We have been building and investing in the Armenian startup community for more than a decade. As investors and mentors, we are passionate about the transfer of knowledge from one generation of entrepreneurs to the next.
Manuk Hergnyan
Pierre Hennes
Yervand Sarkisyan
Laert Davtyan
Lilit Khachikyan
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Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Manuk Hergnyan is a co-founder and managing partner at Granatus Ventures. Manuk founded and run EV Consulting, which in 2021 merged with Civitta International, a leading management and innovation consultancy in Eastern Europe and Nordics. Previously, he has been a founding CEO of a media company, management consultant at international consultancies and helped Armenian companies raise over $100M capital. He served on the boards of a number of companies including Liqvor Pharmaceuticals (generic drug producer) as well as non-commercial organizations including Union of Advanced Technologies Enterprises (UATE), Arar Foundation, Microsoft Innovation Center in Armenia, Industrial Development Board of Armenia. Manuk mentors startups and selectively invests personally as a member of Oxford Innovation Finance and Angel Investors Club of Armenia. His current interests are in companies that reduce human suffering via transformative technologies.
He holds an Executive MBA from Oxford University, Ph.D. in Economics from Moscow State University and MA in Economics from Yerevan State University.
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Co-Founder & Partner
Pierre Hennes is a co-founder and Partner at Granatus Ventures. Pierre has extensive international experience in technology and new venture creation, and has been active as a VC and entrepreneur across Asia, Europe and the US since 2003. Based between Berlin and Armenia, he manages multiple early-stage tech VC investments focused on sectors including financial services, software, medical devices and clean-tech.
Pierre earned a B.A. with Honors in International Relations from Boston University, and an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business.
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Co-Founder & Partner
Yervand Sarkisyan is a co-founder and partner at Granatus Ventures. Yervand is an entrepreneur and investor based in London. He has extensive experience in AI, software and deep tech ventures in Europe and USA.
Yervand has served on boards of Benivo and Seaside Startup Holdings and advised Embodied, GG, Saatchi Art and many other companies. He has been the founder of a software and product consultancy, launching digital products for public companies, corporates and high-growth startups.
Yervand has been engaged in the development of the Armenian tech industry for around 20 years. He has been the founding team member of EIF (Enterprise Incubator Foundation), which has spearheaded the growth of the Armenian tech sector. He has helped to invest in and to create Sourcio, a venture builder that later span-off two successful startups: Monitis (acquired by Team Viewer) and Picsart.
Yervand is a keen canoer, enjoys cycling and spending time with his family. He holds Masters in Finance with Distinction from London Business School and has studied business, math and computer science. -
Investment Manager
Laert Davtyan is a member of the Granatus Ventures team, responsible for managing the deal flow, carrying out due diligence and evaluation of investment opportunities, monitoring portfolio startups, and ensuring fund’s internal and regulatory compliance. He is also responsible for coordinating external partnerships aimed at advancing the startup ecosystem in Armenia.
Prior to joining Granatus Ventures, Laert has worked as an Investment Analyst at a boutique investment management firm, where his key duties comprised public equity and macroeconomic research and analysis, portfolio monitoring and strategy formulation. In parallel, he has worked in an Armenian fintech startup, where he was in charge of financial and strategic planning.
Laert holds a First-class Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Management Studies from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.
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Operations
Lilit Khachikyan is a highly skilled and experienced professional currently serving as the Executive Assistant at Granatus Ventures and the Office Manager and HR Assistant at CIVITTA AM. With a Master's degree in Philology from Yerevan State University and experience of quality assurance at YSU, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her roles. Additionally, Lilit's dedication to leadership and community is highlighted through her long-standing membership in the National Union of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (NUGGGS) since 2006.