After the start of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, Armenia is considered one of the most sought-after countries for the relocation of Russian professionals. According to the data provided by the RA Minister of Economy, Vahan Kerobyan, about 850 companies from Russia and 350 individual entrepreneurs continue their activities in Armenia. In total, about 40,000 individuals and legal entities have opened about 100,000 accounts in Armenian banks.

The minister also estimated the number of IT specialists who arrived in Armenia: “more than 50 thousand, but less than 70 thousand”. It should be noted that these data were published on 5 September, before the announcement of a partial mobilization in Russia.

Iravaban.net  tried to find out what effect the influx of Russian specialists will have on Armenia’s tech sector in a conversation with Vazgen Badalyan, a technology executive and product manager.

Vazgen Badalyan has more than 10 years of experience in tech and product management. He founded several startups, and worked for larger technology companies, most notably Yandex, the Google of the CIS region. Vazgen has led a team of product managers and engineers, focusing on machine learning and AI products. Now he works at Okko, one of the leading streaming services in the CIS region; he is the Deputy Chief Product Manager of the company.

– Since the end of February, many tech industry professionals from Russia are coming to Armenia from Russia. How will it affect the Armenian tech market?

– The tech sector in Russia is very rich: there are a lot of large companies, such as Yandex, Tinkoff, Avito; they create software products that compete on an international level. For example, Yandex is represented in Israel and African markets with its Yandex Taxi and delivery products. Another product would be self-driving delivery rovers that were functioning in US universities. The potential for further expansion was huge, however nowadays it has become complex, so a lot of people are leaving these companies.

There are three key trends that Armenia should take advantage of. First, numerous startups, offices, and big companies, like NVIDIA, are opening their locations in Armenia. This unlocks job opportunities for the local market. Second, there are a lot of experts and professionals who will join Armenian local teams and startups. The hiring process should become easier. Third, we have technology network effects: newcomers, locals and diaspora exchange knowledge, more knowledge creates startups, companies create jobs, and this keeps growing. This will lead Armenia to becoming the key technology hub in the region.

– You have worked both in the US and in Russia, and you have work experience in international markets. What are the chances of Armenian companies to be successful in global markets?

– Armenian technology companies launch products keeping international markets as their main target. In the last couple of years we have seen a lot of examples of Armenian companies creating useful products for the whole world. Krisp, Picsart, SuperAnnotate are among others. When you’re building a technology product or a service, it’s a universal approach. You need to understand your users, understand what their needs are, what the competitive landscape is like, and then introduce a product people can’t live without. When Armenian entrepreneurs start a company, they start with foreign markets. This gives them an advantage as compared to European or Russian startups that usually enter their domestic market first. In the technology space, Armenian entrepreneurs are international from day 0.

– Are there areas of technology or industry that may be particularly important for Armenian tech development?

– We need to be at the forefront of what the world needs, but if I have to choose one, as someone who works in this field, I’ll say machine learning. Machine learning is empowered in many software products that we use every day. The impact is massive, from personal recommendations (such as in movie streaming) to medical diagnostics and treatment. Machine learning is a way to work with huge amounts of data that the world has now. People say that data is the new oil. Armenians don’t have oil, but we can be good at tech and machine learning. I think we have the mindset to excel at it, since there is a lot of math, reasoning and chess-like thinking involved.

Machine learning is the study of computer algorithms that can be automatically improved through experience and the use of data. It is considered to be a part of artificial intelligence.

– Many people understand the work of programmers and engineers. And what does a product manager do?

– A product manager is like the conductor of an orchestra, but instead of music there is a tech product. Product managers must deeply understand what people need and match those needs with business goals. They uncover user problems, prioritize decisions, and come up with effective solutions that they build together with engineers, designers and other people in the product development team. Product managers also act as a glue to make sure that the development team functions effectively, and that the business achieves its goals. If you’re using a software product, and it doesn’t help you solve your problem, it’s probably product manager’s responsibility.

– What are the most important skills of a product manager?

– My favorite example is empathy, in all senses of the word. The better you understand the users of your product and their problems on an emotional level, the better you can solve them. Also empathizing with your teammates helps you bring different perspectives so that you come up with the most useful and quality solution. Another important skill would be strategy and vision. For example, Steven Jobs, the founder of “Apple” is considered one of the greatest and most effective product managers thanks to this skill.

– What role can product managers play in the development of the Armenian tech sector?

– When you have a lot of top individual performers, you have great music. If you have conductors, though, the performance of these musicians takes a different magnitude. The more product managers we have, the better our software and hardware products we create. They identify and prioritize the right opportunities and accelerate the company’s business growth. Besides, they often start their own ventures in the future. Product managers can act as a multiplier to the growth of the Armenian ecosystem.

– What is needed to become a product manager?

– No special education is needed. Product managers need an entrepreneurial mindset with a desire to learn and grow. However, there are many courses that can help someone get into product management or accelerate their career trajectory. One such course in Armenia is Product Academy, where I lecture on product management. Coursera is another destination to look for practical PM knowledge. In the end, product managers are doers — they build fast and learn from mistakes. That’s what we need in Armenia to launch successful tech products.