Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan

Armenian Academician, former diplomat, Humboldt (Germany) and Fulbright (USA) fellow. Tweets on Geopolitics, History, Middle East, Caucasus, Turkey, Arsenal FC.

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

DO NOT CONFUSE OUR POLITENESS WITH WEAKNESS

[Seth Olale @SethOlale]

An estimated A Million Kenyan Arsenal Fans storm Nairobi CBD for Mock - Title Trophy Parade.

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

@nords41 The title sounds intriguing

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

https://t.co/I5ajmHPFtM via @researchgate

[Zartonk Media @ZartonkMedia]

BREAKING: U.S. Approves NVIDIA Chip Exports for Armenia’s $500 Million AI Supercomputing Center, Launching in 2026 & Positioning Armenia as a Regional AI Powerhouse
➖➖➖
Armenia has taken a historic step toward becoming a regional AI powerhouse after the United States issued Firebird an export license for Nvidia’s highest-end AI chips for Armenia’s first large-scale, $500 million AI supercomputing data center. The approval establishes Armenia as the host of the South Caucasus’s first major AI supercomputing facility.

In an exclusive conversation with Zartonk Media, Firebird co-founders Razmig Hovaghimian and Alexander Yesayan revealed that the $500 million deployment is only phase one of a multi billion dollar U.S–Armenia technology initiative. The supercomputing center, which will ultimately scale to 100 megawatts across both phases, will run on Nvidia Blackwell GPUs and Dell high-performance AI servers. Phase one is scheduled to go live in the second quarter of 2026.

Firebird confirmed that it has already secured hundreds of millions of dollars in contracted AI off-take, primarily from U.S. customers building foundational AI models, conducting robotics research, advancing life sciences, and performing high-end scientific computation. The project brings Armenia into the global AI supply chain at a level comparable to advanced Western data centers.

This authorization follows the August U.S–Armenia Memorandum of Understanding on AI and semiconductor cooperation, marking a deeper strategic alignment around secure, U.S-standard AI infrastructure.

Firebird’s U.S. Vision and Global Strategy (Exclusive)
In comments shared exclusively with Zartonk Media, Firebird CEO Razmig Hovaghimian outlined the company’s guiding mission: “As a U.S. company, our vision is to enable new AI capacity globally, powered by the highest-end U.S. technology stack. In a sense, we are helping decentralize the AI revolution for the benefit of all. We are starting with Armenia.”

Firebird’s expansion strategy centers on emerging markets with sustainable energy resources, including nuclear, hydro, and hybrid micro grids. Emerging markets represent nearly one third of global GDP and offer major opportunities for U.S. technology exports.

“By focusing on emerging markets, we are opening new markets for U.S. companies,” Hovaghimian told Zartonk Media. He added that Firebird is in advanced discussions with major U.S. universities to conduct AI, robotics, space, and scientific research in and with Armenia. Firebird will also build foundational AI models inside Armenia itself, with a focus on life sciences, robotics, and space.

Co-founder Alexander Yesayan emphasized Firebird’s strict compliance with U.S. security standards: “The United States is very strict on Nvidia chip regulation, and we at Firebird take this extremely seriously. We have built fully U.S compliant infrastructure with rigorous physical and cybersecurity standards to ensure we are fully aligned with U.S BIS rules. Our mission includes protecting U.S. technology and U.S. interests abroad.”

This marks the first public disclosure of Firebird’s U.S centered global strategy.

Project Details and Infrastructure
Announced publicly by NVIDIA in June at NVIDIA’s Paris GTC conference, the Firebird system will be one of the most advanced AI clusters in the broader region. Firebird and Dell Technologies confirmed that the system will run on Dell PowerEdge high performance AI servers paired with Nvidia Blackwell GPUs. Firebird also stated that this marks its first official step to expand operations in Armenia, beginning with a $500 million investment that forms part of a multi billion dollar mega-project.

Phase One Includes:
100 megawatts of AI infrastructure
Thousands of Nvidia Blackwell GPUs
Dell PowerEdge high performance AI servers
Deployment beginning now
Online in Q2 2026
Focus on foundational AI models, life sciences, robotics, and space research
The largest technology infrastructure investment in Armenia’s history

Once operational, the center will deliver computing power comparable to leading Western data centers.

Firebird is evaluating multiple locations in Armenia with sustainable energy resources, including nuclear, hydro, and solar capacity. The first phase will be funded through debt and equity raised by Firebird. Hovaghimian declined to name additional investors or say whether Nvidia will put money into the startup.

Newly Reinstated Capacity Allocation
Firebird confirmed that 20 percent of total compute capacity will be reserved for Armenian companies, while 80 percent will be allocated to U.S based firms and global AI developers operating in the region. This structure directly integrates Armenia into U.S anchored AI supply chains while ensuring local access.

Regulatory Approvals and U.S. Standards
Bloomberg first reported that U.S approval for the project comes amid a broader easing of export rules for advanced AI chips, opening new pathways for select markets to access high end processors. Firebird is part of a growing ecosystem of Nvidia partners expanding AI infrastructure into new regions under updated U.S guidelines.

Bloomberg also noted that Armenia had previously been categorized as a second tier country under Washington’s AI diffusion rule, which restricted access to advanced processors. Those limitations were rolled back under revised export standards, enabling Firebird’s authorization.

Firebird is already in discussions with the U.S Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security for additional emerging market deployments. According to Bloomberg, Firebird expects to maintain the same strict U.S security and export-control standards in all future markets.

