Organised by EU4Innovation East in collaboration with key local partners, the competition brought together 13 promising Armenian startups, each presenting innovative solutions across diverse sectors. Following a highly competitive pitching session, three startups — Denovo Sciences, TACTUN, and MedPair — were selected to represent Armenia at Viva Technology 2026, set to take place in Paris this June.
Viva Technology (VivaTech) is one of Europe’s largest startup and technology events, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The annual gathering convenes startups, investors, corporations, and policymakers from around the world, offering a major platform for showcasing innovation, building partnerships, and scaling globally.
This year, EU4Innovation East will also host a dedicated pitch session at VivaTech featuring nine startups from Armenia, Ukraine, and Moldova, further strengthening regional visibility on the European stage.
Opening the Armenian national competition, Julien Schmitt, Project Director of EU4Innovation East, highlighted:
“VivaTech offers Armenian startups direct access to investors, corporate partners, and new markets in Europe. With the support brought by EU4Innovation East, we are creating real opportunities for founders from the Eastern Partnership region to showcase their solutions, build strategic partnerships, and scale beyond their home ecosystems.”
For the selected startups, participation in VivaTech represents a strategic opportunity to expand into European markets and connect with key industry players.
For MedPair, a French-Armenian startup working to build a digital front door for European healthcare, the connection to France’s ecosystem is especially meaningful. As Tat Ajamyan, Co-founder of MedPair, noted:
“MedPair.co is a French-Armenian startup aiming to build a digital front door for European healthcare. It makes perfect sense for us to be a part of the biggest tech congress in France, present our ideas and find allies in the European healthcare ecosystem.”
For deep-tech startup TACTUN, the event offers direct access to the right investors and partners at a crucial stage of growth. Rafayel Ghasabyan, CEO of TACTUN, emphasized:
“Every new robot being built today needs a custom control system, and TACTUN exists to deliver that in days instead of months. VivaTech brings together the largest concentration of innovative startups and deep-tech investors in Europe — the exact audience we need as we expand into Europe and prepare for our Seed round.”
Meanwhile, Denovo Sciences sees VivaTech as a platform to demonstrate the global potential of Armenian innovation in biotech and artificial intelligence. Vardan Harutyunyan shared:
“At Denovo Sciences, we’re using AI to design novel drug candidates for diseases where conventional methods have hit a wall. VivaTech is the perfect stage to show that world-class deep tech and biotech innovation can come from Armenia. We’re looking forward to connecting with investors, pharma partners, and fellow innovators who share our belief that AI will fundamentally reshape how we discover medicine.”
The event also benefited from high-level engagement, notably the attendance of France’s Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Mr. Benjamin Haddad, at the award ceremony, alongside H.E. Olivier Decottignies, Ambassador of France to Armenia. Their presence underscored the importance of fostering deeper innovation ties between European Union member states and partner countries.
The competition was organised in collaboration with a strong network of ecosystem actors, including the Angel Investor Club of Armenia (AICA), Science & Technology Angels Network (STAN), Formula VC, Triple S Ventures, Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE), Plug and Play Armenia, eqwefy, and Picsart.
EU4Innovation East warmly congratulates the selected startups and wishes them every success as they prepare to take the stage at VivaTech 2026 — a key opportunity to showcase their solutions, connect with international stakeholders, and expand into global markets.
