What Heydar Aliyev Foundation does

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation (Heydər Əliyev Fondu) is a non-governmental, non-commercial charitable organization established in 2004 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to honor the legacy of national leader Heydar Aliyev. It is led by President Mehriban Aliyeva, who concurrently serves as First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and First Lady, with Vice President Leyla Aliyeva (also head of the Russian representative office and founder of the IDEA environmental initiative) and Executive Director Anar Alakbarov. The foundation implements programs across education (the 'New School for New Azerbaijan' program has built or renovated 500+ school buildings since 2005 serving 100,000+ students, plus children's home development covering 30+ institutions), healthcare (the 'Life without Thalassemia' program centered on the Baku Thalassemia Center opened in 2009, the 'Highest Care for Children with Diabetes' initiative, and medical facility construction), culture (Kharybulbul and Gabala international music festivals, Venice Biennale pavilion, Vatican heritage restoration work), sports (annual Baku Marathon since 2016), ICT, and environmental protection. Its activities extend internationally across more than 20 countries, with partnerships including ISESCO, the Vatican, UNESCO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and government or institutional counterparts in Georgia, Russia, Romania, China, Turkey, Italy, and Uzbekistan.

The foundation does not sell products or services, has no disclosed pricing model, and does not publish revenue figures. It is funded through donations and institutional partnerships, with a staff of 51-100 employees headquartered at Niyazi Street 5, Baku. The foundation's digital footprint consists of informational portals (khojalytoday.com, shusha.today, 44days.info) documenting Azerbaijani history for international audiences, plus a trilingual official website and active social media presence. There are no technology products, APIs, or proprietary software platforms; the foundation operates as a project-implementing charity rather than a technology company, and there is no evidence of AI/ML capabilities. Award recognition includes the 4th Hamdan-ISESCO Prize for contributions to culture, education, and humanitarian work.

Name

Heydar Aliyev Foundation

Legal name

Heydər Əliyev Fondu

Website

https://heydar-aliyev-foundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is a non-governmental, non-commercial charitable organization established in 2004 in Baku, Azerbaijan, implementing education, healthcare, cultural, and social welfare programs domestically and across 20+ countries under the patronage of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation services
• Education infrastructure programs
• Healthcare humanitarian initiatives
• Cultural heritage promotion
• Social welfare projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Baku

HQ country

Azerbaijan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is a charitable non-governmental, non-commercial organization that implements humanitarian, educational, healthcare, cultural, sports, and social-welfare projects in Azerbaijan and abroad. It funds and directly delivers programs including school construction, children's homes renovation, medical facility construction, the Baku Thalassemia Center, diabetes care for children, international music festivals, the Baku Marathon, and digital history/cultural portals.

Product overview

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation operates as a charitable non-governmental organization implementing diverse programs across education, healthcare, culture, sports, ICT, and environmental sectors. The Foundation's portfolio includes international music festivals (Kharybulbul, Gabala), the annual Baku Marathon, educational initiatives building hundreds of schools, healthcare programs including diabetes care and thalassemia prevention, cultural projects such as Venice Biennale participation, and digital portals documenting Azerbaijani history (Khojaly Today, Shusha Today, 44 Days). The Foundation also produces publications and supports various social welfare programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action): Environmental protection and nature conservation initiatives

