The Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) is a non-government, non-for-profit entity of IT and High-Tech companies, multinational corporations, organizations and institutions operating in Armenia.
in memory of
Karen Vardanyan
Karen Vardanyan was a pioneer in the high-tech industry in Armenia. He graduated from the Yerevan Polytechnical Institute and qualified as a hydro engineer and continued his studies at Harvard Business School in 2009. His career consisted of working at the Enterprise Incubator Foundation and at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as head of the IT Development Department and held seven patents.
We were honored to have him serve as executive director of UATE from 2007. Thanks to his strategic management and leadership skills, UATE has been demonstrating stable growth and implementing innovative projects in Armenia for many years. Karen had a very clear, ambitious vision. To reestablish the industry in Armenia at the highest level, it would be necessary not just to educate a small number of specialists, but to spread the IT culture throughout the country.
His passing came far too soon and early, at the age of 57. A candle lighting ceremony took place on July 11, 2020 in memory of Karen Vardanyan. Armenia's Minister of High-Tech industry Hakob Arshakyan wrote “Karen will remain in our hearts as a fighter, free and bright person. Mr. Vardanyan has left an invaluable, great investment in the technology sector: UATE, DigiTech Expo, Armath laboratories, DigiTech Business Forum, WCIT and dozens of other projects and strategic programs for the development of technology would not have been complete without his huge efforts. Rest in peace, dear friend!”
our STORY
The Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) was established in 2000 as a business association to represent the collective interests of companies in the fields of Information Technology (IT), Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and High-Technology operating in Armenia. UATE unites national and international organizations operating in Armenia that are involved in software, Internet Technologies, e-commerce, IT research and development, semiconductor technology and other specialties. A number of members occupy leading positions in the global market. In contrast to many similar business associations, UATE’s mission has always been broader than the narrow interests of its member companies. As such, UATE has worked closely with the government of Armenia, and scores of private, international and non-profit organizations to promote the development of the ICT sector in Armenia by focusing on education, digitization of society, promotion of Armenian technology via flagship programs such as Armath Engineering Labs, DigiTec, and Why Armenia.