Armenia, a small nation of around three million people, is rapidly emerging as a significant player in the global technology ecosystem. This assessment was shared on October 10 by NVIDIA Vice President Rev Lebaredian during his keynote at DigiConf.

Lebaredian praised the efforts of Armenia’s tech community and organizations such as the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE), which have built a strong technological foundation over the past two decades. He emphasized that Armenia’s progress reflects the remarkable work of its local community in bringing the country to the forefront of technological innovation. According to him, the nation’s intellectual capital enables it to hold an important position in the global technology landscape.

Energy Potential as a Driver of Progress

Lebaredian also highlighted Armenia’s energy potential as a key factor in its technological development. He noted that the country possesses considerable energy resources — especially solar energy — but currently lacks efficient means to export it. With the emergence of AI factories, however, Armenia can convert this energy into knowledge, a highly valuable asset on the global market.

He explained that through advanced computational systems, excess energy can be transformed into digital “tokens” — units of knowledge that can be stored and distributed worldwide. This, in his view, gives Armenia a unique opportunity to turn its surplus energy into high-value products and strengthen its economic position through innovation.

Project Firebird: Investing in the Future

Within this context, one of the key milestones came in July 2025 with the announcement of Firebird, an AI factory project backed by $500 million in investments. Lebaredian stated that the initiative represents a joint effort between the Armenian government, local entrepreneurs, and NVIDIA.

He emphasized that Firebird will serve as Armenia’s equivalent of a power plant from the Industrial Revolution, providing the country with a major competitive advantage. The AI factory will harness Armenia’s surplus energy to process data into knowledge — an exportable resource with immense economic value.

Economic and Educational Potential

Lebaredian described Firebird as a powerful tool for strengthening Armenia’s educational and research base. He pointed out that even leading universities such as Stanford and MIT do not have direct access to supercomputers, while Armenia will soon possess one. This infrastructure will help attract skilled professionals, train local researchers, and support startups, creating a self-sustaining cycle of technological growth.

He also noted that building and operating AI factories is a valuable capability in itself. Those who master this expertise, he said, will become global leaders — much like General Electric during the age of electrification. Armenia, therefore, has the potential not only to develop its internal infrastructure but also to export knowledge and services, taking part in a multi-trillion-dollar global industry.