Firebird invests $500mln in Armenian AI data center

The AI startup Firebird Inc. has received U.S. government approval to export Nvidia Corp. chips to Armenia for a supercomputer project.

The project will bring the first large-scale AI data center to the region. The 100-megawatt facility - backed by an initial $500 million investment - will use AI servers from Dell Technologies Inc. and Blackwell processors from Nvidia. A facility would require as much electricity as it takes to power about 75,000 homes.

The first phase is scheduled to be operational in the second quarter of next year, Firebird Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Razmig Hovaghimian said.

Roughly 20% of the Firebird facility’s capacity will be reserved for Armenian companies, and the remaining 80% will be sold to U.S.-based firms doing business in the region.

"Our vision is to democratize access to advanced AI for the benefit of all. We’re building the enabling technology layer that empowers engineers, researchers, and dreamers everywhere to create with world-class tools," Razmig Hovaghimian said.