Baku's HOGGA wins Startup School 4 with AI that builds custom business software
What's the deal? HOGGA, an early-stage startup from Baku Engineering University (BEU)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, won first place in the global innovation programme "Startup School 4: Five Continents - 500 Startups." A jury named it the winner at the final stage, held in Baku. The startup was founded by BEU senior lecturer Yusif Yusifov.
What's the endgame? HOGGA is an AI platform that builds custom software for businesses without requiring any programming knowledge. Its aim: make digitalisation of small and medium-sized businesses faster and more accessible.
How does it work? The AI acts as a business analyst, not a code writer. An entrepreneur describes the business's needs by text or voice; the AI structures the requirements, then a software generator assembles the application from pre-tested, security-checked components. The result is web, mobile, or desktop software tailored to the business, rather than code generated freely.
Who built it? The team consists of BEU "Information Security" graduates Gulchin Jumayeva, Sama Dostaliyeva, Mehriban Alizade, and Riyad Aghazade.
Why now? The win fits Azerbaijan's push to grow a tech sector beyond oil, including new 2026 rules for venture financing and crowdfunding. The programme drew nearly 350 applications from 15 countries, with 70 teams reaching the October 31 Demo Day, backed by partners including nine venture funds and investment organisations.
What could go wrong? The award signals visibility, not traction. Azerbaijan's market remains small — 22 startups raised $2.62 million in 2025, according to Reuters — and HOGGA has yet to show investment, adoption, or revenue.
The signal: University-driven startups are becoming a route for emerging ecosystems to surface real-world products, and HOGGA's win puts an Azerbaijani team on a cross-border stage. Whether that visibility converts into customers is the open question.
Read more: azertag.az
Image credit: Tech.Co (formerly Tech Cocktail)
