According to Nabiyev, financing of start-up projects in Azerbaijan was carried out through state grants and bank loans.  "This fund is the first one established as a public-private partnership. The establishment of this fund will attract foreign investors to this area. Besides, this year the ministry has allocated funds for the training of 650 IT specialists. It’s planned to prepare annually 3,000 specialists,” he noted.  “By the end of the year, a number of laws will be adopted for participants in the IT sector and the startup ecosystem, which will accelerate the development of this sector of the country," the minister added.  The budget of the venture fund is 11.3 million manat ($6.6 million). Azerbaijan’s Innovation Agency and PASHA Holding allocated five million manat ($2.9 million), and individual entrepreneurs - 1.3 million manat ($760,000) to the fund's budget.