Gyumri technology center to open in September

YEREVAN, July 18. / ARKA /. The Technology Center in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city in northwestern region of Shirak, will officially open in September, Bagrat Yengibaryan, head of Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF), said in an interview with ARKA.  

He said the center already houses several well-known companies, particularly, Rostelecom, D-Link, E-works, Digital Pomegranate, Time Production, SkyLine and Gyumri Information Technology Center (GITC). 

He said the Gyumri Center will conduct a grant competition for start-up companies, which may be provided with as much as $50 thousand.

The Gyumri Technology Center was created jointly by the government of Armenia, Enterprise Incubator Fund and the World Bank. 

On January 9 the Armenian government passed a decision to award the Enterprise Incubator Fund the right to manage a government assistance plan designed for Gyumri Technology Center.  Once the center is formally registered the Enterprises Incubator Fund will get also free of charge its property for 20 years.

The technology center will shelter enterprises dealing with high and information technologies, tourism, jewelry, modeling and art.  It is supposed to operate as an incubator of small and medium-sized businesses engaged in hi-end technologies to boost the country’s export potential.

The construction began in 2012 April. Overall, some $13 million will be spent on construction of two buildings -$4.5 million was  released by the government and $8.5 million by D-Link International as part of its plan to establish a research and testing center in Gyumri. -0-