Helping shape Armenia’s AI future: How a Toronto-Armenian is innovating in Yerevan
“It was my family history, an unmapped part of my identity.” With these words, Toronto-born machine learning researcher Philipp Guevorguian describes the seed of curiosity that ultimately inspired his move to Armenia. A former Birthright Armenia - Դեպի Հայք participant, Philipp now works at YerevaNN, an artificial intelligence research hub in Yerevan, where he leads groundbreaking projects, including an 'AI chemist' capable of designing new medicines faster.
Reflecting on his time in Armenia, he shares, “Every day here still feels distinct, and it isn’t always comfortable, but the novelty and connections keep me motivated.”
In this exclusive interview with Torontohye, Philipp dives into his repatriation experience, the challenges and triumphs of working in Armenia’s burgeoning tech sector, and the unique ways Toronto’s multiculturalism prepared him for life in the homeland.
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Torontohye: Can you tell us about your journey from Toronto to Yerevan? What motivated your decision to move to Armenia, and was there a defining moment or event that solidified your choice?
Philipp Guevorguian: Growing up, my father’s rapid-fire Armenian phone calls and the stories of my grandfather’s life in the old country engaged my curiosity. It was my family history, an unmapped part of my identity. That’s why, when discussing the worldwide suite of Birthright programs with friends, I said that if Armenia had such a program, I would definitely participate. My friend Liam mentioned that Birthright Armenia does, in fact, exist, so I decided to join on the spot, instantly actualizing a latent desire to engage with my heritage. This is the trip that would allow me to better understand myself and witness Armenia first-hand.
Arriving in Yerevan, I noticed ancient script engraved on buildings, animated conversations on the street (literally), and the roads bending in an unfamiliar manner. I chose to volunteer at a Yerevan-based tech company, where I witnessed engineers tackling complex problems with ingenuity and collaboration. They worked late into the night yet would wake up early enough for a multi-kilometre swim or shooting session before work. Naturally, I was elated when they offered me a full-time job after I finished volunteering, which later led to my position at YerevaNN.
Two years on, every day in Armenia still feels distinct, and it isn’t always comfortable. Still, the day-to-day novelty and connections serve as great motivation. I’ve spent hundreds of hours immersing myself in the language, connecting with family and friends I never knew, and adapting to the rhythm of Armenian life. There hasn’t been a defining moment; my continuous involvement with the country and strong communal bonds have consistently reaffirmed my decision to live here.
Torontohye: Growing up in Toronto, how has your background influenced your path and experiences now that you live and work in Armenia?
Guevorguian: Growing up in one of the most multicultural cities in the world made me aware of the Armenian community’s presence—I saw the churches, smelled the delicious food from Armenian restaurants, and heard about community events. However, aside from the occasional dolma at home, I didn’t have an intimate understanding of Armenian history, culture, or the community in Toronto.
Instead, the community was mostly within the broader scope of a multicultural metropolis. Paradoxically, this distance gave me room to question and reflect. In that context, my repatriation has been a closing of that distance and uncovering parts of my identity that have always been present but hitherto unrealized.
Torontohye: And are there specific values or experiences from Toronto that resonate with you in Armenia?
Guevorguian: Toronto is a hub for international dialogue; it fosters an understanding of interconnected global issues. This understanding is especially relevant in Armenia today. The country faces real geopolitical pressures, and the local geopolitical context within which Armenian life exists has an immense impact on daily life. Living in Armenia, you’re affected by ever-changing trade barriers, transport routes, and security conditions that can be hard to track. Living here, I appreciate how welcoming and helpful people in Yerevan have been in bridging that knowledge gap.
My path to engaging with Armenian identity, starting with Toronto’s multicultural grid and leading to Yerevan, has given me a particular fondness for the Armenian people’s resilience, resourcefulness, and enduring nature. I see the same commitment to community, drive to succeed, and passion for preserving heritage in both Toronto and Yerevan. It’s an honour to have the former inspire my ongoing contributions to the latter.
Torontohye: At YerevaNN, you’re working on some pioneering AI projects. Could you walk us through one of your recent projects and its potential impact?
