Encircled by geopolitical risks, Armenia builds a lively tech startup scene
Al Jazeera
The ex-Soviet state is betting on a growing tech eco-system to drive its economy in a region rife with geopolitical tensions.
Yerevan, Armenia – The rugged mountains of the southern Caucasus are not an obvious location for a thriving tech startup scene.
Situated 7,000 miles from Silicon Valley, landlocked Armenia is buffeted by geopolitical headwinds from all sides.
To the north and south, respectively, lie Russia and Iran, two of the most heavily sanctioned countries on the planet.
To the east and west, it faces Turkiye and Azerbaijan, adversaries whose relations with Yerevan, respectively, are marked by tensions over the 1915-1916 Armenian genocide and armed conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Home to fewer than 3 million people, the ex-Soviet state has an economy that is barely larger than that of poverty-stricken Haiti.
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