Creative Spark is a British Council programme aimed at developing enterprise education. Mediamax will provide updates on the implementation of the programme in cooperation with the British Council. 

United by the same interests, former colleagues Lusine and Mane co-founded a startup focusing on sustainable architecture and related consultation. It is just making its first steps, but the co-founders are certain of success.

The determination to turn idea into startup

Lusine Ghushchyan is an architect, alumnus of the University of Minnesota. She moved to Armenia after graduation. Mane Saroyan studied management at the French University of Armenia and attended business and leadership courses in Lehigh University.

“Before I returned to Armenia, Mane and I decided to create a startup that would provide sustainable design and consultation on energy efficiency in buildings,” said Lusine, who is involved in the Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs programme of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), which is implemented in the scope of the British Council’s Creative Spark programme.

Lusine Ghushchyan and Mane Saroyan

Photo: Mediamax

Although the women have yet to choose a name for their startup, they’ve got a slogan: “For Sustainable Future”.

“We have an objective of reducing energy consumption in buildings by around 70% and design buildings with almost zero energy consumption. We will also provide consultation to the residents as well as the companies designing and constructing the buildings. We will tell how to calculate everything to make the buildings as energy efficient as possible,” Mane and Lusine explained.

Their startup already has one such estimation of a building with zero energy consumption.

“Some people are still living in old metal containers they were given after the earthquake of 1988 destroyed their homes. We make estimates of small, energy efficient houses that can be built for them on convenient conditions,” added Lusine, noting that their idea always had social focus.

Lusine Ghushchyan

Photo: Mediamax

The need to focus on women 

Project manager of the Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs programme Tatevik Hovhannisyan said that the British Council’s programme is aimed at development of entrepreneurship and is completely in line with the activity of FAST Startup Studio.

“The goal of Startup Studio is to not only help active entrepreneurs, but also develop entrepreneurship in Armenia. Creative Spark is entirely in line with our main objectives,” explained Tatevik.

FAST Vice President of Innovation, head of the programme David Bequette noted that in Armenia, as everywhere in the world, women aren’t given sufficient opportunities or taught that they could be entrepreneurs.

David Bequette

Photo: Mediamax

“Women are actually the engine of economy and they make over 50% of the population of our planet. Women hold quite a lot of positions of power in the service and IT industries. Business is the area where women are lagging behind or not moving forward. We knew this would be an important program if we focused on women who think of starting a business and those whose startup is in an early stage of development. We hope to encourage many women to become entrepreneurs and gradually reach the point when at least 50% of women are involved in business. It that case, the results will positively impact the entire economy,” said David Bequette.

How to open the way for female entrepreneurs

Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs programme had received 110 applications. The organizers selected 55 participants from Yerevan and 12 marzes.

According to Tatevik Hovhannisyan, they plan to expand the programme to marzes and this is the first phase of engaging them. “In the future, when the programme is regular, we will have programs for the marzes as well,” she said.

The trainers are mostly successful women entrepreneurs. Before the programme courses began, FAST held three trainings for them. One of the foundation’s areas of focus is data science, so it became the main theme of the trainings.

Tatevik Hovhannisyan

Photo: Mediamax

“The way we constructed the programme, participants will discuss their ideas with others and form groups. Some try their own ideas separately but later join a group. Some participants come without ideas but with a desire to do business, and they come up with ideas during the courses. At the end of April the groups will submit their projects,” said Tatevik Hovhannisyan.

She added that after the programme concludes, the participants who prepare the best project and pitch to investors successfully will be able to continue working at Startup Studio. She believes it will secure the continuous nature of the programme.

Creative Spark is a five year initiative designed to support international university and institutional partnerships to develop enterprise skills and creative economy across seven countries in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan), South Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia) and Ukraine through UK support. 

Due to the success of year one of the Creative Spark, the British Council announced it would fund a further 12 international partnerships. Each partnership will receive a maximum of GBP 40,000.

The applications for the grant will be accepted here from April 1 to May 12, 2019.

Marie Taryan 

Photos: Emin Aristakesyan 

The series about “Creative Spark” on Mediamax.am is supported by the British Council.