NEW YORK — FEMINNO, the global female innovation platform founded in Armenia, has officially launched its New York City chapter, continuing its international expansion following successful growth in Armenia and Los Angeles. The NYC launch reflects FEMINNO’s evolving role as a year-round global platform connecting women, ideas, and technology across borders, while remaining deeply rooted in community and culture.
The New York gathering in December brought together leaders, innovators, partners, and allies for an evening that blended meaningful dialogue with Armenian wine and food, celebrating FEMINNO’s achievements while highlighting the growing partnerships being formed on the ground in New York. The event underscored FEMINNO’s commitment to building bridges between Armenia and the diaspora, and to creating spaces where innovation, culture, and collaboration naturally intersect.
The speaker lineup reflected FEMINNO’s focus on leadership at the intersection of policy, technology, and social impact. Houry Geudelekian, UN Coordinator at Unchained At Last and Past Chair of UN NGO CSW/NY, shared reflections on collective power, policy influence, and the importance of sustained advocacy for women and girls globally.
Kristina Ayanian, executive producer and host at Nasdaq, spoke from her experience within global financial and innovation institutions, highlighting the role women play in shaping systems from within.
A central and forward-looking perspective was offered by Siranush Kostanyan, NYU Adjunct Professor and Chief Digital & AI Officer, who focused on the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. She emphasized that AI should not replace human judgment, creativity, or empathy, but rather enrich and amplify them, underscoring the responsibility of today’s leaders to ensure that technology development remains human-centered, ethical, and inclusive.
The FEMINNO NYC launch also marked the introduction of FEMINNO’s new membership model, designed to support a growing global community through structured opportunities for learning, leadership, collaboration and visibility.
