Catalys Foundation Armenia

Catalyst Hi-Tech and Entrepreneurship Development Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on building the high-tech entrepreneurial ecosystem in Armenia. It was established by the founding partners of SmartGateVC, a seed-stage venture capital firm, to create programs that supply the Armenian startup scene with skilled talent and a pipeline of viable companies. The foundation's co-founders include Hambardzum Kaghketsyan and Ashot Arzumanyan, who are also partners at SmartGateVC.

The foundation's flagship initiative is the Armenia Startup Academy, which was launched in October 2017. This mentorship-based educational program aims to prepare early-stage companies for pre-seed funding and global market expansion. It offers two main tracks: a pre-acceleration program for prototype-stage startups focusing on idea validation and customer development, and a traction program for post-prototype companies to accelerate growth, sales, and fundraising. As of early 2023, the academy has mentored 266 entrepreneurs from 121 startups, which have collectively raised over $10 million.

Catalyst Foundation operates on a non-profit basis, securing funding through partnerships with international development organizations and corporate sponsors. Key collaborators include the European Union through its EU4Business initiative, GIZ (the German development agency), and corporate partners like Viva-MTS and Philip Morris International's PMI Science. These partnerships often provide grant financing to the program's participants. Besides the academy, the foundation runs other initiatives such as Hero House (a coworking space), the Science and Technology Convergence Conference, and AI Incubator, all designed to strengthen Armenia's position in sectors like AI, security, and IoT.

Keywords: Armenian tech ecosystem, startup accelerator, pre-seed funding, venture capital pipeline, entrepreneurship education, high-tech development, mentorship program, startup academy, global market expansion, tech innovation, Armenia Startup Academy, SmartGateVC, Hero House, AI incubator