Do You Have a Startup Idea? Apply to EPIC’s Fall 2019 Batch!

3 min read

Do you want to transform your idea into a new business or complement your entrepreneurial coursework at the American University of Armenia (AUA) with real-life experience? Then this 12-week idea-stage startup incubation program at the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is just for you.

Teams made up of AUA students and outside entrepreneurs compete for admission to EPIC where they engage in entrepreneurial incubation, education, mentorship, and have access to ample resources to grow and advance their startups. As part of this innovative incubation program, EPIC sponsors lectures, startup conferences, hackathons, and discovery in its sophisticated prototyping laboratory.

The EPIC Incubator helps early-stage teams with idea validation and business model creation. During the program, resident teams learn the lean startup framework and receive guidance and mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, as well as expert advice from professionals in various business domains.

EPIC has grown to a vibrant community of business and technical mentors and advisors. Faculty from AUA’s Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics (CBE) and Akian College of Science and Engineering (CSE) form the core of EPIC’s in-house mentors, many of whom have started, managed, funded, and advised numerous startup ventures in Armenia and abroad. In addition, AUA’s new Technology and Innovation Legal (TIL) Clinic provides pro bono legal counseling to EPIC startup teams.

EPIC maintains close ties with a large and diverse network of AUA alumni who have committed to serve as mentors and advisors to new student groups and share with them business contacts and networking information. AUA is proud of its close-knit community of alumni and entrepreneurs who stay connected with EPIC. In the previous batches of the startup incubation program, EPIC has attracted half a dozen alumni to serve on the jury for selecting student teams for admission to the program, as well as more than ten alumni to deliver talks and workshops, and twelve to serve as mentors and advisors.

Liana Hakobyan, co-founder of Breedge and EPIC resident of the very first EPIC batch, says: “EPIC is the right place for growth, where you as a student enter and develop your idea into a startup. This is a place where you do not only get knowledge and skills but you also grow as a person. EPIC provides you with educational materials, a place to work, and a great network of mentors and startups. During the past three years, EPIC has really become a family to me and our team.”

The program also offers 24/7 access to first-class facilities and collaborative workspaces at AUA, access to a network of investors, mentors and advisors, as well as opportunities for industry treks to Silicon Valley, making friends, and having fun.

Elina Hovakimyan, co-founder of Eventor and EPIC resident of the Spring 2019 Batch, shares: “It is a great place to meet valuable people including experienced startup owners, successful entrepreneurs and many professionals, and all of them are there to give you feedback and advice and help you to move forward with your ideas. Whenever you enter EPIC it seems like you enter a different world, where you automatically generate new and better ideas, the environment itself helps you be more creative and innovative. At EPIC, your products become more competitive in the market. EPIC provides many great resources, including specialized books, mentoring, and a space that is open 24/7.”

Applications for the EPIC Fall 2019 Batch are now open at EPIC.aua.am. The EPIC incubation program gives the opportunity to AUA students and alumni to start a rewarding journey in the world of entrepreneurship. Hurry and apply now through this application link!

The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a platform of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for promoting entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and startup venture incubation. EPIC provides an ecosystem for emerging entrepreneurs consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspace, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors, and investors. EPIC fosters the understanding and application of entrepreneurship in students and faculty at AUA to craft high-impact multidisciplinary ventures.