Founder Institute to retrain Armenian startups

Founder Institute, the world’s premier startup launch program, is accepting applications for the 4-month accelerator program in Yerevan. The admissions deadline is December 29.

Founder Institute Yerevan was founded by Armin Saidi, Narine Kotikyan and Marie Barseghyan.

Narine Kotikyan told Itel.am that the startups will be learning business skills in four months.

“This model was well tested throughout the years. The participating startups get to work with mentors scrupulously, network, and establish international ties. The format of this program compels the startups to work on their idea/business instead of leaning on the principle of “listen and learn now, but do the work later,” she stressed.

Marie Barseghyan and Narine Kotikyan
photo © From personal archive

Marie Barseghyan noted that mentors for the program were selected both from local and foreign ecosystems.

According to her, it took years to bring the program to Armenia.

“Naturally, given the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem in our country and abundance of promising young specialists, ideas and newly founded businesses, the priority for us was to add Armenia to the international network. This is also a big chance to put Armenia on the map, revealing the potential of our country to more than 7500 business leaders and investors, and over 2000 startup alumni from the Founder Institute network,” concluded Barseghyan.

The course costs USD 500.

Founder Institute was founded in Silicon Valley in 2009. Now it has centers in 150 cities in over 60 countries. The total value of startups mentored in Founder Institute makes more than USD 15 billion.

Narine Daneghyan