About

Bridging Local Innovation with Global Capital

This combination effectively communicates STAN's unique positioning while honoring both the Armenian roots and global reach that define the organization.

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Our Mission

Leverage Armenian Diaspora connections to engage top talent in the United States, Europe, Armenia, and other key hubs.

For Angels

Get access to unique pipeline of startups, founded by exceptional founders from - Armenian and non-Armenian - from the United States, Europe, Armenia, and other key hubs.

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For Startups

Make Armenian Diaspora network your engine for connecting with the right talent and right markets. Get access to a network of global angel investors contributing truly smart capital.

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The Making of STAN: Uniting Angels to Back the Future of Tech

Since its inception in 2018, STAN has evolved into a community of 40+ active angels across 7+ countries, collectively investing over $1.4M in 27 tech startups in AI, medtech, robotics, agritech, and beyond.

2018 Origins

STAN was established as part of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) — an initiative aimed at catalyzing Armenia's transition toward an innovation-driven economy.

2023 Independence

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2024 Current Growth

STAN's growing international footprint includes the Los Angeles Chapter (launched in 2024), with Paris, New York, and Beirut Chapters in development — forming a bridge between the global Armenian Diaspora and the global investor & startup communities.

Transforming startups with smart capital

Our network drives innovation by connecting visionary founders with experienced investors. We turn bold ideas into global success stories.

Angel investors

Countries of global reach

Startup deals closed

$1.5M

Total Investment

Our Global Network

STAN bridges local innovation with global capital through our international network of angels and chapters. With a strong presence across three key regions, we connect startups with experienced investors who bring not just capital, but invaluable expertise and connections to help founders scale globally.

Trusted by industry & Ecosystem Partners

Our network connects visionary investors with groundbreaking startups across continents

At STAN, our values guide every activity we undertake:

Inclusion and Diversity

Innovation thrives on diverse perspectives. STAN connects angels and founders from different backgrounds on one platform.

Sustainable Support

We view return-oriented investment as the best support for founders, fostering growth, global scaling, and ecosystem reinvestment.

Trust in Investment

We uphold the highest standards of integrity, ensuring clarity, fairness, and accountability in every step of the investment process.

Global Platform

We aim to create lasting value by building a strong investment network within the Armenian diaspora, boosting Armenia's growth as a global innovation hub.

Board of Trustees

Igor Khalatian

Co-Founder

Igor is an entrepreneur with over 20 years of successful expertise in high-tech sector globally.Igor established a co-browsing and screen-sharing technology startup LiveLOOK in 2007 that was acquired by Oracle in 2014. Later, he assumed the role of Vice President of Development at Oracle. In the mid of 2023, Igor founded the world’s first AI-based dating service IRIS Dating.He has a master's degree from Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, a doctorate in computer science from the USSR Academy of Sciences, and a Ph.D. from the Bell Labs research facility in the US. Dr. Khalatian is the author of 13 US patents. He is also an official member of the Forbes Technology Council.Igor Khalatian, together with a group of 18 additional angels, established STAN. Starting from 2018, he has held a position as one of the co-chairs within the organization. Igor's influence has been crucial in molding the development and influence of the Armenian startup ecosystem.

Ruben Arutyunyan

Co-Founder

Alexandre Meterissian

Angel

Avetis Antaplyan

Angel, Co-chair of STAN LA Chapter

Seline Karakaya

Angel

Suzanna Shamakhyan

Ex-Officio Board Member, VP of Strategic Programming at FAST

Ruben Osipyan

CEO

Ruben is a startup ecosystem leader with experience as a founder, angel network head, and software executive. He is running a telegram channel about the Armenian startup ecosystem (3N - https://t.me/threenstartups) and teaching at the American University of Armenia.

Ruben has been the CEO of the Science & Technology Angels Network (STAN) since its establishment in July 2023. Before that, Ruben had been running STAN activities since September 2021, when it was one of the programs of FAST, as FAST’s entrepreneurial programs lead. Ruben was the co-founder & CEO of Himnark – one of Armenia’s first SaaS B2B platforms targeting Armenian small and medium enterprises.

Since then, it has collaborated with over 200 customers in Armenia and over 2000 employees in total. Previously, Ruben served as Group CFO and CEO of 2 spin-off companies at Instigate Group. He graduated from the Armenian State University of Economics, specializing in Operations Research and Mathematical Modeling.

Honoring Our Foundation

As we continue to grow, STAN remains deeply grateful to its founding and past members — the angels who believed in the vision from the start. Their contributions are recognized as part of STAN's legacy network, honoring the foundation they helped build.

Empowered by STAN Expert Council

A community of multidisciplinary and complementary expertise of technologists and entrepreneurs who ensure rigorous due diligence and strategic guidance to both angels and startups.