Hovaghimian said: “The BIS regulations are very strict, in terms of the physical security, the cybersecurity. But now that we have figured that out, we are going to be able to keep it at that standard for other markets.”

Yesayan stressed that the company’s infrastructure is engineered to exceed compliance obligations and protect U.S technology abroad.

U.S.–Armenia Strategic Partnership
The export license and investment were made possible through close coordination between:
The Government of Armenia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
The Administration of U.S. President Donald Trump
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick
The Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia
The U.S. Embassy in Armenia
The U.S. Department of State
The Bureau of Industry and Security
Enterprise Armenia

This follows the August 8 U.S–Armenia Memorandum of Understanding on AI and Semiconductor Cooperation. The Firebird project is widely viewed as a model for secure, trusted U.S–Armenia public-private collaboration.

Firebird stated that this investment marks “a foundational step in Armenia’s digital and AI future.”

Yesayan added that the initiative is “laying the groundwork for a modern digital and AI ecosystem in Armenia, one that can elevate local talent and attract global innovation,” and reflects “a strong U.S–Armenia public-private partnership built on mutual trust and technological progress.”

Firebird also emphasized that the project “reflects the shared commitment of both nations to advancing innovation, strengthening economic resilience, and promoting responsible technological growth.”

Armenia’s Broader Tech Ambitions
The Firebird project represents a major leap forward for Armenia, which has spent years building a foundation for advanced technology through incentives, startup initiatives, and diaspora supported programs.

With Firebird’s high performance supercomputing center, Armenia moves closer to becoming a strategic node in the global AI ecosystem. The project expands scientific capacity, boosts competitiveness, and positions Armenia as a trusted participant in U.S standard high performance computing.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang underscored the broader vision: “AI factories are the infrastructure of the 21st century. Our collaboration with Armenia will help build foundational AI capacity and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth across the region.”

Hovaghimian added: “This is about building a launchpad for innovation, from Armenia to the world.”

About Firebird
Firebird is a San Francisco–based AI cloud company building the Caucasus’s first full-scale AI supercomputer, scheduled to launch in 2026 and powered by Nvidia Blackwell GPUs. The company delivers sustainable, high-performance U.S. AI infrastructure to fast-growing emerging markets and reinvests a portion of its revenue to build long-term local technology capacity.

Firebird was co-founded by Razmig Hovaghimian and Alexander Yesayan. Yesayan also serves as Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Team Group, the parent company of Telecom Armenia and Ireland’s Imagine Broadband, which will provide key infrastructure and connectivity support for the supercomputing project.

Noubar Afeyan has joined Firebird as a founding investor. Afeyan—Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering—will serve as a strategic advisor and founding partner, supporting long-term AI infrastructure development in Armenia and the broader region.

Firebird launched earlier this year and is already in discussions with several countries as part of its global expansion plan. Additional deployments will begin no sooner than 2027, after successful implementation of the Armenia project.

The company also announced that future Firebird locations will deliver sustainable, high performance U.S AI infrastructure to emerging markets worldwide, powered by the same U.S standard technology stack deployed in Armenia.

[Patrick Timmons @PatrickTimmons1]

Official: Despite missing 3 games with injury, Martin Ødegaard provided more assists than any other player in the World Cup qualifiers. 🇳🇴

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

Great job, Ruben!
Your research items reached 5,000 reads.
Achieved on November 18, 2025

https://t.co/96P0tSBN9Y via @researchgate

[♰ ՄիշտԴեպիԼույս♰ @Lucyluvsmoon]

Nobody casts stones at a fruitless tree – Armenian Proverb

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🚨1️⃣4️⃣ Before flying to London shortly, Viktor Gyökeres has confirmed to Arsenal his desire to take iconic No14 shirt.

Decision confirmed. ❤️🤍🇸🇪

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

This article contains my interpretation of Turkey's position in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
https://t.co/1eLtdhORCd

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

https://t.co/qY0wlCsXgV via @researchgate

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

I just voted for Stella Tsani in the Woman in Energy category in the EUSEW Awards. https://t.co/NehGfptMEV #EUSEW2025

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

I participated and gave a talk

Khanzadian’s Atlas of Historical Cartography of Armenia Reprint Presented at Moscow’s St. Regis Nikolskaya Hotel - The Armenian Mirror-Spectator https://t.co/NeYvx4J5zo

[♰ ՄիշտԴեպիԼույս♰ @Lucyluvsmoon]

Armenia is Eternal ♾️🫶🏻

[Armenian Visuals @armenianvisuals]

Cardinal Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian of the Armenian Catholic Church in Vatican for the papal conclave of 1958.

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

https://t.co/iP2edqCKMV via @researchgate

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

Nice work, Ruben!
Your research items reached 4,500 reads.
Achieved on April 7, 2025https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ruben-Safrastyan-2/achievement/67f36408e01f4a4dd07b4d6d via @researchgate

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

https://t.co/EmE90hZNKH via @researchgate
Great job, Ruben!
Your book reached 800 reads
Achieved on March 24, 2025
Book: Mustafa Kemal: The Struggle Against Republic of Armenia (1919-1921), Yerevan, Tir Publishing House, 2019, 140 p. (in Armenian)

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

The U.S. and Russia are beginning the process of dividing the world.
In a few years, we will live in a completely new world.
A hierarchical system of international relations will emerge.
At the top will be the U.S., Russia, and China.
Later, India will try to join them.

[Prof.Dr. Ruben Safrastyan @Safrastyan]

Turkiye seeks to record South Caucasus status quo in Armenia-Azerbaijan treaty, says scholar - ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency https://t.co/4vD4dv1WQW