By Celeste Noraian
As Armenia enters a new phase of technological development, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), one organization is working to prepare women to participate in the country’s growing technology sector. Armenia-based FEMINNO is advancing participation of women and girls in science, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership
Seda Papoyan, founder and CEO of FEMINNO says that with major international investments in AI infrastructure, “we have an opportunity to rethink not only what our country can produce, but who will participate in creating that future.”
Despite progress in women’s participation in education and the workforce, women remain underrepresented in Armenia’s technology and business sectors.
According to the World Bank, women accounted for 33.2% of tertiary graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Armenia in 2024.
Data from Armenia’s Statistical Committee shows that women held 29.7% of senior and middle management positions. Additionally approximately 50% of working-age women were employed, compared with more than 70% of men, according to Armenia’s Statistical Committee.
Last week, FEMINNO held their fifth conference under the theme, “REWRITING TOMORROW: AI. Innovation. Human Potential." The four-day conference featured events across Syunik, Yerevan, Tavush, and Lori.
“And importantly, rewriting tomorrow requires more than understanding new technologies. It requires the confidence and responsibility to question existing systems and imagine better alternatives,” Papoyan says.
She adds that there is a broader perception problem where women in technology are presented as exceptions, rather than as an essential part of the industry. She believes that Armenia is at an important moment when decisions about inclusion can influence who participates in the country’s AI ecosystem.
“I believe Armenia has a relatively small window to make deliberate choices about inclusion while this new ecosystem is being built. We should not be preparing women only to adapt to the future of technology. We should be preparing them to shape it,” Papoyan says.
When FEMINNO’s first conference began in 2022, Papoyan says that Armenia already had talented women in these industries, but the country was missing a connected ecosystem to support their development, recognize their achievements and create pathways toward leadership.
Since then, the organization has expanded their work beyond the annual conference, developing educational programs and opportunities for women and girls.
One of FEMINNO’s initiatives is the STEM Acceleration Award, which recently completed its third year with 300 students across Armenia in grades 7-12. Participants worked in teams to identify challenges facing their communities and developed STEM projects addressing those issues. Twenty teams presented their projects at their respective schools.
FEMINNO also concluded its "Professions and Roles Without BUTs" program as part of this year’s conference. This initiative took place across all four conference locations and challenged traditional stereotypes around gender, professions, and social roles. It encouraged young people to make educational and career choices based on their interests and abilities rather than limiting themselves.
For Papoyan, increasing visibility is only one part of creating lasting impact.
“Visibility matters because it expands what people believe is possible. But visibility alone does not produce lasting change,” Papoyan said.
That is why FEMINNO continues to work towards expanding women’s opportunities in technology and business. The organization also has continued its scholarship efforts through the Sona Mnatskanyan Scholarship initiative. In its latest round, six people received scholarships to pursue education in Armenia and abroad, including at Sorbonne University and King’s College London.
Alongside its scholarship and STEM initiatives, FEMINNO’s AI Academy connects girls and young women in Armenia with AI education and international expertise. The organization also works with women already pursuing careers and business opportunities. One conference workshop, "She Builds with AI," focused on helping women entrepreneurs use AI tools in their businesses.
Papoyan says she has also seen growth in the participants and in the program.
“The most significant change is that girls who once came to us looking for encouragement are now helping encourage and guide others,” Papoyan notes.
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