A Startup Club to be opened in Ijevan

On February 11 the American University of Armenia (AUA) Open Education and Startup Armenia Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Startup Club in Ijevan, Tavush region, Republic of Armenia (RA).

The Startup Club is an educational initiative that strives to help teenagers from regions to improve their entrepreneurial skills and contribute to the development of their social responsibility.

Currently, there are clubs located in several Armenian communities, in Aparan, Ashtarak, Yeghvard, Gavar, as well as border communities of Koti, and Aygehovit. This initiative adds the Ijevan Startup Club.

According to the MoU, the first pilot phase of the Startup Club’s educational curriculum will commence on March 1, 2020. The sessions will be held in the AUA facility in Ijevan. Teens, ages 13-17, who are interested in the startup ecosystem, are encouraged to participate in the Startup Club. They will be introduced to the fundamentals of personal development, business communication, and digital literacy.

On the occasion of the signing of the MOU with AUA, the CEO of the Startup Armenia Foundation Arsen Harutyunyan remarked: “The cooperation with the American University of Armenia will provide us with the opportunity to expand our activity and present the Startup Club to wider audiences. The Ijevan Startup Club, established as a tangible result of this cooperation, will promote the participation of local youth in the startup culture and will benefit their social engagement.”

AUA Open Education has a mission to foster community growth and transformation, through accessible, high-quality training programs. Director Loucine Hayes noted: “AUA Open Education is committed to making quality education accessible to all. We aim to create a quality workforce and support companies to grow with the right systems and know-how. We believe that educating the youth to put their thoughts into action and learn the alphabet of entrepreneurship is one of the best keys to unleash their potential.”