General objective

The objective is to accelerate the growth of Armenia’s cybersecurity industry and to facilitate the establishment of a Cybersecurity Innovation Hub in Armenia—positioned as a center of excellence for research, education, and industry collaboration. This will be achieved through strategic partnerships with leading European cybersecurity innovation agencies, clusters, and companies, with activities focused on four key directions:

1. Incubation Program – Support a local ecosystem player in developing and running a sector-specific incubation program dedicated to cybersecurity.
2. Strategy Development – Assist public and private stakeholders in defining a shared vision for cybersecurity and in formulating a practical action plan for its implementation.
3. Law Revision – Provide expertise to policymakers in order to design a more comprehensive and effective regulatory framework for cybersecurity, ensuring its alignment with international, and more specifically European counterparts.
4. Expanding Collaborative Initiatives – Build and strengthen cross-border collaborations and knowledge-exchange mechanisms with European partners.

Specific objectives

1.     Harness Armenia’s growing capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) to drive innovation in cybersecurity technologies and services.

2.     Build strong and sustainable links between the Armenian innovation ecosystem and European cybersecurity industries, fostering cross-border knowledge exchange and collaboration.

3.     Promote applied research and development at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, enabling technological breakthroughs with global relevance.

4.     Strengthen industry-relevant R&D by fostering partnerships between academia and the private sector, ensuring that technological innovation is aligned with market needs.

Planned activities

The selected consultant will collaborate closely with the EU4Innovation East project team to implement a set of activities designed to accelerate the growth of Armenia’s cybersecurity industry and to lay the foundation for the establishment of a future Cybersecurity Innovation Hub in the country.

Core Activity

Facilitation of Strategic Partnerships between Armenian and European Cybersecurity Ecosystems

This activity focuses on initiating and strengthening collaborative partnerships between Armenian stakeholders—including ecosystem builders, academic institutions, and private and public sector representatives—and leading European cybersecurity innovation agencies, clusters, and companies. The aim is to foster knowledge transfer, co-develop innovation models, and establish the foundation for Armenia’s future Cybersecurity Hub.

Facilitation of Development of a Comprehensive National Strategy and Revision of the Regulations

This activity aims to provide structured support to public institutions, private sector actors, and relevant stakeholders in shaping a forward-looking, inclusive, and implementable National Cybersecurity Strategy. The objective is twofold: first, to articulate a unified national vision for cybersecurity, and second, to modernize and align the existing legal and regulatory frameworks with international standards and best practices. Together, these efforts will create an enabling environment for innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth in the cybersecurity sector.

Sub-Activities

1.     Cybersecurity-focused Study Visit for the Selected Armenian Delegation

a.     Plan and organize a high-impact study visit to European cybersecurity and innovation hubs, with potential destinations including France (Campus Cyber) and Estonia.

b.     Curate a program of meetings and site visits with relevant institutions such as cybersecurity agencies, research labs, incubators, accelerators, and university innovation centers.

c.     Support the delegation in drawing actionable insights by comparing models, identifying transferable practices, and synthesizing findings to inform Armenia’s cybersecurity strategy.

2.     Facilitation of Bilateral Collaboration Agreements

a.     Support Armenian stakeholders in negotiating collaboration agreements with selected European cybersecurity agencies, clusters, and companies.

b.     Define frameworks for mutually beneficial cooperation, potentially covering joint R&D, infrastructure sharing, knowledge exchange, and talent mobility initiatives.

c.     Ensure that agreements are consistent with EU co-funding mechanisms and the long-term strategic objectives of both Armenian and European partners.

3.     Advisory Support for Revision of the Cybersecurity Laws and Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy

a.     Present the results of the legal assessment of the recently approved Armenian Cybersecurity Law to the public stakeholders; i.e., MoHTI and ISAA, and provide expert recommendations to improve it.

b.     Facilitate the development of a work plan for implementation of the proposed recommendations and changes.

c.     Design tailored advisory services to Armenian stakeholders for drafting a comprehensive and innovation-oriented National Cybersecurity Strategy.

4.     Advisory Support for Improvement of CBA Cybersecurity Framework

a.     Assessment of the support needed by Central Bank of Armenia to improve its cybersecurity framework.

b.     Provide recommendations to improve the CBA Cybersecurity Framework.

c.     Facilitate the development of a work plan for implementation of the proposed recommendations and improvements.

5.     Advisory Support for the Selection of the Incubation Call for Projects

a.     Review and evaluate the submitted applications for establishing a Full-Fledged Incubation Program in the Cybersecurity Sector.

b.     Facilitate the selection process by providing insights about the European partners of the short-listed applicants

c.     Help the evaluation committee to articulate the clarification requirements and negotiate with the selected winner consortium. 

6.     Advisory Support for the Design and Development of the Cybersecurity Code for Armenia

a.     Support and monitor local experts assigned to design and development of the Cybersecurity Code

b.     Propose and validate the editorial structure for the Cybersecurity Code

c.     Validate the list of Armenian legal and regulatory texts included into the Cybersecurity Code

Anticipated deliverables