Guevorguian: At YerevaNN, one of our recent research projects centres on applying AI to pharmaceutical development. This work combines a massive collection of curated chemical data, a large language model we trained (think ChatGPT for chemistry), and a custom algorithm to design new medicines. The system acts as an AI chemist that you can ask to create specific classes of molecules. It then provides suitable candidate drugs 10% faster than the next-best approach. Our long-term goal is for researchers to request chemicals with particular properties and have this ‘AI chemist’ design them without needing expensive lab experiments.
A unique obstacle throughout project development was adapting AI methods to real-world constraints. Ensuring the scalability of our work in a low-resource setting required creative solutions. Our team used efficient algorithms, work scheduling, and collaborations to overcome hardware bottlenecks. This project’s impact extends beyond technology—it represents a continuation of Armenia’s legacy in intellectual achievement and growing capacity to compete with leading AI labs worldwide in competitive research directions. It also exemplifies the value of collaboration. Ex-Meta researcher Armen Aghajanyan’s AI experience in large-scale training complemented our team’s expertise, making our model development more efficient. Similarly, domain specialists assisted with data and proposing evaluations for our system. In the near future, our work will include even closer involvement with industry partners.
Torontohye: How does it feel to contribute to such cutting-edge work in Armenia, and have you encountered any unique challenges working within a smaller tech environment?
Guevorguian: The project has been personally rewarding, especially in mentoring more junior researchers at YerevaNN. In one such case, a university student, initially hesitant about the complexity of our project, quickly developed an ability to design and execute experiments independently. Now, they even lead others. Situations like this are simulacra of the Armenian tech scene’s perseverance, rapid development, and collaborative nature. Yet, challenges remain. While the community fosters camaraderie and collaboration, it limits access to specialized senior talent. This constraint can delay progress on high-skill projects. Finally, the essential element for the future success of tech, especially machine learning, is access to GPUs (Graphics Processing Units are specialized processors designed to accelerate the rendering of images and videos and perform parallel computations, making them essential for tasks like gaming AI, and scientific simulations). Regulations and supply chain dynamics make this a critical challenge to resolve with the help of the private and public sectors.
Torontohye: In your view, what is the future of IT and AI in Armenia, and how does YerevaNN fit into that vision? Are there areas within the Armenian tech ecosystem that need more development or support to foster growth?
Guevorguian: IT in Armenia is in a precarious position. Right now, the tech sector is a mix—we have a robust outsourcing industry, a growing startup scene, and pockets of high-caliber deep-tech research and development. In this context, I believe further specialization will precipitate success.
At YerevaNN, we’re not trying to compete with Google on general-purpose AI. We’ve identified specific AI verticals we want to scale: aerial perception and navigation, chemistry/biology, and embedded systems. To that end, our organization serves several functional purposes. First, as a research hub, we explore and develop problems within those specialized fields. Second, we act as a bridge, bringing cutting-edge tools, methodologies, and know-how from global partners—corporations and academic institutions—and making them accessible to the broader Armenian tech community. The goal here is to raise the standard for the entire tech ecosystem. Third, we are a training ground, developing the next generation of Armenian AI specialists with the skills and experience to build and lead in these fields. During the chemistry AI project, not only did we train researchers who now train researchers themselves, but we also watched university staff install their first-ever server-grade multi-GPU system. Keeping this capacity in Armenia is an essential focus lest deep-tech development gets reduced to making API calls to servers at large companies in other countries.
But succeeding in Armenia is different from succeeding in Toronto or Silicon Valley. We face political volatility, sanctions on our trade partners, and infrastructure gaps—anyone who has dealt with frequent power outages here can attest to this, never mind access to high-performance computing. Export controls from Western nations have had a significant ripple effect, too, as our purchasing and delivery ecosystem here in Armenia leads to lengthy back-and-forths to procure components for high-tech systems. Exacerbating these issues are structural obstacles in funding and investment, where a preference for low-risk, low-innovation projects by entrenched interests often stifles the growth of more ambitious and transformative initiatives.
We need a clear vision, strategic focus, and targeted development in key areas like funding, infrastructure, and collaboration. YerevaNN is committed to leading this mission by advocating innovation, fostering joint work, and pursuing a future where Armenian talent and ingenuity can thrive and contribute globally.
