Yerevan, Armenia – From June 30 to July 2, 2020, the IRIS Business Incubator Foundation, supported by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the EU Madad Fund, organized online business plans pitching sessions for its SPARK programme residents. SPARK programme is one of the three programmes (SPARK, BUILD and START) that IRIS BI currently hosts. The programme targets self-employed Syrian Armenians, repatriates, and locals with business ideas, who plan to start a new venture.
17 residents from Armenian communities participated in the business plans e-Pitching sessions. They were among the 70 participants of IRIS Academy, selected amongst 160 applicants in mid-February. Their business initiatives span from agriculture to tourism and hospitality, as well as textile and fashion, crafts and arts, service industries, and many more.
During the 3 days lasting e-Pitching, the 17 residents virtually pitched their sustainable business plans via webcam to the panel of professional jury team consisting of the representatives of IRIS programme partners, experts, and businessmen.
The pitches were all remarkably interesting. One of the SPARK residents Tamar Vanyan presented her “Uzum.am” first of its kind delivery service operating in Goris, Armenia. During the e-Pitching, she mentioned that her mission is to make her community members’ lives easier. She wants to take a step forward in the field of the modern delivery service in her region. Her company is going to provide food, household goods, medicines, spare parts, flowers, and other goods. Customers can place orders via a website, phone calls, and a mobile app in the future. Harotioun Takhtajian, one of the Syrian-Armenian SPARK residents from the age of 8 helped his uncle in his turner workshop in Aleppo. At the age of 12, he became the main master at his uncle’s workshop, and from the age of 18, he founded his own workshop. Starting from 2014 when he came to Armenia, he opened his turner workshop in Gyumri, Armenia. During the e-Pitching, he mentioned that he wanted to be one of the best companies in Armenia providing and producing the best repair service in his community. Another SPARK resident Lilit Grigoryan presented her business plan and informed that she aimed at making her company become one of the leading manufacturers of Armenian woolen fabrics in the local and global market. Though her business idea has a history of one year she has already identified her main and potential customers through research, bought quality wool, hired two socially disadvantaged women, and started the production of woolen socks. She also acquired a concrete method of wool processing, thanks to which her woolen socks can be worn on bare feet and be extremely comfortable.
The best business plans will be announced for funding and/or technical support during the upcoming weeks and will be prized with up to 2.5 million AMD grants to bring their ideas to life. It is noteworthy that even during the global crisis of COVID-19, we continue to encourage and support SPARK residents to develop their businesses in Armenian communities.
The BUILD and START programme next e-pitching sessions will be held in mid-July 2020.
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EU IRIS Business Incubator has been established in 2019 by the “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO and “SME Cooperation Association” NGO within the framework of “Increased Resilience of Syrian Armenians and Host Population” (IRIS) programme. The IRIS programme is funded by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, the EU Madad Fund, Austrian Development Cooperation and Austrian Red Cross and is being implemented by the consortium led by Austrian Red Cross and consisting of “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO, Armenian Red Cross Society, Centre for Coordination of Syrian Armenians Issues and SME Cooperation Association.