Yerevan, Armenia – On September 26, the USAID Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) launched the third generation of the Top Class Program for promising entrepreneurs and managers from EDMC-supported sectors. Top Class allows the participants to attend interactive training sessions on selected business topics delivered by successful entrepreneurs from Armenia and abroad, attend local and international networking events and conferences, receive tailored guidance from experienced business leaders, and gain access to potential investors. The program is offered at most centers of the CEED network in 14 countries.
Al Eisaian, an experienced entrepreneur from the USA and Chairman and Co-founder of IconApps, Inc., opened the session, sharing his 20-year experience of leading a variety of teams and offering his insights on servant leadership.
The first two Top Class programs were held in 2012-2013 and featured top-notch business leaders such as Ralph Yirikian, General Manager of VivaCell MTS in Armenia; Roger Strauch, Chairman of the Roda Group venture capital fund based in Berkeley, California; and Rich Goldman, CEO of Synopsys Armenia. The sessions focused on a range of topics including business growth, marketing, negotiations, and financial management.
During the Top Class Program, the participants not only hone their skills in core business disciplines, but also gain access to a broad range of networking opportunities and personalized advice from experienced business leaders. The new generation of the program features an expanded pool of mentors, revised training curriculum, and increased opportunities for cross-border connections.
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) has been brought to Armenia by Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness Project (USAID/EDMC) as a core partner in entrepreneurship training and mentoring. Under EDMC, CEED sponsors entrepreneurship training and investor linkage to help deepen entrepreneurial skills and innovative practices in the EDMC-supported sectors – information technologies, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and hospitality.