Products and services

• New School for New Azerbaijan Program for the construction and renovation of modern school infrastructure across Azerbaijan, serving K-12 students in regions across the country.
• Children Homes and Boarding Schools Development Program supporting the renovation, equipment, and educational development of children's homes and boarding schools in Azerbaijan for orphaned and institutionalized children.
• The Highest Care for Children with Diabetes Healthcare initiative providing insulin, syringes and medical supplies to children under 18 with diabetes across Azerbaijan through regular distribution.
• Life without Thalassemia Program aimed at preventing and treating thalassemia in Azerbaijan, including the operation of the Baku Thalassemia Center and blood bank development.
• Reconstruction and Construction of Medical Establishments Healthcare infrastructure program covering the construction and reconstruction of hospitals, clinics, and specialized medical centers across Baku and Azerbaijani regions.
• Kharybulbul Music Festival Annual international music festival held in Shusha, Azerbaijan, organized by the Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, featuring traditional and classical music performances.
• Gabala International Music Festival Annual international music festival held in the Qabala (Gabala) region, showcasing classical and world music performances.
• Baku Marathon Annual marathon event in Baku organized by the Foundation, promoting healthy lifestyle and sports culture; the 2026 edition features a 42 km distance.
• Azerbaijan Pavilion at Venice Biennale National exhibition pavilion representing Azerbaijan at the Venice Biennale, showcasing contemporary Azerbaijani art and cultural heritage to international audiences.
• Khojaly Today Portal (www.khojalytoday.com) Multilingual digital portal dedicated to documenting and raising international awareness of the 1992 Khojaly massacre; available in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, and Spanish.
• Shusha Today Portal (www.shusha.today) Digital portal presenting the history and current developments of the city of Shusha to international English-speaking audiences.
• 44 Days Portal (www.44days.info) Multilingual digital portal (Azerbaijani, Russian, English) presenting the chronicle of the 44-day Patriotic War (Nagorno-Karabakh War).
• Heydar Aliyev Foundation Brand (Logo) Foundation brand identity consisting of an eight-pointed star containing the H.Ə monogram in blue and gold, representing unity around Heydar Aliyev's ideas; the logo was selected through a 2004 competition of nearly 2,500 submissions and is registered with relevant authorities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ schools built/renovated (2005-2024) serving 100,000+ students
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• China Foreign Friendship AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2025Discussion of existing cooperation and future projects between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, led by Executive Director Anar Alakbarov.
• Zamin International Public FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2024Memorandum of understanding signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Zamin International Public Foundation to strengthen Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations and implement joint projects.
• Italy (Embassy and cultural institutions)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2024Collaboration on joint projects in Italy, discussed during meeting between Foundation's Executive Director Anar Alakbarov and Italy's new ambassador Luca Di Canfrancesco.
• ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiatives including the Natavan Heritage Excellence Award and other cultural and educational programs. The foundation works closely with ISESCO on promoting Islamic culture and education internationally.
• Vatican (Holy See)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural heritage restoration projects including work at St. Peter's Basilica and other Vatican sites. The foundation's president Mehriban Aliyeva has met with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican officials on joint cultural preservation initiatives.
• Government of AzerbaijancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with various Azerbaijani government bodies including the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and State Oil Company (SOCAR) on national development projects.
• Turkey Zero Waste FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding signed in April 2024 for environmental cooperation, with First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva leading the Azerbaijani foundation.
• UNESCO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with major international organizations for development projects across education, healthcare, and social welfare in Azerbaijan.
• Russian institutions (Moscow State University, Pushkin Library Fund, etc.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational and cultural partnerships including school construction and renovation in Russian cities, cooperation with major Russian universities and cultural institutions.
• Romanian institutionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Romanian universities (Babes-Bolyai, Hyperion), cultural organizations, and local government bodies for educational and cultural exchange programs.
• Georgian government and institutionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction and renovation of Azerbaijani schools in Georgia, including Dmanisi, Marneuli, Tbilisi, Bolnisi, and Gardabani. Medical assistance provided to Georgian regions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Aga Khan Foundation: International development foundation operating across health, education, and civil society in 30+ countries. Comparable multi-vertical program model and international scope, though driven by a religious/imperial legacy rather than a post-Soviet national figure.
• Alwaleed Philanthropies: Saudi Arabia-based philanthropic foundation with global programs in education, health, disaster relief, and intercultural understanding. Comparable international reach and state-affiliated positioning, with similar soft-power motivations.
• King Baudouin Foundation: Belgium-based public utility foundation with broad social, health, and cultural grantmaking programs. Comparable as a multi-vertical foundation with international partnerships, though operating under a different governance model.
• Qatar Foundation: Qatar's flagship non-profit foundation spanning education (Education City), research, and community development. Comparable as a state-aligned, multi-vertical philanthropy with international cultural diplomacy ambitions, though at materially larger scale.

Regional players

• Sabancı Foundation: Turkey's leading private foundation supporting education, culture, and social welfare. Comparable as a regional (post-Ottoman) foundation with national-development orientation and cultural-heritage programming, though primarily operating domestically.

Others

• ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization): Intergovernmental organization and core strategic partner of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. While ISESCO is not a peer foundation per se, it is the most direct institutional peer in Islamic-world educational/cultural mandate and co-grantor of the Hamdan-ISESCO Prize.

Emerging players

• Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation: UAE-based foundation that jointly awards the Hamdan-ISESCO Prize with which Heydar Aliyev Foundation was recognized. Comparable scope in educational, scientific, and cultural grantmaking, with similar Islamic-world donor base.

Direct peers

• Zamin International Public Foundation: Uzbekistan-based public foundation with comparable grantmaking, social welfare, and cultural diplomacy mandate. Direct peer given signed MOU with Heydar Aliyev Foundation (Sept 2024) for joint projects, indicating overlapping program scope and regional positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/H_A_Foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/heydaraliyevfoundationofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/heydaraliyevfoundationofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heydar-aliyev-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Heydar Aliyev Foundation