SEE Circle 2017 – 2: Seeding Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Amalya Kostanyan is a doctorate candidate specializing on development of next generation electronics using 2D nano-materials at the University of Cambridge. She has an intensive teaching and mentoring experience in the sphere of engineering at Cambridge as well as personal development in collaboration with Luys Foundation. Amalya’s focus during her Master’s degree at Cambridge was in Nanotechnology Enterprise during which she worked on business development for Cambridge based startups. She has hands-on experience working with local enterprises in high-tech startup development in Armenia. Amalya is a member of Hughes Hall College at Cambridge since 2013.

Rupert is a graduate engineer from the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and also the Institute of Management Accountants. He started a major London based venture capital operation and has been the finance director for a leading Cambridge based technology consultancy. He is an entrepreneur who also mentors at the Judge Business School, Centre for Entrepreneurship where he is a resident Associate. Rupert has advised listed companies, family businesses, charities and startup businesses at Board level. He has also represented UK family businesses at the national level and in Europe. He has been a senior member of Hughes Hall since 2013 and Development Director since May 2017.

Alentina Vardanyan recently graduated with a Distinction from the University of Cambridge where her research focused on how contemporary approaches to work design enhance creativity in the workplace. She will continue this line of research in a doctorate program in management studies at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. Prior to this, Alentina worked as an Academic Advisor and Lecturer at California State University, Los Angeles, where she created student success programs which cultivated supportive learning communities and brought about positive organizational change. She is also a graduate of UCLA where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (2010) and of Columbia University where she received a Master’s degree in Organization and Leadership (2011).

Mariam Arutyunyan is currently studying for a graduate degree in Economic Research at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on the market reaction to the European cartel enforcement before and after the changes in competition law. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics (with honors) from the Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russia) where she worked as a Teaching Assistant in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics for two years. She also has experience working in the Risk Management Department at MMC Norilsk Nickel (Moscow, Russia), Audit Department at KPMG (Moscow, Russia), and Financial Services Department at AXA Advisors (New York, USA).

Vahagn is a senior investment manager in Amber Capital with 20 years of experience in project finance, corporate lending, and investment consulting. Prior to joining Amber Capital, Vahagn worked in the Eurasian Development Bank as a Senior Project Finance Manager. During his time here, he supported the growth of accumulated investment portfolio of up to USD 120 million during six years by financing projects in gold mining, commodity import, and by providing five commercial banks with special SME financing facilities (69 beneficiaries SMEs were financed). He is the founder of Shirakamut Management Consulting company (a member of the International Finexpertiza network ), Healthy Choice startup, and Zara Wines brand. Vahagn is an International Expert in SME Finance certified by Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. He holds a Masters of Economy from the Armenian State University of Economics. He is currently completing an Executive MSc in Major Programme Management at the University of Oxford Said Business School.

Shruti Khanijow is a qualified commonwealth lawyer and recent LL.M. graduate from the University of Cambridge where she specialised in international law. Her graduate study focused on businesses and their interaction in international space with States, governmental, inter-governmental, non-governmental, and private organizations. Particularly, on issues like how do companies attract profitable and safeinternational investments and how tax, intellectual property, human rights, and environment laws at both national and international levels affect business decisions. At Cambridge, she held editorial responsibilities for Cambridge Law Review and Cambridge International Law Journal and worked as researcher for the Cambridge Pro Bono Project. Previously, she has worked as an associate at a top law firm in India in their international arbitration and commercial litigation practice. She has represented major construction conglomerates, energy, telecom and insurance companies, foreign governments/their undertakings before arbitral tribunals, Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court. Her key pro bono involvement has been at advising emerging businesses in developing the best and most effective legal frameworks. Before joining the Bar, she clerked for the Chief Justice of India and holds the distinction of being the longest serving law clerk to the Chief Justice.

Varag is an engineering & management masters student at MIT, where he is the co-president of the Product Management club. While at MIT, he has worked with Mucker Capital and Applied Materials on its strategies in AR/VR, and with Hyperloop Transport Technologies to architect its passenger digital platform. Varag is involved in several initiatives across campus related to entrepreneurship, technology, and AR/VR. Prior to MIT, he was a Senior Consultant at Endeavour Partners, a boutique management consulting firm for leaders of technology companies. Varag consulted leading mobile device manufacturers, component suppliers, wireless carriers, and related startups with their business strategy, product portfolios, and Intellectual Property (IP). Prior to joining Endeavour, Varag worked with one of the largest private wireless infrastructure companies, where he co-invented and developed a mobile wireless networking technology. He also worked as a stockbroker with Waddell & Reed, advising investors on their portfolios. Varag holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from the University of California Irvine and his FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. During his free time, he enjoys playing chess, piano, basketball, and skiing.

Satenig Mirzoyan is a recent graduate of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School MPhil in Technology Policy program. Her research while at Cambridge focused on the Unintended Consequences of Consumer Artificial Intelligence. Prior to enrolling at Cambridge she worked as a product manager in digital media at Complex Media Inc. in New York City, and as an associate product manager at PicsArt in Armenia. She holds a bachelor's degree in International Studies with a minor in Entrepreneurship from the University of Michigan.

Lara Markarian is currently a second-year law student at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Lara holds a Bachelor’s of Science in International Politics from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service with a concentration in International Law, Norms, and Institutions. Prior to law school, she worked for three years in Citigroup’s Treasury and Trade Services department. At Citi, she performed as the lead sales analyst for a ~$400 million portfolio of 40 of the top Technology, Media, and Telecommunication companies in the United States and managed the bank account authorization process for the largest client company split in department history.