#TechJune: Summary

Itel.am summarizes #TechJune, featuring the introduction of UAVs, successes of Armenian startups in U.S. and a number of tech events.

#ArmenianTech

Details were revealed on construction of Engineering City in Bagrevand (Jrvezh). It will welcome the first organizations in September and start operating in full until the end of the year.

“The Engineering City will be located on a 3ha area in Jrvezh. Around 30-35 companies will have individual buildings and nearly 50 will be able to develop their accelerators in the Engineering City,” commented Director of Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan.

Manager of Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris Armenia Vahe Danielyan informed Itel.am that Philip Morris innovation center, soon to open in Armenia, would be a novelty that’s one of a kind, while its model might find further application for foundation of scientific centers in other countries.

Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia held Investor and Mentorship Day on June 27, organized by Startup Wise Guys accelerator (Estonia), Paris-based StartDoon investment initiative, and Microsoft Innovation Center with support from smartgate.vc and Inapptics.

Customs service solutions provider OnQuark won the quota for Techchill in Riga in February, 2018. Another Armenian startup LiveBoard, which developed a multifunctional interactive blackboard, earned admission to Startup Wise Guys accelerator’s selection in Latvia.

UAV LAB exhibited three models of locally produced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the engineering forum-expo in Vanadzor Technology Center on June 24. UAV LAB representative Ivan Melnikov told Itel.am that 4 people worked on the project. The vehicles are for local consumption, but the company intends to bring them to the global market in the near future.

International Telecommunication Union released (in Armenian) Global Cybersecurity Index for 2017. Armenia took the 111th place with 0.196 points, surrounded by Mozambique, Bhutan, Liechtenstein, Zimbabwe, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Armenia still lacks any concept on the issue, which means cyber security is developing on its own. Taking into consideration the unawareness of public and the absence of education, the following rule prevails in our country: only those concerned deal with the issue,” said media expert Samvel Martirosyan, commenting on Armenia’s low position in the ranking.

This year Armenia took part in Technovation Challenge for the first time. The app by schoolgirls' team One Step Ahead won the contest in Education category.

On June 23-24, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Grigor Hovhannisyan talked with representatives of famous IT companies about the ways to expand cooperation with Armenia in AI, quantum systems, and cyber security at the meetings in Silicon Valley.

Interviews

Director of Intelligent Robotics Lab at the University of Illinois, Co-Founder of IntelinAir, Prof. Naira Hovakimyan told Itel.am that Armenian IT sector needs to pay more attention to scientific component so that technologies develop naturally.

"Otherwise, startups will reach a certain stage and stop right there. Of course, the Armenian IT lacks science. The missing components are mostly university startups; instead, most startups are the result of tireless efforts of talented youngsters."

Another discussion we had in June was with World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Chairperson Yvonne Chiu and Secretary General James Poisant.

In the IT Teens series, Itel.am told about 14-year-old Aram Poghosyan, who has been studying robotics on his own for several years.

A new startup

This June we also shared the story of Moon flying camera, an automatic home control center developed in Armenia. Startup founder Sergo Ohanov told Armenia can incorporate home automation by introducing simple solutions, and Moon can be one of them.

"For example, importers of technical equipment can try to be bolder and bring in smart solutions. Those might not be sold in one day, but a number of businesses are now keen on trying innovation."

Other news

After stepping down from the position of Senior Engineering Lead at Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center in February, Raffi Krikorian was appointed Chief Technology Officer of U.S. National Democratic Committee in late June. In the new office Raffi Krikorian will deal with tech issues, securing cyber defense of U.S. National Democratic Committee.

The latest news of June 2017 was about the U.S.-based Epic! leading digital library for children, developed by List.am founder Suren Markosian, which announced USD 8m in Series C funding.

Narine Daneghyan