Two incubation, two pre-acceleration, and two acceleration programs will be implemented in cooperation with the Armenian branch of the American company Plug and Play Yerevan. This was announced on February 16 by Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan while presenting the ministry’s annual results.

Plug and Play: A Story of Successful Cooperation

The minister recalled that in 2024, in partnership with the internationally renowned accelerator Plug and Play—ranked among the world’s top five accelerators—a 26-week acceleration program was launched. At that time, 20 startups were selected to participate.

Given the strong results achieved during the first phase, the overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, and the overall favorable assessment from the technology community, the partnership with Plug and Play was extended in 2025 as a three-year collaboration.

Hayrapetyan added that in November 2025 the company registered a legal entity in Armenia under the name Plug and Play Yerevan, and a formal agreement was signed on December 12. The program framework includes two incubation, two pre-acceleration, and two acceleration projects, each involving between 15 and 20 startups.

“From Idea to Business”

The minister also noted that the ministry implemented a program for high-potential diaspora tech startups. Applications were received from 18 countries, 32 startups were invited to participate, and six were selected as winners.

In 2025, the grant program “From Idea to Business” was also carried out. Under the idea-stage component, 66 applications were submitted. Of the 53 companies that advanced past the first stage, 19 were declared winners, each receiving a grant of up to 5 million drams. Additionally, companies that passed the first stage were given the opportunity to participate in an incubation training program aimed at commercializing their ideas and creating new added value for the economy.

16 “Residents” in Engineering City

Summarizing the year, the minister also addressed developments in Engineering City. Construction of the business accelerator building has been completed. He reminded that since 2024, the Aznavur Supercomputing Center has been operating on the premises of Engineering City.

Currently, 16 engineering companies hold resident status there. Their main areas of activity include automotive engineering, 5G mobile communications, chip design, microelectronics, industrial Internet of Things, radio-electronic systems and complexes, biomedical engineering, and other high-tech fields.

65 Specialists and 100 Students: Combating Cyber Threats

Hayrapetyan reported that as part of efforts to enhance practical skills, a cybersecurity hackathon was organized with the participation of a prominent American organization. Approximately 65 specialists working in Armenia’s public sector and critical infrastructure took part.

Student hackathons were also held, bringing together around 100 students from dozens of educational institutions.

Sevan Startup Summit with Government Support

The minister announced that in 2025 the Sevan Startup Summit was held for the first time with the support and co-financing of the Government of Armenia. More than 250 startup teams from 40 countries presented their innovative ideas across various fields during Sevan Summit 2025, he reported.