The Embassy of Israel together with Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center of “Azercell Telecom” LLC presented a joint project called TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) which is aiming to connect “makers” with “need knowers” in order to develop open-source solutions for daily challenges of people with special needs.

The opening of the project took place at the Heydar Aliyev Center on 5th February 2019 with the support of Azercell, Regional Development Public Unit (“RIIB”), PASHA Bank, JOY Child Development Center, Baku Engineering University, Media Center of Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Training and Sport and others. During the opening ceremony the website of TOM in Azerbaijan was launched presenting the challenges and opening the call for the Makers.

During the ceremony speeches were delivered by Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Israel in the Republic of Azerbaijan Avital Rosenberg, Managing Director of Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Imran Baghirov, Head of Social Services and Programs Department of the State Social Protection Fund under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vugar Behbudov and Chief Advisor of State Committee for Family, Women and Children affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Maftuna Ismayilova.

TOM is global movement of communities connecting makers, designers, developers and engineers with people with disabilities (aka – “need-knowers”) to develop technological solutions for everyday challenges. For more information about the project you can visit the website of the project in Azerbaijan and global TOM website:

http://tombaku.barama.az/

http://tomglobal.org/

After the opening of the call for talents, the potential makers will have approximately 1 month (till 28th February) to register their participation. The names of the participants who will be working in teams on the 5 TOM challenges will be announced in March. They will all meet and start working on the challenge during a designated Pre-TOM Event. The teams will have approximately 1 month for creating a solution for the challenges. “SCHWATECH” LLC will support them during the project.

The final products of the teams will be presented after the TOM event on 17th April 2019 and all the ideas will be open for public use.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48 per cent share of Azerbaijan’s mobile telecom market Azercell’s network covers 80 per cent of the territory (excluding 20% per cent of the occupied territories) and 99,8 per cent of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, Metro coverage, 24/7 call centre service, 7 day/week Front Office service, M2M services, one-stop-shopping approach Azercell Express offices, mobile customer services, Online Customer Care and Social Media Customer Care services, mobile e-signature service “ASAN Imza” etc. Azercell deployed first 4G – LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality and wireless coverage mapping surveys by international systems, Azercell’s network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. Azercell is the only company in Azerbaijan and CIS region which has been awarded Gold Certificate of International “Investors in People” Standard.