Saturday, 18 July 2026
Armenian‑diaspora tech leader helps seal $10 bn Kazakhstan–Firebird AI deal
Kazakhstan on June 15 signed a series of strategic cooperation agreements worth $10 billion with US-based Firebird Inc. to develop a new generation of national artificial intelligence infrastructure, officials in Astana said.
The announcement was confirmed by the office of Kazakhstan’s prime minister, Olzhas Bektenov, who attended the signing ceremony alongside senior government officials, the US ambassador, a vice president for advanced technologies at NVIDIA, and Firebird co-founders Razmik Hovaghimian and Aleksandr Yesayan.
Firebird, an AI infrastructure company headquartered in the United States, will work with Kazakhstan to build a large-scale computing and AI centre aimed at turning the Central Asian state into a leading technological hub in Eurasia. The cooperation covers AI infrastructure, advanced computing, cloud technologies, scientific research, and the development of the country’s digital economy.
Hovaghimian — an Armenian entrepreneur of Egyptian origin now based in the United States — has emerged as one of the rapidly rising figures in global AI infrastructure. He is involved in several cross-border technology projects, including in Armenia.
“Countries investing today in artificial intelligence and in developing talent will shape the future of the global economy,” Hovaghimian said after the signing.
Kazakh officials stressed that AI has become a core pillar of modern economies rather than a stand‑alone sector, and said the partnership is designed to build an integrated national ecosystem capable of competing internationally.
The agreements mark one of the largest AI‑focused investments in the region and highlight the growing role of entrepreneurs from the Armenian diaspora — from Egypt to the United States — in the race to shape the future of global technology.