EWC Armenia 2022: National Leadership Committee’s Inaugural Meeting

YEREVAN, Armenia — On May 11, the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA) as the national organizer of the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) held an inaugural meeting with National Leadership Committee (NLC) to kick-start preparations for EWC Armenia 2022.

EWC is a global competition to identify the world’s most promising startups. It holds the world’s largest and most diverse pitch competitions and support programs for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Since launching in 2019, EWC has supported more than 300,000 participants from 200 countries, awarded $2 million in cash prizes, and provided in-kind support and services valued at $150 million.

During National Leadership Committee’s Inaugural Meeting, the last year’s successful outcomes were presented by Michael Kouchakdjian, Director of EPIC, and Nejdeh Hovanessian, Assistant Director of EPIC. Afterward, the main responsibilities of the NLC members were discussed, and the milestones were set for EWC Armenia 2022. 

Nejdeh Hovanessian emphasized, “The National Leadership Committee acts as the strategic decision-making body for the EWC Armenia; a structure that represents the inclusive spirit of this initiative. It means that although EPIC is being considered the National Organizer of EWC Armenia, a diverse team of the dominant players in the Armenian entrepreneurship ecosystem – from both public and private sectors – co-organizes and leads the whole process.”

Among the National Leadership Committee members were key representatives from The Ministry of High-Tech Industry, Team Telecom Armenia, GIZ, TUMO Labs, National Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NCIE), and Startup Armenia Foundation.

In the 2021 competition, EWC received 100,000 registrations from 200 countries. One thousand startups pitched at the National Finals organized and judged by local entrepreneurship organizations spread across six continents. The top 100 startups advanced to the virtual component of the Global Finals, and the top 25 will travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the final stage of the competition.

Armenia’s National Winners were Zoomerang and Denovo Sciences. The latter was among the Top 25 EWC Global Finalists. It competed with startups from 20 other countries, some of which have very mature ecosystems, such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, China, and India.

The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a platform of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for promoting entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and startup venture incubation. EPIC provides an ecosystem for emerging entrepreneurs consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspace, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors, and investors. EPIC fosters the understanding and application of entrepreneurship in students and faculty at AUA to craft high-impact multidisciplinary ventures.