10:01 | 09.02.17 | News | exclusive 29574

Yerevan joins Startup Grind global community

Yerevan joined Startup Grind world's largest startup community, which involves more than 200 cities, 98 countries and 1 million entrepreneurs.

Founders of local companies, innovators and investors will deliver speeches within the frames of the events to be organized in Yerevan each month, by the example of other cities. They will introduce the lessons, which they have learned while creating large companies.

Startup Grind Yerevan was founded by Narine Kotikyan, Georgi Kamoyan and Mari Barseghyan. Teamable (Armenian) co-founder Vazgen Hakobjanyan attended the first event, which took place on February 4 at Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC).  

In a conversation with Itel.am Narine Kotikyan compared Startup Grind with Ted events, only for entrepreneurs this time.

According to her, incorporation of Startup Grind in Yerevan coincided with the fast development of IT ecosystem in Armenia.

“Yes, everyone knows the success stories of PicsArt (the sponsor of the event), Joomag, Teamable and Renderforest, but people do not often have the opportunity to meet with the founders of these companies and listen to their stories, their advice. Such meetings are sometimes organized in Yerevan, though the events are not systemized. Startup Grind will organize events on regular basis. The meetings will be videotaped and shared on the global network,” Narine Kotikyan said.

She remarked that being involved in Startup Grind community, Armenia will have the opportunity to provide wider representation on global IT map.

“This will help beginner entrepreneurs to enter large markets and meet potential investors more easily,” Narine Kotikyan remarked.

Startup Grind was created in 2010, at Silicon Valley. It was represented in more than 50 cities in only a few months.  Google for Entrepreneurs project supports Startup Grind.

Narine Daneghyan