Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia Ruben Simonyan stated that Armenia has firmly positioned itself as a global innovation hub, emphasizing that the country aims to establish innovation as a core part of its national identity. He made these remarks during the governmental day at the Sevan Startup Summit 2025, Armenpress reports.
Simonyan outlined the ministry’s strategic focus areas, including the development of the IT sector, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and space-related industries. “Armenia is now marked as one of the world’s key innovation hubs—a strong and reliable partner. We continue working intensively on a long-term tech development strategy, aiming to anchor innovation as part of our national identity. Our primary goal is to promote research and advancement to create a sustainable development path,” he said.
He stressed the importance of nurturing a startup ecosystem by enhancing international partnerships, improving the investment climate, and involving the private sector. “Armenia now serves as a connecting link between various countries through its diverse startup base. Over 40 countries are represented at this summit. We strive to harmonize the public-private partnership and support startups through marketing initiatives. One of this year’s milestones is the government-backed legislative package that came into force on January 4, providing long-term regulatory clarity and targeted support.”
Simonyan noted that around 120 startups saw significant growth last year, many of which launched at the Sevan Startup Summit. He emphasized that the current platforms and ecosystem facilitate the implementation of innovative ideas and their entry into the market.
He also presented the ministry’s operational pillars, which include research, production, incubation, and acceleration programs. He highlighted the Potential initiative, which engages the Armenian diaspora and facilitates the transfer of global expertise. “The well-known ‘from idea to business’ slogan also applies here. We plan a major event in Dilijan by year’s end. Last year, we launched an international acceleration program. Armenia improved its standing across three indices in the global ecosystem. One such international organization was established in Armenia. We also received a long-term cooperation proposal from an international accelerator, and are now negotiating a three-year agreement.”
Simonyan underlined the importance of advancing artificial intelligence and the related infrastructure through public-private collaboration. “We see numerous initiatives coming from both government and private actors that strengthen the startup ecosystem. A robust strategy will help attract world-renowned organizations to Armenia. We allocated 200 million drams for this summit. Our heart and soul are in this initiative.”
He named the construction of an engineering city as another key project, aiming to integrate public, private, and academic stakeholders into a unified ecosystem with modern research centers and labs. According to him, close cooperation with universities and industry organizations is critical for training qualified professionals.
“International partners often ask whether we have the necessary talent and highly skilled personnel. This makes collaboration with educational institutions and industry bodies essential. We regularly organize workshops and training to deliver both theoretical and practical knowledge. We’re bringing together startups and organizations across different fields,” he concluded.
The Sevan Startup Summit 2025 launched on July 20 by Lake Sevan, bringing together startups, investors, and experts from dozens of countries.
