Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ServiceTitan, Hero House and VC funds spotlighted as engines of California‑Armenia tech ties
Summary
Entrepreneurship and venture efforts from Glendale to Yerevan were showcased: ServiceTitan founders described company growth and an Armenia office; Hero House and SmartKVc described seed funding, accelerators and plans for a $50 million fund to scale deep‑tech startups across Armenia and California.
Panelists framed technology and startups as the most tangible current link between California and Armenia, citing company expansions, R&D offices and incubator success.
Vahi Kuzoyan, co‑founder of ServiceTitan, recounted founding the company in Glendale in 2007 and said the firm now has more than 3,000 employees worldwide with "over 900 employees" in California and "around 650 people" in Armenia. He described how Armenia offices and talent were integral to product development and value creation.
Arvina Galestian of SmartKVc and Hero House Glendale described a pipeline that begins with a $3.2 million early fund in Yerevan in 2017, a 7,000‑square‑foot Hero House in Glendale, and later funds that helped companies scale. She said portfolio companies have raised substantial follow‑on capital and that the group hopes to raise a $50,000,000 fund to back physical AI, robotics, cybersecurity and neurotech.
Mayor Kasakhian and other public officials urged more state support for non‑dilutive seed funding, incubator grants and procurement pathways to help Armenian‑founded and Armenian‑partnered firms scale in California. Panelists asked the legislature to identify specific metrics—jobs created, number of companies with two‑way operations and target valuations—so the committee can measure progress.
