Georgia has opened a new technology hub in Kutaisi, transforming the former parliament building into what officials say is the country's largest innovation and startup facility.
The Technohub, operated by Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), was officially opened on 24 July by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili. The opening ceremony featured a drone display and was attended by government officials, diplomats, local authorities and representatives of the Georgian Patriarchate.
The building had stood largely vacant since parliament returned to Tbilisi in 2019. Kobakhidze said the site, once "a symbol of corruption under the previous government", would now serve as "a regional centre of knowledge, innovation and technological development".
The facility brings together several elements of Georgia's technology and education strategy under one roof. It includes the country's largest technopark, an interactive science and technology museum, an artificial intelligence computing centre, startup workspaces, and laboratories dedicated to robotics, electronics, drones and 3D printing.
It also houses a branch of TUMO, an international education programme for school-age children focused on creative technologies, which currently operates in more than 20 countries.
Speaking at the opening, Kvrivishvili said the goal was for Georgia to become not only a consumer of new technology but also a country that develops it. She said Kutaisi was chosen because of the city's recent development, highlighting its international airport and Kutaisi International University as key assets that would support the hub.
Once fully operational, the hub is expected to host a continuous programme of startup incubators, pre-accelerators, hackathons, innovation camps and training courses for participants of all ages from across Georgia and the wider region, rather than Kutaisi alone.
The Kutaisi hub is the latest stage in a technopark programme that GITA has been developing since 2014. Nine technoparks already operate across Georgia, providing support for entrepreneurs developing early-stage business ideas. Since 2018, the agency has reported investing around $14 million in approximately 240 startups.
Officials have presented the Kutaisi project as a regional initiative since it was first announced. In February 2025, Deputy Economy Minister Irakli Nadareishvili described the site as significant "not solely for Georgia, but for the wider region", citing both its scale and the range of functions it brings together under one roof.
Although the Kutaisi hub is not directly linked to the initiative, Georgia has also been pursuing a longer-term ambition to position itself as a digital connectivity hub between Europe and Asia. Under its National Broadband Development Strategy, the government has identified the creation of a digital hub and the development of submarine digital connectivity between the EU and Asia as strategic priorities.
Georgia already offers tax incentives designed to attract IT companies, including zero corporate tax and no VAT for businesses operating under its Virtual Zone status, as well as reduced tax rates for foreign companies that qualify for International Company Status.
Whether the Kutaisi hub significantly strengthens Georgia's position as a regional technology centre will ultimately depend on how many startups and companies choose to establish themselves there once the facility is fully operational.
Read more from Georgia:
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with...
Iran says it will use all diplomatic and legal channels to determine the fate of three Air Force pilots it believes are being held in Qatar after t...
Nearly a week after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, hopes of finding more survivors are fading as rescue teams search ...
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Iran says it will use all diplomatic and legal channels to determine the fate of three Air Force pilots it believes are being held in Qatar after their fighter jets were downed during the March war.
Kazakhstan has launched a unified digital platform to track coal supplies in real time, giving officials a clearer view of production, shipments, stocks and prices ahead of the heating season.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to end the war in Gaza returned to the diplomatic arena on Sunday (16 August), as his envoys met Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo while Israeli strikes continued across the strip.
At least 11 people, including three children and two women, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to Lebanese authorities, in one of the deadliest escalations since a U.S.-mediated framework was agreed between Lebanon and Israel.
As the countries of the Turkic world seek deeper economic integration, the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) is positioning itself as a key financial vehicle for turning political cooperation into tangible development projects.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment