Armenia–U.S. Technology and Innovation Summit Held in Yerevan - Advancing Cooperation from Strategic Dialogue to Practical Action

Within the framework of U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit, the Armenia–U.S. Technology and Innovation Summit was held in Yerevan on February 10. The event was attended by Armenia’s Minister of High-Tech Industry, high-ranking Armenian officials, members of the U.S. Vice President’s delegation, and representatives of technology companies from both countries.

Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan noted that the Armenia–U.S. Strategic Partnership established in January 2025 has created a strong political foundation for high-level cooperation.

“Today’s summit is a logical continuation of that work. Armenia is taking targeted and decisive steps to advance its technology and innovation agenda. At the same time, we clearly understand that sustainable progress in these fields cannot be achieved in isolation. That is why particular importance is attached to expanding cooperation with the U.S. government, as well as with leading private companies and institutions,” the Minister stated.

The high-tech sector is one of the cornerstones of the Armenia–U.S. partnership, said Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan.

“We are working across various directions. The memorandum of understanding signed in August was a significant milestone in our relations, but even more important is our ability to transform that document into concrete action through numerous key projects that are already underway, with many more ahead,” Kostanyan noted.

According to Jonathan Askonas, Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of State, Armenia and the United States clearly recognize that technology and innovation are key drivers of economic growth and opportunity.

“I believe Armenia is one of the best-kept secrets in the global technology sector. The international technology community has yet to fully discover the exceptional depth and potential—both in terms of human capital, capabilities, and investment opportunities—that exists in Armenia,” he said.

Chris Brinkley, Senior Director for International Business Development and Strategy at Shield AI, highlighted the established Armenia–U.S. cooperation in the military and defense sector, emphasizing that it will enable Armenia to ensure the security of its borders and strengthen its defense capabilities.

“Shield AI is working with Armenia to explore partnership opportunities with companies that manufacture aircraft components for V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles and other autonomous systems. The company is providing its Hivemind autonomy software to make these platforms smarter, more efficient, and easier for people to operate,” Brinkley stated.

Yervant Zorian, President of Synopsys Armenia, presented the company’s role in semiconductor design and artificial intelligence development in Armenia.

“Recently, we announced a strategic partnership with NVIDIA to run these solutions on their GPUs. Additionally, NVIDIA has made a significant investment, becoming a co-owner of Synopsys,” Zorian noted.

Speaking about moving from discussions of deals to their implementation, Aryeh Lightstone, Director of the international organization Board of Peace, expressed enthusiasm about seeing practical steps in the sector.

“When we left the White House on August 8, I thought my work was done. However, it was the Vice President who said, ‘You’re just getting started.’ I strongly believe this is an important milestone. This is a significant step, but when we return here in 30, 60, or 90 days, I want this hall to be three times bigger, and I want us to celebrate not the beginning of deals, but their implementation and the new opportunities they will create,” he said.

During Vice President JD Vance’s historic visit to Armenia, YouTube announced the launch of its YouTube Partner Program (YPP) in the country, scheduled to commence this spring.

“The expansion of the program will enable Armenian creators to monetize their content on the platform, build their own businesses, and reach new audiences. The YouTube Partner Program supports creators, artists, and media companies by providing revenue-generating opportunities,” Jonathan Askonas said, conveying the statement of a YouTube representative to attendees.

Ryan Goodnight, Senior Director of Starlink Market Access and Development at SpaceX, addressed the summit participants via video message and announced:

“As part of the next phase of cooperation, Starlink is partnering with Armenia’s Ministry of High-Tech Industry to provide high-speed internet access to 100 schools across Armenia,” Goodnight stated.

In parallel, an Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute has been established in Armenia with the support of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

“It is planned to provide 100% subsidized GPU resources to startups and AI innovators, eliminating the cost barrier that has consistently constrained innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. As a result, Armenian innovators will have access to the same tools and opportunities as their peers in Silicon Valley, London, and Singapore,” said Franco Spichiariello, Director of Public Policy at AWS.

The event also highlighted cooperation between the Government of Armenia and the global innovation company Plug and Play.

“By providing access to Plug and Play’s knowledge, network, and full range of resources, we are helping Armenian companies fully realize the potential they deserve,” said Sona Grigoryan, Director of Plug and Play’s Armenia office.

The Armenia–U.S. Technology and Innovation Summit was initiated for the first time by the Ministry of High-Tech Industry. It aims to transform bilateral technological cooperation from strategic dialogue into practical implementation.