ASTANA – The INMerge Innovation Summit, one of the region’s largest innovation platforms, will bring together internationally recognised figures from technology, business, sports and academia in Baku on Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Organized by Azerbaijan’s PASHA Holding, the summit will take place at the Baku Congress Center and focus on innovation, technology leadership, startups and business cooperation across the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The two-day event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking opportunities, bringing together representatives of international companies, investors, startups and public institutions. Among the confirmed speakers are Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, former Google X Chief Business Officer Mo Gawdat, Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph, former professional tennis player Maria Sharapova, Amazon Chief Technology Officer Werner Vogels, former OpenAI executive Zack Kass and Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull.
The program will also feature Greg Hoffman, former chief marketing officer at Nike, and Joel Mokyr, a professor at Northwestern University and the 2025 Nobel Prize laureate in Economic Sciences. Established by PASHA Holding in 2021, INMerge is an annual innovation and technology summit designed to connect corporations, investors, startups and government representatives from different regions.
The platform aims to encourage regional cooperation and contribute to Baku’s development as an innovation hub. The summit has also received positive feedback from prominent international figures who attended previous editions. Wozniak described his participation in the Baku event as memorable.
“It was my honor and privilege to speak at the INMerge Innovation Summit in Baku. I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit Azerbaijan, see all of the amazing developments occurring there and to participate in a world-class Summit. It was an experience I will never forget,” Wozniak said, according to the summit’s press service.
Chris Barton, founder of Shazam, also highlighted the event’s atmosphere and exchange of ideas. “INMerge Innovation Summit was a highlight for me because of the incredible energy, passion, and exchange of ideas from so many innovators in one place,” he said. At the 2025 edition, the summit attracted more than 5,000 participants, over 180 speakers, 122 startups and 80 investors.