Top ten Armenian IT events of 2012, according to ARKA Agency
1. IT representative office opened in Silicon Valley.
The IT representative office was officially opened at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Silicon Valley, CA, on December 12, in the presence of premier-headed Armenian government delegation.
The Armenian representative office will be responsible for attracting American investors into Armenia, advertising high-tech Armenia and providing accommodation to Armenian companies during overseas visits and exhibitions.
Sales of Armenia IT products in USA are expected to reach at least a million dollars a year after the opening of the office.
2. Free economic zone set up in Armenia.
A free economic zone was set up in the territory of “RAO Mars” cjsc and Yerevan Research Institute of Mathematical Machines cjsc in November. Sitroniks is the approved managing company of the zone. Total area of the zone exceeds 100,000 sq. meters, including 77,000sq.m. in RAO Mars and 27,000sq.m. in the Institute.
The zone’s priorities are high tech and manufacturing of new technologies.
Preliminary agreements about cooperation are made with several IT companies from foreign countries, including USA, Iran, India and England.
Manufacturing of export-oriented products is a mandatory requirement for a free economic zone.
3. Intel Corporation opened its research center in Armenia.
On December 11, Armenian government and Intel Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding at ArmTech congress held in Silicon Valley. Under the memorandum, the Corporation opened a research center in Armenia. The preliminary agreement about the opening of the center was reached even earlier, in September, during the meeting of Armenian premier Tigran Sargsyan with Intel regional director Christian Morales.
The center will serve a research laboratory operating based on Intel R&D advanced technologies.
4. Electronic money system was introduced in Armenia.
The Central Bank of Armenia granted a license to Idram company for issuing and serving Armenian electronic money, e-drams, for the first time.
Experts say e-money will create conditions for IT development in Armenia and facilitate expansion of e-commerce in particular. Use of e-money brings the monetary abuse risks down significantly.
E-drams can be easily converted into any other electronic currency.
5. The first venture fund
A memorandum about the first IT financing venture fund in Armenia was signed at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Silicon Valley, CA, on December 12.
The first IT financing venture fund is expected to start operations in the beginning of 2013. The financing by the fund will range from $200,000 to $500,000 and go even up to $1mln in some cases.
The funds are provided by the government on an equal footing with private investors ($3mln from each side). Yet, private companies may invest more than $3mln.
The fund will be providing financing not for bare ideas, but for projects proposing certain market and a team to implement the idea. Funding will be provided only for export-oriented products.
6. Visit of Federico Fadjina
Founder of the first Intel 4004 microprocessor and Chairman Emeritus of Synaptics Federico Faggin visited Armenia in 2012.
Armenian president awarded Faggin for his global contribution to IT. Faggin was also conferred the title of professor emeritus of the State Engineering University of Armenia.
The founder of the first Intel 4004 microprocessor delivered a lecture to the students and the faculty of the State Engineering University of Armenia.
7. IT academy of Microsoft opened in Armenia.
Microsoft IT academy was officially opened in the State Engineering University of Armenia on November 28, in the presence of the premier Tigran Sargsyan and minister of economy Tigran Davtyan.
The memorandum about establishing an IT academy of Microsoft was signed between Microsoft and the State Engineering University of Armenia back in December 2011.
The main objective of the academy is to give students an opportunity to carry out internship under Microsoft curriculum. The students will study Microsoft products, programming, network security, mobile applications.
Discounts will be made only for students from the Engineering University of Armenia who will pay a symbolic amount for their education.
8. A chip manufacturing plant will be opened in Armenia.
Armenian government and Corporación América Argentinean company signed a memorandum about building a chip manufacturing plant in Armenia, in the framework of ArmTech congress held in Silicon Valley.
9. A Wikimedia representative office opened in Armenia.
The IT support government council considered the application of Wikimedia development coordinator for Armenia Susanna Mkrtchyan about office space and decided to give a building of Enterprises Incubator Foundation to Wikimedia representative office for a year.
The regulations of Wikimedia-Armenia have been already prepared.
Wikimedia local offices are opened in more than 50 countries of the world; opening of offices in over 30 countries is in negotiation process.
10. The fifth iPhone went on sales in Armenia
Official sales of iPhone5 launched in Armenia in December 14. Orange Armenia registered about 50 people who wish to buy iPhone5 16 or iPhone5 32GB available in Armenia.–0--
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17:06 12/19/2012
