On December 16-20, the UWC School in Dilijan will host the "NerUzh" Diaspora Tech Startup program, implemented jointly by the RA Ministry of High Tech Industry and the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.

The main goal of the program is to attract talented entrepreneurs and engineers from the Diaspora, promote repatriation, as well as encourage the development of a startup ecosystem in Armenia.

The program will provide an opportunity for Armenian entrepreneurs living abroad to turn projects into businesses in Armenia and enter global markets.

The four-day program will be held at UWC Dilijan, hosting 80 participants from 47 selected startups representing 17 countries (Georgia, Belarus, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, France, Great Britain, Malta, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Lebanon, South Korea, USA).

Startups will participate in the competition representing the following fields: tourism, IoT, transport, management technologies, finance and e-commerce, education, healthcare, etc.

Participants will get acquainted with individuals within the Armenian startup ecosystem and receive practical training and guidance from Armenian and international experts.

Project partners include the Armenian Business Angels Network (BANA), the Science and Technology Foundation of Armenia (FAST), United World College Dilijan (UWC), the Development Initiatives Foundation of Armenia (IDeA) and the Orion Worldwide Innovations LLC.

The official website of the Neruzh program is www.neruzh.am. In 2018, the three startups that won the program - Brushette, Grüv, and Storegear -  were awarded state grants. They have registered their business in Armenia and created 14 new jobs within a year.