The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur

Reinventing Armenia: The Power of One - Gayane Markosyan

In 2007 I wrote an article titled Armenians in Action - Renewal on a Grand Scale about a conference I attended at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco: ArmTech 2007.

I walked into the hotel's lobby with my media invitation not knowing a soul, only to walk out five hours later either having met or interviewed a quarter of the conference attendees!

This was possible because of the connecting power of one woman: Gayane Markosyan, former professor for State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA) who now serves as the education liaison and PR strategist for Synopsys in Armenia. 

I don't typically write a "cast your vote" type of blog post. However, I'm making an exception for Gayane because of the real difference she's making in her country.

Gayane is one of six finalists in the inaugural Community Super Hero Competition. In this competition, the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry recognizes the volunteer who does the most for their communities. This award would provide Armenia with a win-win opportunity: it would help publicize Armenia as a High Tech destination and serve notice that one of Armenia’s own can lead a global industry in giving back to its communities.

Please join me in casting your vote for Gayane. Everybody can vote once, and you don't have to be in a high tech industry to vote. You can vote. Your family members can vote. Your friends and work colleagues can vote. All it takes is a few minutes of your time.

You can vote by clicking the URL below (deadline to vote is July 27):
http://www.denali.com/en/events/dac/2009/superhero.jsp


The nominating statement for Gayane:

Gayane Markosyan
Synopsys
Gayane Markosyan leads Synopsys Armenia's charitable activities with dedication and enthusiasm. She connects Synopsys employees, our partners and the community in multiple projects throughout the year. In particular, Gayane has led several large-scale tree planting projects, annually planting 400 trees with the entire employee base in Armenia. That's one tree for each employee. This reforestation is especially meaningful in a city where difficult times a decade ago forced the residents to cut down almost all the trees in the city as their only source of heating fuel. This is a huge accomplishment that has a very meaningful impact on the country.

Gayane also arranges park cleanups and employee visits to local orphanages, where they distribute toys and clothes donated by our employees. Helping the children at Kharberd Orphanage is one of the causes Gayane is passionate about. She raised over $1,539 USD (477,000 AMD) in employee contributions by coordinating an exhibit and sale at Synopsys of art created by the orphanage children and ticket sales for a concert with "Lusine", a non-government organization, to assist several local orphanages.

Gayane also led the China Earthquake Disaster Relief fundraiser with the International Red Cross in Armenia.

Geopolitics to Green Tech

Over three thousand attendees flowed into the Santa Clara Convention Center for day one of TiECon 2006. The opening keynotes set the tone for this year’s “disruption and convergence” theme.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General United Nations stressed to the packed room of technocrats that the Internet, by itself, cannot solve everything. Creating marginalized societies lacking the education to enjoy enriched lives impacts us all. “The point of life is to be enriched by life.”

The need for artists, writers, and innovators to find new ways of solving today’s problems begins with having the freedom to create. Driving home the point, Dr. Tharoor emphasized that true convergence will happen when we learn to live in harmony with other identities. Global problems have no passports. “We all live downstream from water pollution.”

Enter John Doerr, General Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers whose relationship with TiE spans 15 years and has been described by Cisco’s CEO, John Chambers, as the “Single best venture capitalist in the world.”

Describing the role of a venture capitalist as one that finds and funds risktakers, Doerr shared his thoughts with Michael Malone on opportunities for entrepreneurs. He sees biology as the next big broad deal, particularly when applying innovation to energy – green tech – that leads to sustainable economies.

“If India and China develop at the rate of the US we will choke the planet—we must innovate.”