ArmInfo. DigiTec, now considered the country's premier technology event, was first held in Armenia in 2005, at the initiative of the late Karen Vardanyan, a visionary leader of the Armenian technology community and longtime head of UATE (Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises).
During a press conference on September 30th, marking the launch of DigiTec, UATE Executive Director Sargis Karapetyan noted that 20 years ago, when organizing a similar large-scale event, Karen Vardanyan set himself the goal of making DigiTec a platform for the development of Armenia's technological community, promoting public education, and increasing the sector's importance for the state.
"Karen Vardanyan's dream is becoming a reality, and we can confirm it. Today, no one doubts that IT is an important strategic area in Armenia. Everyone is now focused on the country's technological re-equipment. And Armenia's tech community already comprises 1,200 companies. Therefore, this mission can be considered complete," he noted.
According to him, for the next 20 years, the Union's goal is to make DigiTec a significant international technology event. In this regard, Karapetyan announced that delegations from 20 countries and approximately 12 representatives of international media outlets, from Forbes to Enterprise Times, are expected to visit this year.
"Our goal is for DigiTec to become a competitive, world-class event, on par with the Consumer Electronics Show and Burning Man," Karapetyan emphasized.
He told that this year's event will be held in an unprecedented non-stop format - three days and two nights. During this time, approximately 40,000 visitors from 20 countries are expected, with over 100 global technology leaders participating and delivering speeches, and 250 technology companies presenting products and solutions as part of a traditional expo. For three days, Yerevan will become the heart of the global technology community, presenting three event formats on a single platform: a tech expo, a large- scale conference, and practical workshops. This year's key themes are Artificial Intelligence, Venture Capital, and Rapid Growth of Tech Companies. Among the first confirmed speakers are Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of NVIDIA (USA); Jack McCauley, co-founder of Oculus and professor at UC Berkeley (USA); and Noubar Afeyan, co-founder and president of Moderna and founder of Flagship Pioneering (USA).
Additionally, DigiTec will be organizing a unique cultural program for the first time. Tigran Hamasyan, electronic visionary Murcof, and local and international DJs will perform on stage as part of the renowned DZEN festival by the Rambalkoshe art community, to be held for the first time this year at DigiTec. The event program also includes yoga, running, and lifestyle activities. The event is organized by the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) with the support of the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia and the Yerevan Municipality.
Specifically, the capital's municipality allocated 50 million drams for the event this year. Furthermore, they will present their pavilion at DigiTec, where visitors will be able to learn about the innovative solutions used by the City Hall. Team Telecom Armenia will be the event's 5G partner.
