Silicon Mountains 2025 Lori Technology Forum Held with Ucom’s Support

On May 15, the COAF SMART Center in Lori region became the epicenter of innovation and technology. The Silicon Mountains regional forum was held here this year, bringing discussions on technology and innovation to the regions. Ucom joined the Forum as a Technology Partner, while the company’s General Director, Ralph Yirikian, participated as a speaker in the "Cybersecurity and Data Protection" panel discussion, sharing his experience and insights on contemporary cybersecurity standards. 

The other two panel discussions’ topics were "Artificial Intelligence and Automation" and "Smart Digital Infrastructures." The forum keynote speaker was Dr. Yoshiaki Hagiwara, a Japanese engineer and a state award winner for global contributions to high technology. 

“AI is now an essential tool for everyone to organize daily work and life more efficiently, and cybersecurity has long been an integral part of our lives. At Ucom, we believe that discussions around these modern technologies should be accessible to everyone in Armenia. I am very pleased to share my experience and discuss cybersecurity issues at Silicon Mountains in Lori. I hope our testimonies will inspire many and lay the groundwork for new, beneficial collaborations and projects,” noted Ralph Yirikian, General Director of Ucom.

“First of all, regional development is truly a priority for our union. Since 2019, we have been working with regional communities in Shirak, Lori, Gegharkunik, and Syunik. Secondly, we aim to empower regional companies, providing them with new opportunities and helping them reach an international level. Thirdly, we intend to implement leading STEM educational programs in the regions, which we have developed with our members. These include the ‘Artificial Intelligence’ school program, the ‘Telecommunications and Internet of Things (IoT)’ program, and other projects. Fourthly, we want to share expertise and knowledge, involving leaders of top companies, international organizations, and government representatives. Finally, we aim to bring the business culture of international companies to the regions and stimulate regional investments,” said Eduard Musayelyan, Executive Director of UEICT.

As part of the forum, "Cyberwar" games were also organized. During this unique hands-on workshop, two experienced teams of cybersecurity experts took turns playing the roles of attacker and defender.

Participants learned about modern DDoS attack methods and tools, effective response and defense strategies, and explored the latest trends in cybersecurity. The workshop was designed for cybersecurity professionals, network architects, ICT managers, business leaders, and participants interested in the resilience and availability of ICT infrastructures.