YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS: A Final Award Ceremony was held in Yerevan on October 24, marking the conclusion of the 2014 Cleantech National Business Ideas Competition under the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) for SMEs in Armenia. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the programme is aimed at identifying and promoting innovative Cleantech startups and SMEs in Armenia.  

The competition’s final event was launched on 23 October, 2014 during which14 semi-finalist teams pitched their business models to the judge’s panel of 5 members.

Another 8 semi-finalist teams pitched their business models to the judge’s panel on 24 October and after 2 hours of intense discussion, due to the high caliber of the presentations, the judge’spanel finalized the results of the 2-day event.

In total, 64 business ideas (teams) applied for the competition, from which 24 teams accomplished the 10-week special business courses to develop viable business models. As a result, 22 teams participated in the final event of the business ideas competition, pitching their business models in the categories of: renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste to energy and water resources and efficiency.

As a result of the high quality of the business ideas presented at the Final Event, the judge’s panel took the decision to select an additional 2 winner teams. Hence, 4 winners have been awarded with USD 10,000, for their achievement and the additional winners were awarded with USD 5,000.

Thus, the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) for SMEs in Armenia is pleased to announce the following 2014 competition winners:

1. “Ecotechnology” LLC (New Generation of Substances-Aqua Source) - the National Winner, that will participate in the Annual Cleantech Open Global Forum in Silicon Valley on 12-13 November and also will be awarded with USD 10,000 grant.
2. “SolVar Systems” LLC (Utility-Scale Solar Technology, Planar Solar Concentrator) - USD 10,000 grant.
3. “NanoHi” team (Graphene and Graphene Electronics; Production of High-Quality Graphene Nanopowder) - USD 10,000 grant.
4. “Am-Eska” LLC (Recycling of Used Tires through Pyrolysis Method) - USD 10,000 grant.
5. “Renewable Energy Research Team” (New technology - Electrical Energy from Kinetic Energy of Compressed Air) – USD 5,000 grant.
6. “Bitlis-Men” (Water-Flow Measurement System) - USD 5,000 grant. 

Ms. Anahit Simonyan, Head of UNIDO Operations in Armenia, opened the Final Event with her welcoming speech of the award ceremony. Mr. Emil Tarasyan, Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Khachik Hakobyan, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection, Mr. Mark Draeck, Industrial Development Officer/Project Manager Energy & Climate Change Branch,UNIDO, Vienna, Mr. Bagrat Yengibaryan, Director of Enterprise Incubator Foundation and Mr. Frunzik Voskanyan, National Project Coordinator of the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for SMEs in Armenia welcomed the participants and awarded the prizes.