At a press conference on 5 September 2008, it was announced that the Armenian Technology (ArmTech) Congress’ 2008 edition will highlight the rise of the country’s high tech industry. The annual event will take place on 4-5 October and will strive to promote international business linkages and investments for further growth of the high tech sector in Armenia.
According to Mr. Nerses Yeritsian, Minister of Economy: “The ArmTech Congress serves as a means to provide the platform to discuss, plan and execute policies and actions to keep Armenia on the current path of excellence and increasing its global recognition as one of the fastest growing high tech destinations. Moreover, the Government considers the ArmTech Congress an unprecedented opportunity to obtain business and professional information, and to make key connections spanning the global high tech industry. Armenian and U.S government representatives, major players in the financial and IT sectors, and leading academics will also be involved”.
According to Mr. Nerses Yeritsian, Minister of Economy: “The ArmTech Congress serves as a means to provide the platform to discuss, plan and execute policies and actions to keep Armenia on the current path of excellence and increasing its global recognition as one of the fastest growing high tech destinations. Moreover, the Government considers the ArmTech Congress an unprecedented opportunity to obtain business and professional information, and to make key connections spanning the global high tech industry. Armenian and U.S government representatives, major players in the financial and IT sectors, and leading academics will also be involved”.
“ArmTech is considered as a recurring annual global high tech industry conference, alternating between Silicon Valley and Armenia. Its successful debut in 2007 in Silicon Valley, California, established a challenging benchmark for subsequent years,” said Tony Moroyan, the founder and co-chair of ArmTech Congress.
The growth of the IT sector in Armenia, together with the expansion of the global Armenian diaspora technology community, has created a need for a professional forum to improve communications and cooperation among Armenian high-tech professionals and executives.
According to the Ministry of Economy press release, the ArmTech Congress is the response to this need. With its wide range of technology and business sessions, ArmTech Congress offers the opportunity to share information, identify new business opportunities, make new contacts, and create valuable extensive professional networks.
Several high tech industry leaders from Armenia, Europe, Russia and the U.S.A., government officials, international organizations, and academics are expected to attend the ArmTech Congress ’08.
According to Mr. Rich Goldman, Vice President of Corporate Marketing & Strategic Market Development at Synopsys and CEO of Synopsys Armenia, “Armenia holds great potential, but we continue to be affected by major and unnecessary barriers that greatly reduce the attractiveness of Armenia for foreign direct investment….. ArmTech Congress offers a venue for a gathering of business, government and academic leaders to openly discuss the issues and challenges, and agree to actions that will strengthen Armenia's business and IT environment, making Armenia truly competitive in the IT sphere … Challenges exist in all three areas; government, academia, and business, and we must work together to resolve them and develop ideas that will lead to the accelerated economic development…”
Unfortunately, one of the 3 pillars of this “platform”, the academia, seems rather absent from the general picture, at least for the time being. Neither the Ministry of Education and Science nor any institution of higher education officially sponsors or is involved in organizing the event. Moreover, the extent of participation by academics and students of high tech-related subjects is unknown at this time.
For further Information:
ArmTech official site
Also:
Armenian Development Agency
Armenian ICT Industry Association (site in Armenian)
Enterprise Incubator Foundation
