Meet the next Venture Partner of ATIF - Avik Arakelian, CFA !🌎
Avik Arakelian is a biotech venture investor with over 10 years of experience managing investments spanning from startup creation stages to IPOs and M&As. Our interview:
1. Why did you join ATIF?
We live at a very unique moment in terms of global technological transformations, especially with the integration of AI into our lives, from everyday apps to complex fields like computational biology. Armenia, while being a small country with a challenging history, is facing both difficulties and opportunities in this era. The emergence of new technologies are reducing the impact of geographical and physical boundaries, opening up new possibilities for the country's growth. The key to progress lies in creating an ecosystem that nurtures innovation. I am inspired by the vision of ATIF, a project initiated by my close friends, and joined as a venture advisor to support the fund in making a positive impact.
2. What are the areas of your interest and why?
I have been managing venture funds primarily focused on biotech. While my interests extend to space tech and cybersecurity, among others, I am passionate about how new technologies can extend healthy human lifespans. Unfortunately, Armenia ranks below 50th in global healthy life expectancy and even below 60th in total life expectancy. Although this is not the worst case, significant healthcare issues in Armenia could be addressed by novel technologies, from AI-powered early diagnostics of widespread chronic diseases to new targeted therapies. We are actually the first generation to understand why we age at a biological level, and with advances in AI, we finally have the technologies that can address the complexities of human biology. We need platforms to bring these technologies to Armenia. And ATIF should be one of them.
3. What is your vision of the fund at the moment?
There are several unique aspects of ATIF that significantly drove my interest in the project. It offers a very unique venture model, which is rare to find elsewhere. First, investors in the ATIF are amazing individuals from all around the world, and they all will be involved in active roles in the fund, unlike in traditional VC funds. Second, the fund is structured under the local regulations of Armenia, providing a direct route to improving the regulatory framework, essential for attracting more investors to our country. This gives us the opportunity to advance in terms of the investment climate and enhance the country’s reputation in the global venture market. I envision seeing more companies from around the world, featuring an Armenian fund as their investor. My vision is for ATIF to become a unique platform for interaction, collaboration, and joint projects, not only for Armenians worldwide but also for global institutions and corporations interested in Armenia as a growing and advancing nation.
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Business Developer @ UvA | Biotechnology | Chemistry | Physics | AI
1moStefania Grecea insightful article.