Armenia’s largest annual engineering gathering, “Armenia – Engineering Week 2021” has kicked off in Yerevan on October 21.

This series of events is implemented jointly by the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia, the Engineering Association, and the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF). The main partner of the Engineering Week is PMI Science. 

Day one of the Engineering Week has taken place at Armenia Marriott Hotel. The keynote, moderated by National Instruments’ Project Manager Arsen Arustamyan, featured as speakers Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Hakob Arshakyan, Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry Vahagn Khachaturyan, Country Manager of the World Bank for Armenia Carolin Geginat, EIF Director Bagrat Yengibaryan, and Engineering Association President Aram Salatian.

“The tech industry has to move from high-tech engineering to high-tech manufacturing. It is also of utmost importance to engage Armenia’s regions, not only the capital, in the technological advance,” said Arsen Arustamyan. Engineering Association’s Aram Salatian has made a strong case for Armenia to get into high-tech manufacturing. “The knowledge of manufacturing is imperative,” he added, “And in the near future, Armenia should be able to actually produce the projects developed in the Engineering City.”

Both Deputy Speaker Arshakyan and High-Tech Industry Minister Vahagn Khachaturyan have assured of government support for the ICT field, highlighting the benefits that helped tech companies grow and the engagement of tech students in all projects. Minister Khachaturyan has noted that the government of Armenia aims to attract investment to high-tech sector and create value within the country.

According to WB’s Carolin Geginat, Armenia is building on the legacy of a strong technological sector, and the World Bank considers IT a sector that can lift the economy. “The tech industry can indeed propel Armenia forward and should consider it the main mission. An institutional approach will help build the environment for local startups to succeed,” said EIF’s Bagrat Yengibaryan.

On day one of Engineering Week, EIF, Engineering Association, and the National Centre for VET Develoment (MKUZAK) have signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding. In the framework of this MoU, the parties will cooperate in the area of vocational education in engineering and related fields in order to secure inflow of top-class specialists into Armenia’s IT sector.

The event included 9 panels in total:

  • “Automotive”

Moderated by Ruben Simonyan (National Instruments – NI); speakers: Tigran Khachikyan Thomas Tashjian Gurgen Mardoyan (YEA Engineering), Mihran Minasyan (NI), and Hovhannes Harutyunyan (NI).

  • “Aerospace”

Moderated by Avetik Chalabyan (ArAr Foundation); speakers: Armen Vardanyan (UAV Lab), Mher Markosyan (YeTRI), MarkarGasparov (UrartuAero), Artur Galstyan (ATG), and Avetik Kerobyan (AeroDynamics).

  • “Electronics”

Moderated by Gurgen Mardoyan (YEA Engineering); speakers: Grigor Babayan (NairiTech), Karen Grigoryan (Locator), Gevorg Martirosyan (HDH), Arshak Vardanyan (Qualitech), and  Billi Minasyan (YEA Engineering).

  • “Semiconductor”

Moderated by Arsen Arustamyan (NI); speakers: Sedrak Sargisian (Siemens EDA (former Mentor Graphics)), Gurgen Harutyunyan (Synopsys), as well as Armen Hakobyan, Armen Kirakosyan, and Narek Shukhyan (NI).

  • “Manufacturing”

Moderated by Aram Salatian (Engineering Association); speakers: Aram Ghukasyan (EC Manufacturing), Hayk Nersisyan (Lynxal), Andranik Meliksetyan (NI), Hrayr Hovsepyan (PMI Science R&D Center Armenia), and Billi Minasyan (YEA Engineering).

  • “Biomedical engineering”

Moderated by Ara Yeramian (ArmBionics (BEAA)); speakers: Manvel Grigoryan (ArmBionics), Hayk Bagradjans (OQNI), Ruben Hambartsumyan (Vineti), Davit Arsenyan (QaylTech), Emmanuel Ghandilyan (Foldink), and Marina Aghayan (AIP Tech).

  • “Cybersecurity”

Moderated by Mari Barseghyan (Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia, CyHub); speakers: Karen Gasparyan (InfoSec), Ruben Muradyan (VXSoft), Gurgen Mardoyan (YEA Engineering), Aleksey Chalabyan (EIF), and Ashot Vardanian (Unum).

  • “Education”

Moderated by Andranik Aghajanyan (National Polytechnic University of Armenia); speakers: Marina Minasyan (EIF), Amalya Mkhitaryan (National Polytechnic University of Armenia), Sevak Sargsyan (Russian-Armenian University), Arsen Zh. Babajanyan (Yerevan State University), and Arthur Pokrikyan (EIF).

  • “Science”

Moderated by Mariam Davtyan (Zeemust Consulting); speakers: Ophelia Sargsyan (PMI Science R&D Center Armenia), Hayk Aslanyan (Armenian Ministry of High-Tech Industry), Konstantin Yenkoyan (Yerevan State Medical University), Ashot Saghyan (National Academy of Sciences of Armenia), Ani Aprahamian (A.I.Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory (Yerevan Physics Institute)), Michael Kouchakdjian (American University of Armenia), and Aram Mikayelyan (State Engineering University of Armenia).

Day one concluded with a gala dinner for the attendees. Next, the Engineering Week travels to Vanadzor and Gyumri. Stay tuned!

The main partner of the Engineering Week is PMI Science. Other partners of the series of events are National Instruments (NI), Engineering City (EC), Vanadzor Technology Center (VTC), Gyumri Technology Center (GTC), the “CyHub Armenia” cybersecurity initiative (CyHub), Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC), Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC), Armenian-Indian Center for Excellence in ICT,  the Union of Employers of ICT (UEICT), and the “EU for Business” initiative.