This year STAN crossed $2M in cumulative investment, recorded its first portfolio exit, and opened chapters in Paris and New York — connecting exceptional founders with investors and operators across the world.
In 2018, I had the idea that Armenia would benefit from an angel investor community — a network of experienced entrepreneurs, executives, and investors who could help founders turn ideas into successful companies. I'm grateful to Armen Orujyan, who supported it from the beginning, and to Ruben Arutyunyan, who joined as co-chair and helped form the first group of committed enthusiasts.
It is exciting to see how far STAN has come. What started as a FAST initiative has grown into an independent organization. This year alone, STAN invested more than $500,000 into startups, launched chapters in Paris and New York, and continued strengthening its role in Armenia's innovation ecosystem.
Most importantly, STAN continues to attract people who genuinely want to help founders succeed. That spirit of true angel investing — founder friendliness combined with high ambitions and a long-term perspective — has been at the core of STAN from day one.
I would like to thank all members of the STAN community — angels, founders, board members, chapter leaders, partners, supporters, and the STAN team — for helping build what STAN is today.
The year ending June 30, 2026 was another exciting year for STAN. Our angels invested more than $500,000 into startups, bringing cumulative investment to almost $2 million. We welcomed more than 10 new angels, saw our first portfolio exit, and watched many portfolio companies reach important commercial and fundraising milestones.
This was also the year STAN became much more international. We launched our Paris and New York chapters, grew our Los Angeles community, and — together with AICA, BANA, and EBAN — organized the Gateway to EU Congress.
As STAN grows, so does our mission. When STAN was founded by FAST in 2018, our goal was to grow angel investing in Armenia. Today we see a bigger opportunity: to transform the Armenian diaspora into a global platform connecting exceptional founders, investors, operators, and industry leaders.
Three years after becoming an independent foundation, I see positive development. Our portfolio is maturing, our community is growing, and our chapters are opening doors around the world. I look forward to continuing to build STAN together.
FY2025–26 was a record year across capital deployment, international expansion, and portfolio maturity.
Feedback Intelligence became STAN's first exit, acquired by ActiveCampaign — a customer-experience automation platform valued at over $3B and serving 180,000+ businesses.
MilestoneAngels invested $520K across 6 new deals, with one more in final closing — making this another record year for capital deployment.
$520K · 6 dealsNew chapters launched in Paris and New York, complementing Los Angeles — a global network connecting founders, investors, and diaspora leaders.
LA · NYC · ParisCo-organized with AICA and BANA in partnership with EBAN — bringing together investors, founders, and policymakers from Armenia and Europe.
~€100K eventCompanies surpassed $1M ARR, raised follow-on funding, secured global enterprise customers, launched internationally, and prepared for Seed and Series A rounds.
Scaling upSTAN welcomed 13 new angels, expanding the community to 52 active members representing 8 countries.
+13 angelsContinued collaboration with FAST, Triple S Ventures, CCIFA, Plug and Play Armenia, Startup Grind Yerevan, and EBAN.
EcosystemCumulative angel investment reached almost $2 million across 33 deals into 25 portfolio startups since inception.
$1.8M+ to dateA snapshot of the community, capital, portfolio, and global footprint that powered the year.
STAN angels bring decades of leadership across entrepreneurship, technology, healthcare, finance, law, and venture capital — and a genuine willingness to help founders succeed.
FY2025–26 saw STAN's strongest net growth since becoming an independent foundation. The year opened with 43 active angels; 4 concluded their membership while 13 new angels joined, closing at 52 active angel investors. Much of this growth came through chapter activity in Los Angeles, Paris, and New York.
An area of continued focus as we expand participation.
Startups with at least one woman co-founder.
A majority-women advisory body guiding founders.
From interventional cardiology and venture capital to AI governance and consumer products — our newest angels deepen STAN's collective expertise.
Angels invested $515K across 6 new deals, surpassing last year's $471K. Conviction is rising — even as we focus on broadening participation across the community.
We remain committed to being founder-friendly investors — making timely decisions, communicating transparently, and moving quickly once an investment decision is made. Long-term returns are built on diversification, and we're encouraged to see more angels building diversified portfolios and making startup investing a recurring activity.
Three years after becoming an independent foundation, STAN's trajectory tells a clear story — institutionalize, then scale, then expand globally.
Across deep tech, AI, robotics, and healthcare — STAN's companies are reaching commercial scale, raising follow-on rounds, and, this year, achieving the network's first exit.
Tap any company to read the full FY2025–26 update.
From a landmark European congress to chapter launches in two of the world's leading tech hubs, STAN expanded its global footprint and convening power.
STAN, AICA, and BANA co-hosted a landmark congress in partnership with EBAN, strengthening ties between the Armenian and European startup and investment ecosystems. Supported by EU4Innovation East, the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, and UN Women.
The origins trace to a joint STAN-led bid to host the EBAN Annual Congress in Armenia. Though not selected, EBAN recognized the ecosystem's strength and proposed the Gateway to EU Congress — uniting Armenia's three angel networks above organizational boundaries, and seeding the launch of STAN's Paris Chapter.
Launched during NY Tech Week, led by Yelena Ambartsumian (Co-Chair) and Karen Tonoyan (Director). Featured angel panels and a portfolio showcase — Captain (YC W'26), VOX Wins, Share Vino, Evidenso, Sailfish, and AskPetal. Sponsored by Simply Technologies and Tono Law Group, supported by AMBART Law.
Launched at Station F, one of Europe's leading innovation hubs, led by Thomas Kurkdjian (Co-Chair). Panels, showcases, and pitching connected founders with investors — in partnership with CCIFA. A second event followed during VivaTech week, focused on angel investing and cross-border innovation.
A vibrant hub for Armenian founders and global investors, hosting five pitching sessions to date. In partnership with Triple S Ventures, with CBRE Glendale hosting — demonstrating STAN LA's strong local presence and role in accelerating founder access to opportunity.
STAN's impact is amplified by a network of ecosystem partners and sponsors who support founders entering global markets.
STAN enters its next year with a maturing portfolio, a growing community, and chapters opening doors around the world.