The official launch event and presentation of the newly established IRIS Business Incubator kicked off on November 6. IRIS Business Incubator has been established within the framework of the EU-funded “Increased Resilience of Syrian Armenians and Host Population” (IRIS) programme and co-funded by Austrian Development Cooperation as well as Austrian Red Cross and founded by the “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO and SME Cooperation Association NGO. With an overall budget for the EU IRIS programme of € 3,3 million (€3 million funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the ‘Madad’ Fund), €1,9 million are allocated for the IRIS Business Incubator.
The event brought together the IRIS Business incubator donors, founders, representatives of the national government and the diplomatic corpus in Armenia, public and private sector partners, as well as local and international agencies and experts, media representatives to celebrate the foundation of IRIS Business Incubator.
The Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, H.E. Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, H.E. Raphael Archbishop Minassian, President of the Armenian Caritas, Nora Alanakyan, Deputy Head of Yerevan Office of the Austrian Development Agency in Armenia, Walter Hajek, Head of Operations and International Cooperation Division (Austrian Red Cross), Ruben Osipyan, President of SME Cooperation Association had welcome speeches. Narine Terzyan, the Project Manager of IRIS Business Incubator made presentation of the IRIS Business Incubator, its mission, goal and activities.
“I am glad to inaugurate the EU IRIS Business Incubator established within the framework of the IRIS Programme. I believe that this support from the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis (the ‘MADAD’ fund) and joint efforts of the founding organizations will facilitate and strengthen the economic integration of Syrian Armenians, migrants, repatriates and local entrepreneurs and will have a huge impact on the growth of Armenian SME sector. IRIS Business Incubator will also bring new entrepreneurial mindset and positive changes to the business environment of Armenia. The EU provides support to new companies and SMEs in Armenia in various sectors and aims to contribute to an inclusive environment where the entrepreneurial spirit can flourish”, in her welcoming speech noted the Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador H.E Andrea Wiktorin.
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The mission of the IRIS Business Incubator is to enhance the economic integration of Syrian-Armenians and host population through raising the competitiveness of the local economy by stimulating innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in Armenia.
IRIS Business Incubator aims to become a tool for sustainable development of future generations of start-ups and will stimulate the culture of entrepreneurship by bringing positive change to the business culture of Armenia through innovative approaches. The mission of the IRIS Business Incubator is to enhance the economic integration of Syrian-Armenians and host population through raising the competitiveness of the local economy by stimulating innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in Armenia.
To remind, IRIS Business Incubator provides a unique full cycle of business support services to Syrian Armenians and local entrepreneurs, including training, coaching, mentoring and access to finance with grant and loan funds, as well as a co-working area located in the downtown of Yerevan. Throughout the duration of the EU IRIS Programme more than three hundred entrepreneurs will attend the trainings, have the opportunity to work with coaches and mentors, and one hundred and forty of them will get access to finance.
IRIS Business Incubator has already announced the first call for applications for the Spark, Build and Start programs, which are open till November 30. For more information about the IRIS Business Incubator, please call 011-474724 and follow the link in order to fill in the application form.
IRIS Business Incubator has been established in 2019 by “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO and “SME Cooperation Association” NGO within the framework of “Increased Resilience of Syrian Armenians and Host Population” (IRIS) programme. The programme is funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (the ‘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” NGO.
