INVESTMENT SUPPORT CENTER

Their core work

Investment Support Center (ISC) is an Armenian NGO that provides innovation management and business support services to SMEs seeking to participate in EU research and innovation programs. They operate as part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) in Armenia, helping local companies access Horizon 2020 opportunities, improve their innovation capacity, and internationalize. Their core work involves technology transfer advisory, Key Account Management (KAM), and SME instrument coaching — essentially bridging Armenian businesses with European R&D ecosystems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ISC's early work (2016-2017) emphasized traditional technology transfer, R&D knowledge brokering, and helping SMEs understand the SME Instrument — a more educational, awareness-building role. By 2019-2021, the focus shifted toward concrete innovation management capacity building, SME growth support, and internationalization services, suggesting a maturation from awareness to hands-on business development. The addition of "growth" and "science" keywords in later projects signals a move from passive information services toward active business acceleration.

ISC is evolving from an information intermediary toward an active innovation accelerator for Armenian SMEs, making them increasingly useful as a gateway partner for any consortium needing South Caucasus engagement.

How they like to work

ISC exclusively coordinates its projects — all four are coordinator-led with minimal consortium size (only 1 unique partner across 1 country). This indicates they operate as an independent service delivery organization rather than a consortium builder. Working with ISC means engaging a self-directed local operator who runs their own programs rather than embedding in large multi-partner projects.

ISC has a very narrow collaboration network — just 1 unique partner in 1 country across all four projects. Their value lies not in consortium connections but in their on-the-ground access to the Armenian SME ecosystem through the Enterprise Europe Network.

What sets them apart

ISC is one of very few organizations providing EEN services in Armenia, making them an essential gateway for any European project or company seeking to engage Armenian SMEs or access the South Caucasus market. Their consistent EU funding track record (2016-2021) demonstrates institutional reliability in a region where such continuity is uncommon. For consortium builders needing geographic diversity or Eastern Partnership country participation, ISC offers a proven, low-risk entry point.

Highlights from their portfolio

• H2020 Armenia (2020-2021)
  Largest funded project (EUR 1,898) with the broadest scope — covering growth, internationalization, and science — representing ISC's most mature service offering.
• EEN Armenia H2020 (2016)
  The founding project that established ISC as the EEN node in Armenia, setting the template for all subsequent activities.