StartDoon to connect Armenian startups and European mentors

For several months now, Paris has been a home to the Armenian-French initiative StartDoon, which aims at connecting Armenia-based startups and foreign (French in particular) mentors.

Itel.am talked with Philippe Poux, founder of StartDoon initiative.

- How exactly will StartDoon support Armenian startups?

- StartDoon network includes mentors from other countries, the people who can help Armenian startups to enter into global markets.

Money isn’t the most important factor here. Startups need assistance and training. If some of our mentors decide to perform as investors too, all the better. Nevertheless, we consider mentoring a more important factor.

We came up with the idea of StartDoon several months ago and held the first event in late June in Yerevan. We also organized Mentorship Day for 13 Armenian startups at the Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia together with Startup Wise Guys accelerator (Estonia). We shared our impressions of Armenia’s IT sector with our partners, investors, and mentors, when we got back to France.

- How long have you been following the progress of Armenia’s startup movement?

- I’ve been interested in Armenia’s IT sector for a long time and this is what I noticed: when a startup becomes successful, the team immediately heads for the American market. We want successful startups to come to Europe, not to think only about the U.S. market.

I’m French but I work a lot with the Armenian community. My first visit to Armenia was 4 years ago. I was really stunned when I went to the Tumo Center! I went back to France and shared my experience with the community, told them that important things were happening in Armenia.

Many people in the Diaspora are familiar with the history of Armenia, but only a few know what is happening in their motherland now. Armenia has creative potential and StartDoon has a network of Diaspora mentors. Young people in Armenia are very energetic, they only need someone with experience to help them open the doors. It’s possible! We can create a wonderful network together.

We’re interested in any kind of startup. Teams who’d like to work with us can contact StartDoon via social networks or our website.

Narine Daneghyan talked to Philippe Poux