Hovhannes Avoyan

Hovhannes Avoyan spent his career taking risks, building companies, and expanding access to technology. Born in Soviet Armenia, he studied computer science at the State Engineering University of Armenia and international affairs at the American University of Armenia, where he also taught technology and entrepreneurship. After the fall of the USSR in the 1990s/early 2000s, he founded several technology companies, including CEDIT and Sourcio, while also helping organize Armenia’s emerging technology sector. As founder and president of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises for more than a decade, he helped shape the country’s early tech ecosystem and encouraged the growth of new startups.

In 2011, a personal moment led him to found Picsart, his daughter Zara received harsh criticism when sharing digital art online. Avoyan saw that creative tools were complex and many online spaces discouraged beginners. Picsart was built around a simple idea: give everyone the ability to create. The platform combined editing tools, remix culture, and a built in community into one accessible experience. It grew into one of the world’s largest creative platforms and Armenia’s first homegrown tech unicorn. Today, Picsart serves about 130 million monthly users across more than 180 countries and has surpassed 2.5 billion downloads. The platform uses AI to help people move from idea to finished content in one place. Avoyan also supports education and access through initiatives such as the American University of Armenia and Picsart Academy. Across his career, Hovhannes Avoyan has focused on one goal: empower people through technology.