New hub in Kutaisi to turn western city into “high-tech, innovation centre” - Economy Ministry

The former Parliament building in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi will be transformed into a new information technology hub to help establish the city as a “major centre for high technology and innovation” in the region, the Ministry of Economy said on Monday.

The hub will have a scientific museum, a startup accelerator, an international IT school, a conference space, and a powerful data centre for domestic development of artificial intelligence. Additionally, it will provide space for IT companies and experimental laboratories, the body added.

• Former Parliament building in Kutaisi to be turned into IT hub

Irakli Nadareishvili, the Deputy Economy Minister, said the establishment of the hub would contribute to the development of high-tech and innovative industries in Kutaisi. He highlighted the city's proximity to the international airport and the Kutaisi University of Technology as key factors for the hub's success.

In recent years, technoparks of Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency have been operating in all regions of the country, where Georgian citizens have the opportunity to work on the implementation of innovative ideas, have access to both state programmes and the global innovation ecosystem”, Nadareishvili said.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted Kutaisi as a city with a “successful school of exact and natural sciences”.

Avtandil Kasradze, the Chair of GITA, said the hub would play a “crucial role” in the country's digital transformation and attract new technological businesses and investors. He also emphasised the potential for Kutaisi to become a leading centre for technological research and talent development, not only in the country but also in the wider region.

At the same time, the hub will provide a unique opportunity for the people of Kutaisi to be involved in world technological research in the direction of artificial intelligence and not only, where the local human capital will be used as much as possible”, he said.

Kasradze added the launch of the Kutaisi technological hub was expected to “create new job opportunities, accelerate economic growth”, and position the city as an “attractive destination” for individuals of “all ages” interested in the technological field.