…Program components are ongoing, follow for updates…
Description and Goal
The Social Impact Innovators program, in collaboration with Impact Hub Yerevan and the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, is designed to empower Armenian youth by fostering entrepreneurial and social innovation skills. The program targets young people from rural areas and disadvantaged backgrounds, focusing on the Syunik and Shirak provinces. Through a year-long initiative in each province, participants will gain valuable entrepreneurial skills, work on innovative solutions to societal challenges, and grow their own social ventures.
The program consists of awareness campaigns, hackathons, bootcamps, and incubation phases, culminating in an opportunity for participants to pitch their ventures and receive seed funding, and mentorship from U.S. experts.
Key Activities
- Entrepreneurship Outreach and Awareness Campaigns: Workshops and talks on social entrepreneurship will raise awareness and inspire young Armenians to explore entrepreneurship as a career path.
- Hackathons: Youth from the Syunik and Shirak provinces will develop innovative solutions to local social and environmental challenges through hands-on hackathons.
- Bootcamps: Intensive two-week programs offering training in entrepreneurial skills, STEM-based solutions, and social innovation, culminating in a Demo Day where participants can present their ideas.
- Incubation Programs: Three-month incubation programs for the most promising ventures, providing resources, peer learning, visibility, and mentorship.
- Mentorship (by U.S. Experts): Winning teams will receive one-on-one mentorship to help further develop their ventures and build U.S.-Armenian partnerships.
Benefits
Participants will have access to:
- Tailored capacity-building workshops and training sessions
- Ongoing mentorship and support from experts
- Networking opportunities with like-minded peers, industry experts, and potential investors
- Opportunities to pitch and receive seed funding to kickstart their ventures
- Membership at Impact Hub Syunik and Impact Hub Gyumri, including the opportunity to work from inspiring spaces
- Access to a global network from 100+ Impact Hubs around the world
- Opportunity to learn from best practices of US entrepreneurs
Timeline
The program runs for one year in each region:
- Syunik: October 2024 – October 2025
- Shirak: October 2025 – October 2026
Target Group
The program is open to Armenian youth, particularly those from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds. Specific activities will focus on engaging young people from the Syunik and Shirak provinces.
Youth from the Syunik and Shirak provinces aged 16–30, including displaced individuals, those with disabilities, and aspiring entrepreneurs interested in social innovation, are encouraged to take part in the various activities of this project.
To learn more about the activities, workshops and events please visit the Facebook pages of Impact Hub Syunik, Impact Hub Gyumri and Impact Hub Yerevan.
This program is made possible through the collaboration between Impact Hub Yerevan and the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, with funding through a Department of State Public Diplomacy Section grant.
