TUMO and INCO to support startups through a joint initiative

#TUMO #INCO

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies and INCO have launched a joint initiative extending the SPRINT network to Armenia on the occasion of the official visit to Yerevan by Valérie Pécresse, President of the Paris region.

The SPRINT network (Start-up Paris Region International), a Paris-based catalyst for social and green start-ups, will work with the TUMO-EU Convergence Center for Engineering and Applied Science to support local startups.

Pegor Papazian, Head of Development at TUMO Center, and Nicolas Hazard, Founder and President of INCO, signed a memorandum of understanding officiating the partnership today at the TUMO headquarters in Yerevan.

Valérie Pécresse, President of the Paris region, delivered remarks at the signing.

“I have been hearing about TUMO for a very long time. And I’m very glad to finally be here and have the honor to visit this amazing place. As you of course know, the Parisian TUMO center was inaugurated a few weeks ago and I hope it will be as successful as yours... Armenia is particularly well known for its investment in digital training programs. My vision for the Paris region is that it could become the first smart region in Europe. That’s why I think our partnership makes a lot of sense”, she said.

In his remarks, Nicolas Hazard, Founder and President of INCO, said, “We want to build a better future and have a new generation of entrepreneurs, who will build the new world that we strongly need to address the social and environmental issues that we’re facing right now. TUMO and Armenia are the best places for that. Because as you see, here is the next generation of people, here are the people that are going to build the companies of the future - the startups of the future. These are the ones that are going to create the new world - a world that’s more inclusive and more sustainable.”

Pegor Papazian, head of development at TUMO, also addressed attendees. “Soviet Armenia was a focal point of science and technology. I call it the ‘nerd republic.’ Here at TUMO, we’re building on that foundation through initiatives like the one we’re launching with INECO today. We’re thrilled to help create an environment that nurtures the social and green enterprises of Armenia’s future,” he said.

INCO promotes the development of incubation and acceleration programs through the management and coordination of a network of 500 startups and 25 incubation programs in 20 countries around the world. INCO also develops training and awareness programs for entrepreneurs who respond to environmental and social challenges.