Discover Rem Darbinyan, who shares his journey from Armenia to Russia and the US, and back to Armenia with a mission to make the country a global startup contender. Explore the growth of AI in Armenia, the development of the startup ecosystem, and the challenges and opportunities faced by the tech industry. Learn about the impact of tensions on the tech ecosystem and the importance of paying attention to AI's impact on the world.
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Quick takeaways
Armenia's tech sector is rapidly growing and aims to showcase its ability to deliver startups and attract international investments.
Armenia's rich tech tradition and strong mathematics and technology education system continue to drive its tech ecosystem, transitioning the country from an outsourced to a product-based country.
Deep dives
AI Development in Armenia
Armenia's tech sector is rapidly growing, and Rem Darbinian, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of SmartClick and Viral Mango, discusses the country's progress in AI development. He mentions that universities struggle to keep up with the fast-paced AI industry, but they provide a strong math foundation, which is essential for AI. Armenia aims to showcase its ability to deliver startups and attract international investments. Rem emphasizes the advantage of Armenian startups having a global vision, unlike many Russian startups focused only on the local market.
Armenia's Tech Tradition and IT Hubs
Armenia has a rich tech tradition, stemming from its history as a tech center in the Soviet Union. The country built one of the first USSR computers, laying the foundation for a strong mathematics and technology education system. This tradition continues to drive Armenia's tech ecosystem. With the emergence of startups, Armenia transitioned from an outsourced to a product-based country. Rem discusses the challenges it poses due to limited capacity and currency fluctuations. However, Armenia's tech community is working towards becoming a product hub and attracting global recognition.
Building a Startup Ecosystem in Armenia
In the podcast episode, Rem shares his entrepreneurial journey from Russia to the United States and back to Armenia. He discusses how Armenia's startup ecosystem has evolved, highlighting the importance of lean startup principles and validation before scaling up. Rem also explains the development of Viral Mango, a platform that connects influencers with brands using AI and machine learning. He emphasizes the significance of leveraging AI tools to increase efficiency and remain competitive in the market.
Challenges amidst Conflict
Rem acknowledges that Armenia's recent conflicts and security issues impact its tech ecosystem. Instability affects the overall development, investment opportunities, and the sense of security for entrepreneurs and startups. It also hinders Armenia's visibility in a positive light internationally. However, Rem expresses his hope for peace and the ability to focus on showcasing Armenia's tech achievements and innovative solutions in a rapidly changing world.
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Discover the heart of Armenia’s tech revolution with the latest guest of the Eye on AI podcast, Rem Darbinyan. Discover how this small nation is sprinting towards becoming a powerhouse of innovation, with education systems racing to nurture the next wave of AI mavens.
Rem walks us through his personal journey, from Armenia to Russia and the US, only to return with a mission: to escalate Armenia from an outsourcing hub to a global startup contender.
Learn what it means to dream big, as we unveil the intricacies of pioneering the new era of startups. Step into a world where geographical borders dissolve in the face of unrelenting creativity and flexibility.
(00:00) Preview and Introduction (02:09) The background of Rem Darbinyan (04:49) Sponsorship: Nesuite by Oracle (07:00) How Rem discovered artificial intelligence (09:50) How Armenia and artificial intelligence are growing (13:55) Startup culture and universities for AI/ML (17:45) Was Armenia an outsourced partner for many countries? (22:00) Why do people outsource to India and Armenia? (24:25) How Armenia build products for global markets (30:00) How Rem reaches western markets with products (36:00) How Rem builds influencer platforms (40:00) Building lean and validating each step