SMB

We believe Azerbaijan’s socio-economic development is closely linked with entrepreneurship and its future development!

Interest in SME Houses as an innovative model in the field of business services is increasing Additional 55 people were engaged in training within the framework of the “Karabakh SME 2026” project More than 312,000 services were provided to entrepreneurs in SME Houses in the first half of 2026 Applications of entrepreneurs were considered at KOBİA In the first half of 2026, the KOBİA Call Centre via number 131 responded to approximately 5,000 enquiries The next meeting within the framework of the "Investment Journey" project was held in the city of Aghsu Business projects that have received the "Startup" Certificate are developing More than 50 meetings with entrepreneurs were organised in the first half of 2026 Another meeting with entrepreneurs was organised in the city of Mingachevir A production enterprise for test kits and medical plastic packaging products will be established

450,000 AZN Allocated in Grants to Support Entrepreneurs' “Green Projects” 21.04.25

Entrepreneurs developing “green projects” are eligible to apply to the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) for a range of support services, including a “Startup” certificate, domestic market research, grants, training programs, consultancy services, and assistance with product sales.

To foster the development of environmentally sustainable initiatives and facilitate the transition toward a green economy, KOBIAChas thus far allocated over AZN 450,000 in grants to support 27 green projects and has issued more than 10 “Startup” certificates. In response to entrepreneurs' requests and under KOBIA’s initiative, the Agency has conducted three domestic market studies focused on recycling and efficient resource utilization. Additionally, KOBIA has organized 250 training sessions in this domain.

KOBIA has also supported the participation of SMEs with green projects in various exhibitions and fairs, further promoting their visibility and commercial potential. To enhance awareness and promote green business practices, more than 250 entrepreneurs have taken part in targeted meetings and educational events held both in Baku and across regional areas of Azerbaijan.

Entrepreneurs who are engaged in or planning green initiatives may contact KOBIA to benefit from services such as the “Startup” certificate, market analysis, grants, training, expert consultancy, and marketing support.

In 2024, under KOBIA’s leadership and support, two new national standards were developed and approved by the Azerbaijan Standardization Institute: the “Green Business Management Systems” and the “Framework for the Implementation of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Principles.” Furthermore, a unified digital ESG platform has been launched and made publicly accessible at https://esghub.az/ .

Entrepreneurs may also utilize a self-assessment platform developed by KOBIA (https://yb.smb.gov.az/) to measure the environmental impact of their operations and assess the efficiency of their resource usage. By registering on the platform and completing the relevant questionnaires, business entities can evaluate how efficiently they are using energy and water resources, how effectively they are managing waste, and the overall impact of their activities on the environment. The insights gained will help identify weak points and take the necessary measures for improvement.