EPIC Hosts CEO & Founder of IntelinAir Al Eisaian

2 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia – On October 14, 2019, CEO & Founder of IntelinAir, Inc. Al Eisaian was the guest speaker at a talk organized by the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA). Being a  multiple-exit serial entrepreneur, Eisaian spoke about the valuable lessons learned from his exciting entrepreneurial journey. 

Eisaian’s entire career has had a global nature, from his very first job as application engineer for Tandon to strategy consultant at USWeb/CKS. The speaker recounted the challenges related to acquiring and merging startups, from LowerMyBills (acquired by Experian, 2005), Integrien (acquired by VMWare, 2010), IconApps (acquired by Science Inc., 2014) and currently IntelinAir. 

In his current company, Eisaian focuses on transforming global agriculture by bringing full-season crop performance measurability, intelligence, and actionability to growers. The company’s mission is to reduce waste and increase yields thereby significantly growing profitability. IntelinAir has been recognized for its industry-leading innovation in 2017 and 2018 by AgFunder, Computer Vision Magazine, and others.

Eisaian shared the model that he has followed for two decades. As a committed servant-leader, he believes that entrepreneurs should “think big, but serve bigger.” He introduced AUA students and EPIC residents to the concept of Servant Leadership and the importance of shifting the traditional mindset of the hierarchical organization in companies. Eisaian stressed that in today’s work environment, “you are in service not only for customers but also for each other.” 

The event was very interactive due to the questions Eisaian posed to aspiring startupers about their ventures and why they chose their specific ideas. In a lively discourse, he illustrated the importance of proper communication of the services or products delivered to customers. “You have to create a visual product so well that when you present it to people, they immediately get it.” 

To conclude his talk, Eisaian asked the audience to participate in a small experiment through which he illustrated the constraints that entrepreneurs face when building companies or delivering a service to their customers. He encouraged everyone to “Be committed to your company’s mission, to your customers, and be a 100% person.”

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.