New venture fund to open in Armenia
31.10.2016
A new venture fund will be created in Armenia next year.
Banks.am received this information from Dom-Daniel Executive Director Artashes Kalantarian within the frames of the Fintegration hackathon in FinTech format, which took place on October 28-29 at Dilijan Training and Research Center, Armenia.
Artashes Kalantarian noted that the new fund will differ from other funds worldwide in this way:
“It will be a combination of accelerator and venture fund, which will aim at finding clever young people and proving to them that regardless of geographic position people with good ideas can succeed, and we will help in realizing these ideas.”
http://www.banks.am/en/news/newsfeed/12825/
World IT Forum to be held in Armenia
31.10.2016
The Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), being the only association in the technology field in Armenia and involving all large actors of the field for a long time, has formed a strategy during its activities, UITE Deputy Chairman Hayk Chobanyan said. “Until recently there was an indirect and direct cooperation with the former Economy Ministry that was responsible for the IT sector. Of course, after the new change, we exist and will become one of the major partners of the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies. During our discussions the priorities and projects are emerged which must be carried out in Armenia to boost the IT sector”, he said. Chobanyan added that the UITE didn’t directly participated in the preparation of documents related to the IT sector. “Previously we have sent our approaches to the former Economy Ministry that was responsible for the sector in that time”, he said. Speaking about the Government’s program, Chobanyan said: “The IT sector is mainly not included in the Government’s program. Of course, there are over 10 points related to the IT sector”. He said the Government’s action plan doesn’t reflect the strategic directions at all, that existed in recent years and exist today as well. He said the first one is the lack of strategy. “We must make a contribution in order to compensate this document with strategic documents in the near future, and the entire IT sector will take part in its formation. I am convinced that we will have a project in February-March which we will present to the public’s judgment”, Chobanyan said. “We need to be constructive, as well as demanding, in order words, there must be documents, calculations, concrete projects with their results, and, of course, there must be a pressure from the IT sector. The Government must not be the initiator of boosting the IT sector, rather the sector must take that role. By implementing this I think we will manage to present Armenia in the World IT Forum”, Chobanyan said.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/865958/hayastanum-kanckacvi-texekatvakan-tekhnologianeri-hamashkharhayin.html
EU4Business Week starts in Armenia
25.10.2016
The European Union has long supported large-scale reforms and projects to develop a supportive environment for doing business in Armenia. With innovation, trade and SME development seen as key pillars of economic growth, the EU is ready to help Armenia achieve further development objectives.
As a part of these efforts, the EU and its partners have organised a second EU4Business week during 2016. This second initiative will run from 24-28 October 2016 and include a variety of events. The week kicked off with a panel discussion on “Investing in SMEs in the Eastern partnership counties”.
This panel, the 8th Business Development Panel, focused on innovation as an essential tool for boosting competitiveness on both the regional and national level. The panel officially launched the pilot version of the EU4Business website. This website will make EU support to businesses more accessible and visible. Country-specific EU4Business webpages in local languages will follow soon.
The panel was followed by a press conference, in which the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Świtalski, and the Armenian Deputy Minister of Investment and Development, Garegin Melkonyan, participated. Ambassador Świtalski stressed the importance of this second initiative: ‘This week is one of the most important weeks of our year. EU4Business Week, starting today, makes Armenia the centre of various events and activities that highlight the EU’s role in supporting economic development, innovation and business across the entire Eastern Partnership. We believe that economic resilience is very important for both ourselves and countries like Armenia. We pay particular attention to supporting economic development and to offering best possibilities for cooperation both regionally and within the EU. The choice to launch the initiative through the Business Development Panel was symbolic, as it is SMEs which provide the vast majority of job opportunities; therefore, economic opportunities linked to SMEs are significant. EU4Business is a strong signal of the EU’s commitment to support business, to directly benefit the real economy, and to increase the country’s and the region’s competitiveness’.
First Deputy Melkonyan echoed this sentiment: ‘I welcome the launch of the EU4Business week in Yerevan and extend my gratitude to our European partners for this outstanding initiative. Armenia attaches great importance to EU assistance provided through the Eastern Partnership to implement economic reforms. We share a special focus on ensuring and deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation. In this regard, competitive and effective SMEs are one of the most important preconditions for economic development in our country’.
http://eunewsletter.am/hy/%D5%B0%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%BD%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B4-%D5%B4%D5%A5%D5%AF%D5%B6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%A5%D6%81-%D5%A5%D5%B4-%D5%B6-%D5%A2%D5%AB%D5%A6%D5%B6%D5%A5%D5%BD%D5%AB-%D5%B0-2/
RESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVED DELEGATION OF THE JOINT INSTITUTE FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH
19.10.2016
President Serzh Sargsyan received today delegation of scientists headed by the Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, professor, academician Victor Matveev. The delegation has arrived to participate in the conference titled the Days of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Armenia. The Conference will take place in Yerevan on October 19-22 and is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and Armenia’s 25th anniversary of membership to the Institute.
The President of Armenia greeted the guests and stressed the importance of conducting the Conference in Yerevan, which gathered under one roof renowned scientists from 17 states members of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, high level guests, heads of the diplomatic missions of the Institute’s member states.
Serzh Sargsyan said that convening of the Conference and organization of the meetings in one place is a good opportunity for the representatives of the scientific community, especially for young scientists, to have a direct contact with the individuals who have reached profound results in their area of expertise. According to the President, this is also an opportunity to establish a dialogue between different scientists and the bearers of various cultures and traditions, who represent different scientific schools. It will create new directions for cooperation and will allow to discuss current issues existing in the scientific field. The President of Armenia stressed the importance of the engagement of the Armenian scientists in the international scientific programs.