Torontohye: Speaking of YerevaNN’s mission to foster innovation and global collaboration, how would you compare the tech scenes in Toronto and Yerevan? Are there opportunities for Armenian tech professionals abroad to connect more closely with the industry in Armenia?
Guevorguian: The contrasts are evident: Canada offers a vast talent pool, robust infrastructure, and access to an immense network of investors. By comparison, Armenia’s tech scene is still developing, with smaller teams, fewer resources, and infrastructure limitations. These challenges create unique opportunities for impactful contributions from the diaspora. In Canada’s ecosystem, large-scale ventures and established firms dominate. Armenia is much more agile, with a smaller but incredibly tight-knit community of innovators. These elements facilitate deeper collaborations and faster feedback loops. One person really can have an outsized impact on the trajectory of a startup or tech initiative, providing they are willing to put in the work.
Armenia’s challenges, such as limited funding and infrastructure gaps, are more acute because of the country’s smaller market size. For example, while the internet infrastructure is improving, rural areas still face connectivity issues that limit access to educational resources or the ability to scale tech ventures. This contrasts sharply with Canada, where high-speed internet is ubiquitous, and startups can rely on a high-functioning infrastructure to fuel their growth.
In Armenia, programs like FAST - Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology, TUMO Center for Creative Technologies Labs, and Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises-UATE are actively building the next generation of tech professionals. These platforms provide tangible opportunities for diaspora Armenians to make a difference by funding early-stage startups, mentoring talent through various programs, or offering expertise in AI, biotech, or robotics. Through networks like Գիտուժ / Gituzh and collaborative international partnerships, diaspora Armenians can share knowledge, co-author research, or support local tech companies without needing to be on the ground in Armenia.
Right now is an especially pivotal time for Armenia’s tech scene. The rapid growth of the sector, paired with its smaller scale, means that contributions from diaspora Armenians can be disproportionately impactful. If you’re a diaspora professional considering how to get involved, start by connecting with established organizations like Gituzh, TUMO Labs, FAST, or UATE. Additionally, look into funding opportunities, as even modest investments can catalyze significant advancements in emerging sectors. Whether you’re interested in mentorship, investment, or collaboration, the programs I mention in my following response provide alternative and more general entry points for connecting to the community.
Torontohye: Building on the role of diaspora contributions and the potential impact of even modest investments, what advice would you give young Armenians in the diaspora considering moving to Armenia to work in tech?
Guevorguian: For those considering moving to Armenia to work in tech, the best advice is to do it your way. I’m prioritizing this because, in moving to Armenia and living here, you will receive a lot of advice about how you should live, where your focus should be, and with what attitude you should approach things. In addition to that, I’m confident that some fraction of the readership already has ideas and motivations regarding repatriation. I advise you first to understand your motivations, your relationship with the country, and what you want to achieve. Then, take action based on those conclusions.
Torontohye: Are there specific resources, programs, or communities you’d recommend they look into to help them make the transition?
Guevorguian: A few organizations make good starting points for connecting with local resources and communities. Birthright Armenia, Armenian Volunteer Corps, and Repat Armenia offer structured programs that help integrate diasporans. They provide classes and guides and can get you a free lawyer consultation. The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs provides practical support through its Repatriation and Integration Centre. They assist with essential logistics like residency, citizenship, and healthcare and organize events and programs like iGorts and Step Toward Home. Ներուժ / Neruzh may be of particular interest to those interested in entrepreneurship.
The Armenian tech scene is community and collaboration, so once you’re connected in some way, reach out to colleagues and peers for guidance. The community-minded approach will make the transition smoother and more rewarding if you apply it.
If anyone reading is interested in a more comprehensive and detailed account of the topics I discussed or wants to become directly involved with machine learning research work in Armenia or deep-tech in general, they can contact me at philipp@yerevann.com.
Torontohye: Thanks for sharing your story, Philipp. Wishing you all the best with your work at YerevaNN and beyond! ֎
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This conversation was published in our Feb. 2025 issue (#210).
