Leigha Schjelderup’s thesis explores Armenia’s innovation paradox: extraordinary tech talent and diaspora support coexisting with weak institutions and performative policies. Focusing on the AI sector, she reveals how overcoming fragmentation is key to transforming isolated successes into systemic progress.
The 20th century witnessed unprecedented technological leaps for several forward-thinking nations, significantly improving the well-being of their economies and societies. This was the product of deliberate public-private efforts aimed at fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in strategic areas.
For Chinar Movsisyan, founder and CEO of manot, a genuine love for math and science formed the basis for her academic pursuits, and the desire to apply theory in the real world pushed her pivot to business.
What makes Armenia innovative? While there are many promising preconditions, innovation currently occurs in “pockets” in the country rather than at scale. An orientation toward more open collaboration is paramount.
Despite leading the region in many progressive metrics, the past few years have reinforced how peace isn’t something Armenia can take for granted: it must cultivate optimal conditions for innovation because of external threats, and that will take conscious architecting.
Exploring the emerging AI industry landscape in Armenia is necessary to ensure not only that the country is in a position to advance the benefits of the “ideologized” technology, but also the resolve to mitigate future risks.
Building cool products is one thing, successfully delivering them at scale is another. If the Armenian tech sector is to grow sustainability, it’s going to need to excel in both.
EVN Report’s mission is to empower Armenia, inspire the diaspora and inform the world through sound, credible and fact-based reporting and commentary. Our goal is to increase public trust in the media. EVN Report is the media arm of EVN News Foundation registered in the Republic of Armenia in 2017.
