example of the idea. This prototype now possesses the ability to demonstrate the possible opportunities of the idea. Experts in all areas are available to help you to create a prototype in this centre
Business Incubator
A Business Consultant in our Business Incubator Centre will help prepare the necessary strategy for the realisation of your idea. Qualified experts help students learn the prototype’s consumer market, outline what the device’s production volume should be, set the selling price, conduct preliminary negotiations with potential consumers, determine which technological machines are required during production, and from which country to buy the machines.
Finally, our experts support the student in the selection and registration of the most convenient company type for production, and assist with issues regarding capital. These experts clearly explain all aspects including convenient local or external markets, economic efficiency and demand.
Start-Up Centre
The project is presented to the Start-up Centre with a registered company where the business plan, device prototype for production, and business details are decided. The idea is then presented in fully functional form to investors. The project is suggested to potential purchasers or the student is assisted to do this. The Start-up Centre assists in selling the company or finding an investor for production. Companies and banks interested in the product are approached as investors.
Our Programmes
The following clubs are operational and students’ active participation is encouraged in these clubs by the High Technologies and Innovative Engineering School and Technopark at WCU.
Mechatronics & Robotics Club
Any student studying in Republican schools can register online and become a member of the Robotics Club and regularly visit the club at the WCU Technopark where they can experiment with robotics, mechatronics and electronics. Robotics Club members also regularly travel to other regions to conduct 1 to 3-day robotics training sessions, with the pupils of the region. Currently, the club has 9 students and 40 members.
Seminars and training sessions are held for pupils, and prepared prototypes are demonstrated to them during ‘Open Door’ days at the Technopark.
Lego Club & its Achievements
Western Caspian University Start-up Project was awarded first place in a competition organised by the Ministry of Education on December 26th 2017.
The creator of the ‘Parking App’ project, Gunel Huseynova, prepared the idea at the WCU Technopark. It was recognised by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Issues on April 26th, 2018. The ‘Parking App’ allows drivers to find a parking space and pay online, thereby saving time and fuel with the app.
In an internationally renowned competition for Robotics and Programming, the ‘Hack o Holics’ team comprising WCU and Baku High Oil School students won the Lego Mindstrom Home 3 in the robotics section on December 9th, 2018. The main requirement of the game was to programme the Lego and to check its ability to overcome obstacles.
The University’s ‘Vooby’ start-up project was awarded a respectable place in the ‘İcatmakinesi’ competition held in the Republic of Turkey on May 11th, 2018.
Western Caspian University students performed successfully in the second General Republic Youth Scientific Creativity competition, ‘There is an idea’, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on December 28th, 2018.
Ramil Maliyev’s ‘Clever Way’, Nihal Yusifova’s ‘English Nanny’ and Azer Nemanli’s ‘Vooby’ projects were selected among the best 25 works. The ‘Tribo-SR1’ project prepared in our Technopark by High Technologies and Innovative Engineering School student Jabrail Shahbazov and Republic Olympics Sports Lycee pupil Murad Eyvazzade were recognised as the most innovative projects and awarded first place. The project received recognition for its production technologies and industrial infrastructure related to living and transportation systems.
WCU student, Nijat Safarov and WCU high school pupil, Edel Tarzumov, demonstrated their ‘Ecomister Fish’ project on February 14th, 2019. The ‘Ecomister Fish’ project provides operative information about the ecological condition of water sources. The body of the model was made using a 3D printer. This artificial fish can monitor water sources conveniently for specifically given coordinates and transmit that information through video.
C. Shahbazov and M. Eyvazzade’s ‘Xeron’ module is a 6-wheeled radio-wave controlled glove which can be run from up to 1000 meters and can turn at any angle. It has different sensors in it including flame, temperature, moisture and gas flow sensors. All operations are controlled by artificial intelligence.
Nemanli’s ‘Vooby’ project intends to provide people with mutual online language learning opportunity for learning any language without payment.
WCU students Nijat Safarov and Jabrail Shahbazov demonstrated their ‘Ecomaster Fish’ project in the ‘100 Ideas for Independent States Association’ international youth project’s final stage during Independent States Association’s youth council meeting held in Baku on November 17th, 2019. The project aroused the interest of exposition visitors.
WCU’s ‘Caspian Space’ team passed the final stage successfully in the Cansat 2019 competition held by Azerkosmos and The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic.
WCU organised/sponsored events:
‘ADR 100 Inter-schools Lego line following and Arduino free projects’, Robotics Olympiad on May 24th and 25th, 2018.
‘Stem Plus’ Knowledge Olympiad on May 21st, 2018.
‘Game Jam’ hackathon competition with WCU support was held on January 15th, 2018. 3D game preparation training sessions were held prior to the competition.
Inter-schools ‘Lego-Sumo’ Robotics Olympiad on March 3rd and 4th, 2018.
A conference about support to Start-up projects and expanding access opportunities to finance resources was held by the Ministry of Economy on February 28th, 2019
Lego Robotics Olympiad for pupils of WCU on April 13th, 2019.