A week in Istanbul

On a rainy day near Hage Sophia                                 Milion - A mile-marker monument erected in Constantinople

Hage Sophia                                                               Blue Mosque

Sharma and Hardy at Topkaki Palace                             Dolmabahche Palace, Istanbul

Of lost laptops and change-makers

Armenia and Impact Hub Yerevan

I recently visited Yerevan, the lively capital of Armenia, for a consulting project to create a social innovation space and incubator (http://yerevan.impacthub.net/). During one week that I spent in the country, I  conversed with some of the most inspirational and positive people I’ve ever met. But the trip may not have been have the fun if not for the team – one American, one Brazilian, two Indians, one Chinese and two Armenians.

L to R Picture 1:Sara Jaan, Hardy, Steph, Rafael, Sharma, Ani Jaan and Amar

Yerevan day 1

My trip started with small panic at the Moscow Airport when Sharma realized that he has forgotten his laptop at the New York airport. Amidst frantic calling to New York airport to locate the laptop someone shouted “And where is Hardy ? ” All hands typing feverishly on keyboards froze. Did we loose one person at New York airport as well?

But soon we realized that Hardy was standing a long distance ahead of us in the passport control line. Phew! And shortly afterward Sharma located his laptop with the lost and found division at New York airport. And then the joke started , five people started from New York Airport…
Above – Tuck Team broke into a jig after dinner – day 1 at Yerevan. Performers – Sara Jaan, Hardy, Sharma and Amar.

Coffee is ubiquitous in Yerevan and tech startup culture is catching up. There are numerous modern cafes lined across streets and these places are usually full during weekdays. During one of our scheduled meetings we met Irina, who started Green Bean coffee chain, a green initiative that uses only recyclable materials and does not allows smoking inside the café – a new phenomena in Yerevan. The coffee chain is now planning to expand into international markets with initial focus on attracting diaspora Armenian community and market itself as an ethnic Armenian brand globally. The chat was specially intriguing for me because I love coffee and I too want to start a coffee chain in India.  Inspiration + Idea !

We also met with some startups and were amazed at the ideas/ projects these startups were working on. WiCastr has developed a device that creates localized wifi zones without internet connectivity. It will allow selective digital content to be sent to all the connected devices. If successful, this will remove the need for data service providers as network effect of many such devices will create the effect of a globalized wifi.

Armenian genocide weighs heavily on Armenian psyche.  After numerous conversations with locals and internationals, I realized that locals have carried this baggage for long and only recently have started to shake it off. Today, there is a palpable sense of urgency to bring Armenia on world map and to rebrand Armenia as an intellectual horsepower.  Recently, a new initiative 100Lives (https://100lives.com/en/intro) was launched  to mark the centenary year of Armenian genocide. The project will grant $1 Million annually to put themselves at risk to enable others to survive and thrive.

Overall, i had an amazing experience meeting new people and learning about the culture of a new country. Future will decide if Armenia has Shukachika (no market) or Shukaka (yes market). Of all the memories created during the trip, I will remember most fondly the warmth of the people we met, the determination of these people to bring a positive change in the society and the amazing food scene in Yerevan.

Garni Temple, Armenia                                                                  Sharma and Hardy Bromancing.

In Hindi it is said that a story that cannot be completed should be left at a beautiful turn. Yerevan, you will be missed.