Profiles of main tech parks, accelerators, hackathons
In October 2019, Armenia will host a prestigious IT forum World Congress on Information Technologies (WCIT), which is traditionally attended by various countries’ leaders and the largest representatives of world IT companies. Since 2009, the Republic of Armenia has held the Annual Prize of the President of Armenia Global IT Award. Over the years, the award was bestowed to top managers of world-renowned IT technology development companies: Hitachi’s ex-CEO Tsugio Makimoto in 2013, president of Cisco Systems Development Mario Mazzola in 2014, Apple’s former CEO Tony Fadell in 2017.
One of the most important platforms promoting the development of digital society and innovative technologies among young people in Armenia is Թումո ստեղծարար տեխնոլոգիաների կենտրոն (Centre for Creative Technologies - TUMO). TUMO is a new kind of educational experience at the intersection of technology and design. At TUMO teens are given the tools and know-how they need to reach their maximum potential and they chart their own learning path through hands-on activities, workshops, and projects. TUMO centres operate in several regions of Armenia and beyond, including in Paris and Nagorno-Karabakh. In October 2018, the Armenian concern Multi Group and the Swedish company Omnia Tech opened in Armenia the largest mining farm in the region. The cost of the project is estimated at US$50m. The farm deploys 3,000 machines for the production of bitcoin and ethereum cryptocurrencies. Its capacity is planned to be increased to 120,000 machines. According to Robert Velg, the founder of Omnia Tech, the company is planning to implement technology projects in Armenia, which will be joined by 500 foreign companies, including Facebook, Google and Amazon.