Ucom’s General Director Joined the International CirculUP! Forum to Foster Circular Innovation in Armenia

Ucom’s General Director Ralph Yirikian participated in a panel discussion at the inaugural International Circular Economy Forum, held at UWC Dilijan College.

The forum, hosted by the EU-funded CirculUP! Building Capacity and Raising Awareness to Popularize Circular Economy in Armenia Project and organized by the Impact Hub Network, brought together over 150 changemakers from more than 40 countries to explore practical solutions for building a zero-waste future in Armenia and beyond. It is also the flagship event of the Impact Hub Global Gathering 2025, held in Armenia for the first time.

The event marked the official launch of the Issue-Based Ecosystem Building Methodology, a practical framework developed by Impact Hub Global to strengthen local sustainability efforts through cross-sector collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society.

“Armenia is showing what it means to go beyond pilots and projects, to build real ecosystems where policymakers, entrepreneurs, funders, and citizens co-create long-term solutions,” said Tatiana Glad, Executive Director of Impact Hub Network.

Ralph Yirikian was one of five experts invited to speak on the high-level panel discussion titled “Unlocking Armenia’s Circular Economy Potential: Voices from the Field.” Mr. Yirikian contributed to the panel by highlighting the importance of corporate partnerships for circular startups, addressing how big corporations can support sustainable innovation through procurement policies and responsible value chain practices.

“This forum is an important step for Armenia, bringing together people who can shape a more sustainable future. The world is moving towards circularity, and we at Ucom, as a socially responsible company, recognize how important it is to be a part of this transition. Circularity isn’t just a trend, it’s the future of doing business and we’re very proud to support initiatives that can drive this change,” said Ralph Yirikian, General Director of Ucom.

“A major lesson we've taken away from the CirculUP! Project is that even in small countries, systemic change is possible when we are open to collaborate,” said Ani Baboomian, Program Manager of CirculUP!.

Note that this marks the second year of partnership between Ucom and Impact Hub Yerevan within the framework of the Ucom Fellowship Program, which this year focuses on circular economy solutions. The Forum coincides with growing momentum for circularity in Armenia, where Ucom continues to bridge corporate leadership with startup innovation through the sustainability initiatives it supports.

Impact Hub Yerevan

**Impact Hub Yerevan, founded in 2016, is a representative of a network of 120+ Impact Hubs operating around the world. It provides its member entrepreneurs and innovators with a wide range of community innovation resources, educational programs, and events, all in a very stimulating and empowering workspace. Impact Hub is also a social innovation incubator and has many years of experience in designing and implementing incubation and acceleration programs. Since its establishment, Impact Hub Yerevan has designed and implemented 40+ programs, more than 500 educational courses, and events, and now hosts more than 350 members implementing over 100 projects representing almost all sectors operating in Armenia.