After Istanbul and Tashkent, INMerge Innovation Summit concluded its 2026 Event Series in Berlin on 29 June in AXICA Convention Center. The summit brought together founders, investors, corporate innovators, C-level executives, startups, venture capital representatives, and technology leaders to explore new opportunities for investment, partnerships, and market expansion across Europe
Ethan Conroy
As the third and final international stop before the flagship INMerge Innovation Summit in Baku this November, INMerge Berlin served as an official side event of GITEX Europe.
Organised in partnership with Plug and Play, the event created a platform for high-impact discussions, meaningful networking, and cross-border collaboration between Europe’s innovation ecosystem and the rapidly growing markets of Azerbaijan, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond.
“INMerge Berlin marks an important milestone in the evolution of the INMerge Innovation Summit. By bringing INMerge to Europe for the first time, we are expanding the conversation beyond regional borders and creating a stronger bridge between Europe, Azerbaijan, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and emerging innovation markets,
“This event reflects our commitment to connecting founders, investors, corporate leaders, and ecosystem builders around ideas that can shape the future of technology and entrepreneurship”, said Farid Mammadov, CEO at PASHA Financial Holding.
The agenda began with a keynote, continued with panels and a fireside chat and concluded with a Startup Pitch Competition.
This started with remarks by H.E. Nasimi Aghayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Germany. Martin Gutmann continued with his keynote, “Are We Celebrating the Wrong Leaders?”. The session set the tone for the day by reflecting on the evolving qualities of leadership in a fast-changing global innovation landscape and challenging conventional ideas about what effective leadership looks like.
Followed by the panel discussion “Trust Corridors: Rebuilding Financial Bridges Between Europe and Emerging Markets” focused on financial connectivity and market access, highlighting how stronger institutional trust and cross-border partnerships can drive growth between Europe and emerging markets.
Speakers included Ekaterina Galitsyna (KfW IPEX-Bank), Bahruz Naghiyev (PASHA Bank Azerbaijan), Zuzana Franz (ODDO BHF). The panel was moderated by Rza Aliyev (NGIC).
The discussion emphasised rebuilding confidence, enabling investment flows, and strengthening links between innovation ecosystems.
The fireside chat “Beyond Efficiency: Wellbeing, Culture and the Future of Work” featured Ad Boon (PASHA Holding) and Martin Gutmann (Lucerne School of Business) and was moderated by Maria Ivanova (Gingo Partners). The discussion explored how organisations can balance productivity with employee wellbeing, inclusive culture, and long-term resilience, highlighting the growing importance of human-centred approaches in evolving work models.
The panel “From Berlin Labs to Emerging Market Scale: AI, Big Tech and the Next Innovation Bridge” explored how AI, global tech companies, and emerging market opportunities are shaping the next wave of innovation. Speakers included Mammad Karim (Caucasus Ventures), Mehti Aslanov (PASHA Financial Holding), Alexandra Begue (SAP) and Valeria Sadovykh (Microsoft Germany).
The panel was moderated by Tughra Musayeva (PASHA Financial Holding). The discussion focused on how ideas from leading tech hubs can scale into high-growth markets through partnerships, investment, and ecosystem collaboration.
The Startup Pitch Competition judged by leading investors, closed the program, with three selected startups earning the opportunity to join the main INMerge event in Baku on 30 November – 1 December 2026.
The winning startup Sintro will receive a fully funded package, while two additional startups Datfid and Lan fly will receive partial funding support.
As the final stop in the 2026 International Event Series, Berlin underscored INMerge’s role in connecting Europe with Central Eurasia and strengthening collaboration across borders. The event reaffirmed INMerge Innovation Summit’s mission to bring together ecosystems, capital, and ideas ahead of the main INMerge event on 30 November – 1 December 2026.
