US clears Nvidia chip exports for Armenia’s first large-scale AI facility

Firebird Inc., an artificial intelligence startup, has secured approval from the U.S. government to export Nvidia Corp. chips to Armenia for the development of a national supercomputer, as per the latest report by Bloomberg.

Announced by Nvidia in June, the project will establish the region’s first large-scale AI data centre. The 100-megawatt facility, supported by an initial investment of $500 million, will be equipped with Dell Technologies’ AI servers and Nvidia’s Blackwell processors. According to Firebird CEO and co-founder Razmig Hovaghimian, who is of Armenian descent, the first phase of the data centre is expected to go online in the second quarter of next year.

Firebird is among several Nvidia partners working to build advanced computing hubs in geographically diverse markets, part of an effort to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and the systems powering it. The U.S. recently loosened export controls on high-end AI chips. 

Bloomberg reported on November 19 that Washington is preparing to approve Nvidia chip sales to Saudi Arabia, following similar licensing arrangements in the United Arab Emirates.

Around 20% of the Armenian data centre’s capacity will be allocated to local companies, while the remaining 80% will be offered to U.S. firms operating in the region. Firebird will finance the initial phase through a mix of debt and equity, Hovaghimian said, noting that the startup is backed by Noubar Afeyan, also Armenian, co-founder of Moderna Inc. He declined to identify additional investors or comment on whether Nvidia plans to participate financially.

Founded earlier this year and headquartered in San Francisco, Firebird currently employs about 25 people. The company aims to build AI data centres in emerging markets and is already in discussions with several countries, with a particular focus on Latin America, Hovaghimian said.

By Tamilla Hasanova