Ambassador of SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Co-founder of Pulsar.AI and Vice President of Impel, Sopo Chkoidze 

How would you explain the innovation promotion in Georgia? We all know that there are challenges in Georgia in this respect.

We have ample opportunities in Georgia to have our say in the direction of innovation. The most important challenge is creating an environment for our employees and team members to communicate openly and collaborate. This is the foundation of every innovative project a company and a country should aim for.

You are the co-founder of one of the most successful startups. What were the encouraging factors in achieving success? 

In our case, the most important thing is to be united by a shared vision and a goal. This was also our approach when we started producing a competitive product for the international market. We exchanged ideas around this and finally agreed on the product we are now developing with “Impel.” Later on, during this project’s implementation and further development, it was important for us to hear from any employee and team member about their initiatives and innovative ideas. In principle, none of the team members had specific instructions or guidelines. This is exactly what fuels innovative and creative approaches by identifying and trying alternative ways and methods that no one has tried before. This was the most crucial factor.

The research or development that any company or person initiates must be funded. In our case, we attracted USD1,200,000 from “Silicon Valley” and Georgian investors. We also received a 650,000 GEL grant from the Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency. To transform an innovative idea directly into a product, it is important to have access to financial capital.

What should we do to enable startups and other companies to develop innovative technologies in their operations? How can we promote innovations in Georgia, and what are the challenges?

In our case, we meet several startups daily and listen to their ideas. After this, we get feedback about the scalability of a proposed project. For the company to start a business that will enter the international market, the startup company needs to have a vision of how scalable it can be. In this regard, you should keep your finger on the pulse of ongoing events in the international market. Doing this from Georgia might be complicated. However, as access to information, including from digital sources, is simplified, this is one of the challenges that can be easily overcome.

Increasing awareness and access to information is also important, and to not be limited to a local project and not serve only the local sector. If you want the project to make a difference in the market, the idea must penetrate the international market. In our case, the Georgian market is good for validating the pilot idea, to test how this or that product works in a small group. However, they should also enter the international market for the project ideas to become more scalable and profitable. One of the challenges is how to develop the vision.

You are a female leader, and you work in a sector that is considered male-dominated. There are stereotypes regarding male and female professions. Encouraging women in technological innovation is particularly important. How did you embark on this path? Also, we know that in “Pulsar,” the involvement of women is encouraged, specifically in decision-making positions. Can you tell us more about it?

Based on the available statistics in the technology field, the level of women’s participation, in general, is significantly low. In my field, the automobile industry, the situation is even worse. In the beginning, when we had feedback sessions with the clients, they were surprised to see a woman. This industry is 90% male-dominated. It is a big challenge. The main thing is to be confident in yourself and believe that you can do everything with your team to help you realize your ambitions. We do that at “Pulsar” and “Impel” – we empower anyone, regardless of sex or national origin, to turn their ambitions and ideas into reality. It so happened that most of the leaders in the Georgian team of our company are women, and we are pleased about this fact, which, along with other characteristics, makes us a unique company.

What would you advise society, business companies, and startups in achieving SDG 9 effectively in Georgia?

To achieve this goal, the most important approach that a person or a business should have is to be interested and deepen their knowledge about this direction because the field of innovation, especially technology, is constantly progressing and changing. Interest is the pillar of how to develop innovative directions. I would advise any person or organization to pay special attention and understand the importance of research and development. One of the essential missions of top companies is to promote innovation internally within the organization. To be innovative, we must be constantly aware of what is happening in the market and how to translate our vision into tangible ideas.