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- AZN 60,000 in grants to support early-stage and established women-led businesses
- Expanding regional reach through She’s Next Days in Ganja and Shaki
- Registration open until November 30, 2026, at shesnext.az
Visa, a world leader in digital payments, is launching the fourth wave of She’s Next Empowered by Visa in Azerbaijan with the support of Birbank Biznes. Under the name She’s Next in Digital, the program invites women entrepreneurs across the country to develop their digital business skills, receive expert guidance and compete for grants of up to AZN 10,000.
Built around the idea “Bir addımla başla!” (“Start with one step”), She’s Next in Digital encourages women to turn ambition into practical action. The program is designed to help participants strengthen their digital knowledge, reach new customers, improve business processes and develop other essential entrepreneurial skills.
Supporting women entrepreneurs at every stage
The new edition of She’s Next expands its reach and introduces new opportunities for women at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Participation is open both to women running existing businesses and to those developing early business ideas. Participants will have access to an online educational program featuring seven video lectures. They will then be able to submit their business plans for expert review and a chance to advance to the next stage of the competition. Before presenting their projects to the jury at the Final Pitch Day, selected finalists will receive additional support through the three-week Digital Accelerator, which combines expert-led sessions with individual mentoring.
Participants can apply in one of four categories:
- Digital: for existing businesses with a strong focus on digital development
- Social: for businesses creating meaningful social impact
- Regional: for businesses contributing to the development of the regions in which they operate
- Beginners: for women taking their first steps towards launching a business or looking to develop a business idea
The fourth wave of She’s Next in Azerbaijan will run across several stages:
- October 20–November 30, 2026: Registration
- October 30, 2026: She’s Next Days in Ganja
- November 6, 2026: She’s Next Days in Shaki
- November 30–December 15, 2026: Online educational program
- December 16–December 29, 2026: Business Plan submission
- February 8–26, 2027: Digital Accelerator for 24 finalists
- March 3, 2027: Final Pitch Day
For the first time, She’s Next Days in Ganja and Shaki will extend the program’s outreach, bringing the initiative closer to female entrepreneurs in the regions. The events will give local women an opportunity to learn more about the initiative in person and receive on-site support with registration. Participants will also be able to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, exchange experiences and hear firsthand accounts from women who have successfully built their businesses.
The program will culminate in the selection of eight winners, two in each category. A total grant fund of AZN 60,000 will provide financial support to help them take the next step in developing their businesses and bringing their ideas to life.
Launchpad for business growth
Since its launch in Azerbaijan in 2021, She’s Next Empowered by Visa has supported a growing community of women entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, networking and business development opportunities. To date, more than 2,000 Azerbaijani women have participated in the initiative, while AZN 70,000 in grant prizes has been awarded to support the development of women-owned businesses. Azerbaijani female entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to connect with a wider community of women entrepreneurs from 17 countries across Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus through the She’s Next digital community platform.
“Digital capabilities are fundamental to how businesses start, compete and grow. With the fourth edition of She’s Next in Azerbaijan, we once again team up with Birbank Biznes to give women entrepreneurs practical knowledge they can apply directly to their businesses, whether that means reaching a broader customer base online, adopting digital payments or making everyday processes more efficient. This year marks an important step forward, as we are taking She’s Next beyond Baku, making the program more accessible to women in the regions. By combining education, mentorship and funding, we aim to help more women turn their aspirations into sustainable businesses,” said Nurlan Hajiyev, Visa Senior Director, Country Manager for Azerbaijan.
“For four years now, we have been supporting women entrepreneurs through the She’s Next initiative, implemented in partnership with Visa. For us, this initiative is about more than financial support; it is about creating opportunities for women to develop their knowledge and skills, build confidence, and grow their businesses. To date, more than 1,000 women have taken part in training sessions held as part of the initiative. Over the past two years, the number of women entrepreneurs among our customers has increased by 1.5 times, while the volume of microloans provided to them has grown fivefold. We have also introduced dedicated products tailored to women entrepreneurs, further strengthening our support for their businesses. This year, we are placing particular emphasis on developing digital skills and expanding opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the regions. We believe that every woman, regardless of where she lives, should have the opportunity to turn her idea into reality and build a successful business,” said Zakir Khanmammadov, Head of the Payment Products Office at Kapital Bank.
Registration for She’s Next in Digital is open until November 30, 2026. Women interested in participating can learn more about the program and apply at shesnext.az. Participants can also join the She’s Next WhatsApp community to receive program updates, announcements and information about upcoming events.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement.
About She’s Next Empowered by Visa
She’s Next Empowered by Visa is a global initiative launched in 2019 to support women in business. The program provides participants with access to educational opportunities, mentoring, and funding. Since its launch in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, more than 45,000 women have joined the initiative, and female entrepreneurs have received over $300,000 in grants to support the growth of their businesses.
About Birbank Biznes
As a product of Kapital Bank, Birbank Biznes is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and their businesses by offering innovative and convenient solutions for efficient business management. Birbank Biznes clients can receive assistance anytime through the live chat feature. To learn more about the Birbank Biznes system – designed to help entrepreneurs save time and streamline operations – visit https://birbank.business or call the information center at 896.
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