President Sargsyan underscored that Armenia within the limits of her ability is enhancing comprehensively the development of sciences and encourages development in the Armenian economy of the science-based branches.
On behalf of his delegation, Victor Matveev thanked the President for hosting the Conference on a high level, spoke about the works and forthcoming programs of the Institute. The Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research noted with satisfaction that since Armenia’s accession to the Institute, in the last 25 years our country has been participating actively in the works of the Institute.
http://www.president.am/hy/press-release/item/2016/10/19/President-Serzh-Sargsyan-meeting-with-delegation-of-Joint-Institute-for-Nuclear-Research/
“Best Woman Entrepreneur 2016” RA Prime Minister's Award took place
29.06.2016
On June 29, “Best Woman Entrepreneur 2016” RA Prime Minister's Award took place in Radisson Blu Hotel. The event is implemented under the high patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia with the support of the Ministry of Economy of RA, organized by the SME DNC of Armenia. On behalf of the Prime Minister of RA, the Vice Prime Minister of RA Vache Gabrielyan greeted and awarded the participants. The Minister of Economy of RA Artsvik Minasyan gave a special prize from the Ministry of Economy. The main purpose of the event is to inspire woman entrepreneurs’ creativity in RA economic development, to appreciate their achievements in different sectors of economy, to provide publicity and to support woman entrepreneurship. The event is being organized since 2012.
The announced nominations are:
- Best woman employer.
- Best innovative woman entrepreneur.
- Best brand by woman entrepreneur.
- Best young woman entrepreneur.
- Best start-up woman entrepreneur.
- Best exporter woman entrepreneur.
“Best exporter woman entrepreneur” award has been given for the first time this year.
Two awards have been selected for each nomination to the best woman entrepreneurs from Yerevan and regions of the Republic of Armenia. 140 applications have been submitted for the award of 2016, 38 of which from Yerevan and 102 from regions.The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia and SME DNC provided awards for the first time. “Challenges of woman entrepreneurs” discussion took place after the award.
http://www.mineconomy.am/arm/947/1/news.more.html
http://www.smednc.am/am/multicontent/news/166/
Agreement signed with the Bortnik Foundation
29.06.2016
On June 27, the Chairman of the RA MES State Committee for Science Mr. Samvel Haroutiunian signed a cooperation agreement with the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in Science and Technology (also known as the Bortnik Foundation in honor of its founder) in Moscow, Russian Federation. The agreement aims to support the development of small and medium innovative enterprises and academic institutions through international cooperation and bilateral exchanges of technical/academic staff and researchers. The main fields of cooperation within the given are as follows: energy, information and communication technology, biotechnology and medicine, space and nuclear research, engineering and technology, material science. The agreement envisages implementation of joint calls for projects, drafting and realization of joint projects in the frameworks of the "Horizon 2020" program, supporting network cooperation between small and medium enterprises and research institutions. In view of a more efficient implementation of cooperation, the Foundation has also suggested that a representative office for the State Committee of Science should open in Moscow.
http://www.scs.am/en/d75773af13f2bd5970976055
Armenia joins Horizon 2020 to work with EU in research and innovation
19.05.2016
Researchers and innovators from Armenia will now have full access to Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation funding programme, under the same conditions as their counterparts from EU Member States and other associated countries. The agreement associating Armenia to Horizon 2020 was signed today by Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, and Levon Mkrtchyan, Armenian Minister for Education and Science. Commissioner Moedas said: "EU research, science and innovation is open to the world for collaboration. Armenia is now the 16th country associated to Horizon 2020, the world's largest public funding programme for research and innovation. This will bring new and different expertise and ideas, and enrich our international research cooperation. "Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said: "Through Horizon 2020, research institutions and the private sector in Armenia will have a unique opportunity to access funding for cutting edge research and development. The opening of Horizon 2020 to Armenia is a concrete example of the EU's commitment to further enhance its relationship with Armenia ."This Agreement allows for Armenia's enhanced cooperation with the EU in research and innovation, which are vital for successful and modern economies. It shows the commitment of the Union to develop the scientific and innovation capacity of its partners associated to the programme. It also represents another step towards reaching the EU goal of opening research and innovation to the world. Armenia has until now been able to participate in Horizon 2020 only as a third country. This means its entities have not counted towards the minimum number of participants required for a project, and have not had access to some important parts of the programme such as support to innovative businesses. Its representatives have not had access to key policy bodies.Thanks to this agreement, its research institutes, universities and individual researchers will now have access to all opportunities offered by Horizon 2020 in diverse areas, from fundamental science to demonstration projects, on an equal footing with researchers and organizations from EU Member States and other countries associated to the programme. Armenian SMEs and businesses will also be able to benefit from increased support to develop new ideas and bring products and services to the market. Background with a budget of €77 billion for 2014-2020, Horizon 2020 is the largest multinational programme dedicated to research and innovation. Association covers the years 2016-2020 and opens up new opportunities to the country's universities, research institutions and enterprises. In the Seventh framework programme (2017-13), which preceded Horizon 2020, Armenian organizations participated in 35 signed projects. In Horizon 2020, they already participate in five projects. The EU is strongly supporting Armenia and will allocate between €140 - 170 million via the Single Support Framework (SSF) in the years 2014-2017. The focus of the assistance is on private sector development, public administration reform, and justice. In addition, support is being provided for the implementation of EU-Armenia agreements (such as Horizon 2020) and for civil society.
http://www.scs.am/en/93573e996857309692388499
