ArmInfo.The program "Armenian virtual bridge" will begin to be implemented in Armenia. At the March 12 meeting, the RA Government approved this program. According to the Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan, the purpose of the presented document is the intention to connect Armenia with other technological centers, using its scientific thought, opportunities, as well as the potential of the diaspora.
The program, according to the minister, is fully consistent with government policy, which sets the task of turning the country into a regional high-tech center. The program, the minister continued, includes three main components. It is envisaged, in particular, that 45 Armenian entrepreneurs, with a full state scholarship, will be able to visit the Silicon Valley Science and Innovation Center under special programs in order to gain entrepreneurial and business knowledge, product presentation skills, meet investors and venture capitalists. The program provides Armenia with the opportunity to contact the world's leading technology centers, using the potential of the diaspora, which, in turn, creates new ties for Armenian entrepreneurs to expand the geography and opportunities for cooperation with global technology companies. It is envisaged to create representative offices of Armenian companies at the University of San Jose, California, which will take part in university events, form business partners, and conclude agreements.
The second component of the program concerns the participation of Armenian entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship courses at Draper University. Arshakyan noted that within the framework of the second component of the program, 15 Armenian specialists will take retraining courses within 7 weeks of 2020. Within the framework of the project, the Ner Al program will also be implemented, aimed at attracting Armenian startups to implement projects in Armenia. Its participants receive grants in the amount of up to $ 30 thousand for the development of their enterprises in Armenia. The start of the program took place last year and will continue in 2020.
And, finally, the third component concerns the creation of representative offices of Armenian companies in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which will give them the opportunity to expand their field of activity, find new business partners, and conclude mutually beneficial agreements.
The work of all three components will be coordinated by the Armenian General Charitable Union. The Minister also emphasized the important role of the participation of Armenian companies in international exhibitions. Their participation in exhibitions in Singapore, Qatar and Uzbekistan in 2019 allowed reaching agreements in the amount of $ 8 million, of which agreements worth $ 300 thousand have already been signed. There is every reason to believe that in 2020 Armenia will take part in 7 international exhibitions.
