UFAZ Alumna’s Project Won the Startup Competition

Sabina Babayeva, a graduate of the Chemical Engineering program at the French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ), along with her team, won a startup competition organized by the Innovation Center of IFP School with their project called Volterra.

The project is designed to increase access to electricity for residents in remote villages. Energy shortages limit communities’ access to quality education, transportation, and communication. Volterra addresses this issue by providing a battery exchange service through local merchants.

The solution leverages the fact that merchants regularly travel between villages and major cities to deliver their products. Special Volterra-locked batteries are charged at energy centers in cities and then delivered directly to residents of remote villages via these vendors. After use, the batteries are returned to the cities, and the cycle continues.

For local residents, this provides access to affordable, portable batteries without the need for additional infrastructure. Merchants, in turn, earn extra income without altering their daily routines.

Mentored by Laurent Forti, the project stood out in the competition due to its innovative approach and has become a source of inspiration for students and young entrepreneurs.

We congratulate Sabina Babayeva on this achievement and wish her continued success.