Baku, May 16, 2025 — Visa, the global leader in digital payments, in partnership with Birbank Biznes, a provider of financial and banking services for entrepreneurs, is launching the third wave of the global initiative to support women’s entrepreneurship — She’s Next — in Azerbaijan.
As part of the initiative, an educational and competitive program titled "Create Your Success Story" will be held. Participants will acquire essential business skills, receive support from experienced mentors, and at the end of the program, will have a chance to compete for cash prizes to grow their businesses. The total prize fund of the competition is 60,000 AZN.
"Create Your Success Story" is a competitive program offered in two categories:
· Small and Medium Businesses — business owners with an annual turnover of 200,000 AZN or more are eligible to apply.
· Microbusinesses — business owners with an annual turnover of up to 200,000 AZN are eligible to apply.
As part of the competition, participants will develop a business growth plan and present it to a jury.
The program includes four key stages:
1. Online Training. Participants will gain access to a series of video lectures on topics such as market research, marketing and sales, legal aspects of running a business, strategic planning, and more. The lectures will be available starting May 21, 2025, on the She’s Next digital community platform.
2. Competition Application Submission. Until June 13, 2025, all participants who have completed the lectures and passed an online test to confirm their knowledge may apply to take part in the competition. The application must include:
· A motivational letter explaining why the participant should become a finalist;
· A video presentation of their business.
Following the selection process, 10 finalists will be chosen. Evaluation and selection criteria can be found on the program's website.
3. Mentorship Program. Finalists will have the opportunity to attend one-on-one mentoring sessions with leading Azerbaijani business experts.
4. Finale. On July 11, 2025, in Baku, finalists will present their projects to a professional jury. Three winners in each category will receive cash prizes to grow their businesses:
· 1st place: 15,000 AZN in each category;
· 2nd place: 10,000 AZN in each category;
· 3rd place: 5,000 AZN in each category.
Applications can be submitted until June 10, 2025, inclusive, via the program website.
This year, for the first time, Birbank Biznes is joining She’s Next as an official partner. Birbank Biznes will make a significant contribution to scaling the initiative by sharing knowledge on financial and banking tools for businesses and offering relevant banking products to support business growth. As part of the "Create Your Success Story" program, Birbank Biznes will also conduct four additional offline training sessions for microbusiness participants at ADA University.
“Visa launched the global initiative She’s Next Empowered by Visa in Azerbaijan in 2021. Since then, it has helped thousands of Azerbaijani women gain knowledge, strengthen their businesses, and find support within a community of ambitious like-minded individuals. This year, the Create Your Success Story program will take the initiative to a new level. With a rich curriculum, mentorship support, and cash prizes, She’s Next will help even more women enhance their entrepreneurial potential. Together with our strategic partner Birbank Biznes, we continue to drive payment innovation and support entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan, strengthening our long-term cooperation through this new joint project,” said Nurlan Hajiyev, Senior Director, Regional Manager of Visa in Azerbaijan.
Detailed information about the third wave of She’s Next Empowered by Visa, competition stages, and selection criteria can be found in the Terms & Conditions section on the program website. To stay updated with the latest program news, join the official WhatsApp news community, where you’ll find announcements, useful articles, and key updates. You can also follow the initiative’s news via the official Visa and Birbank Biznes social media pages.
