On September 1, 2025, the opening ceremony of the 49th International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals, one of the most prestigious programming competitions in the world, was held in Baku. The event, hosted at the Heydar Aliyev Center, made history as the World Finals took place in our country for the first time.

It should be noted that the ICPC World Finals are organized in partnership with the Central Bank, the ICPC Foundation, and ADA University, in collaboration with the Innovation and Digital Development Agency and the ICPC Azerbaijan community, and with the support of PASHA Holding. As part of PASHA Holding, Kapital Bank actively participates in this significant global project.

During the opening ceremony, ICPC Foundation President Bill Poucher announced that this year’s competition brought together 63,294 students and 10,573 coaches and assistant coaches. Representing 3,307 universities and 93 companies, they competed in the qualifying rounds. As a result, 148 of the world’s top student programming teams earned their place in the World Finals in Baku.

In his speech, Taleh Kazimov, Chairman of the Central Bank, described the hosting of this prestigious contest in Baku as a testament to Azerbaijan’s technological progress and as a symbol of its openness to international cooperation. He emphasized that this experience will play a crucial role in shaping the technological future of the country and in addressing the complex challenges of the financial sector.

The opening ceremony, attended by representatives of Kapital Bank, reflects the Bank’s commitment to youth development and its support for international cooperation in the fields of innovation and technology. In addition, at the PASHA Holding stand, Kapital Bank representatives provide young people with detailed information about career opportunities in the banking sector, professional growth prospects, as well as the Bank’s innovative products and projects. Visitors’ questions are answered, and interactive discussions are held on topics of their interest. 

As part of the five-day project, participants will also have the opportunity to visit the exhibition organized at the Baku Convention Center, where various international companies are represented. Among the exhibitors are global technology leaders such as OpenAI, JetBrains, Huawei, and Google, displaying their expertise and solutions.

Kapital Bank, the country's first bank, is part of PASHA Holding. Kapital Bank has the largest service network in Azerbaijan with 121 branches and 52 departments all over the country. For more detailed information about the bank’s products and services, please refer to https://kapitalbank.az website, 196 Call Centre or the bank’s various social network pages. To apply for a consumer loan visit https://kbl.az/prgtk, for a Birbank installment card visit https://kbl.az/prcrc.