Tumo Center for Creative Technologies

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies was founded in Yerevan, Armenia in 2011, with the first center opening on August 14. Serj Tankian of System of a Down performed a solo concert at the center's opening ceremony. TUMO is a non-profit venture founded by Sam and Sylva Simonian, with funding fully provided through the pair's Simonian Educational Foundation. TUMO Foundation Board of Directors • Sam Simonian (Founder, TUMO) • Raffi Krikorian (Emerson Collective, Uber, Twitter) • Roger Kupelian (VFX Artist, Fugitive Studios) • Rev Lebaredian (VP of Omniverse and Simulation Technology, NVIDIA • Vahe Kuzoyan (President, ServiceTitan) • Katherine Sarafian (Producer, Pixar) • Elie Akilian (Founder, KingsIsle) • Nairi Tashjian Hourdajian (VP of Comms, Figma) Advisory Board • Serj Tankian, singer, songwriter, producer • Katherine Sarafian, Senior VP at Pixar • Roger Kupelian, VFX Artist, Fugitive Studios • Alex Seropian, CEO of Industrial Toys ==Educational model==

Program TUMO operates as a tuition-free, extracurricular education program for teenagers aged 12–18. Participation is open, with no entrance exams or academic prerequisites. The program is structured to complement formal schooling and is delivered primarily after school hours and on weekends. A unique aspect of TUMO's education model is the TUMO Path, a software program developed in-house that places students on a learning plan based on the students' expressed areas of interest, showing the students' rate of progress and letting them know which tasks they need to complete to move on to the next level. TUMO's curriculum consists of self-learning exercises, workshops and learning labs in 14 learning targets, including: • Animation • Game Development • Filmmaking • Web Development • Music • Writing • Drawing • Graphic Design • 3D Modeling • Programming • Robotics • Motion Graphics • Photography • GenAI Curriculum TUMO's learning system combines three interconnected components: • Self-learning: Students work independently through interactive digital activities on the TUMO Path. These activities introduce core concepts and skills and allow students to progress at their own pace with support from on-site coaches. • Workshops: Instructor-led, hands-on courses offered at beginner to advanced levels. Workshops are project-based and culminate in individual or group outcomes that demonstrate applied skills. • Learning Labs: Time-bound, advanced programs led by local and international professionals. Labs focus on real-world challenges and extended projects and are typically offered to students who have completed prerequisite self-learning and workshops. Rather than diplomas or certification, students build digital portfolios consisting of completed projects, which may be used for further education or employment applications. Pedagogical approach TUMO's educational approach emphasizes voluntary participation and learner autonomy. Often referred to by the organization as a "walk-away pedagogy", the model allows students to discontinue or change learning paths without penalty. The approach is intended to foster intrinsic motivation and reduce barriers between artistic and technical domains by emphasizing learning through making. ==Centers==

TUMO Armenia TUMO Yerevan TUMO's first center opened in Yerevan in 2011. The center's namesake is inspired by next-door Tumanyan Park, which bears the name of prominent Armenian author Hovhannes Tumanyan. TUMO Yerevan was designed by architect Bernard Khoury. Approximately 15,000 students actively attend the center. TUMO Gyumri was a nominee of the 2022 EUmies Awards. TUMO Stepanakert (2015 – 2023) TUMO Stepanakert is one of three areas of cooperation between TUMO and AGBU, first opened in 2015. It was located on the first floor of a historic building in the city, donated to TUMO on behalf of the Republic of Artsakh and renovated with the help of Karabakh Telecom. The center and its surrounding TUMO Boxes are currently non-operational following the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive and the expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. TUMO Koghb A new TUMO center in Armenia's north-eastern border village of Koghb opened its doors officially in June 2024. The center accommodates over 1,000 teenagers from Koghb and neighboring towns of Noyemberyan, Berdavan and beyond. The building, designed by architect Bernard Khoury, is equipped with high-tech workshop rooms, self-learning stations, a sound recording studio, a cinema, and a large sports facility. TUMO Kapan TUMO Kapan is the current regional center of the TUMO Center in Syunik, Armenia. Officially opened on March 2, 2024, the center is housed in the city's historic railway station building, which was renovated and repurposed as an educational and innovation hub. Serving as the main node of TUMO's network in southern Syunik, TUMO Kapan, together with nearby TUMO Boxes in Meghri and Kajaran and a later box in Goris, provides access to TUMO's educational program for approximately 2,500 teenagers from across the region, with transportation organized for students from surrounding communities. The project was implemented in cooperation with the Municipality of Kapan and with support from the European Union's Resilient Syunik Team Europe initiative, as well as private donors. In addition to its core teen program, the center hosts post-secondary activities, including TUMO Labs, offering free applied learning in tech and engineering fields for participants aged 18 and over, and includes facilities for workshops, events, and collaborative work. TUMO Masis The town of Masis, to the south of Yerevan, is the latest addition to the TUMO family. With a partnership with the Masis Development Foundation the center will accommodate up to 1,000 students, with room for expansion. TUMO Armavir In 2024, it was announced that a new TUMO center would open in the town of Armavir, Armavir province, by the end of 2026. TUMO Vanadzor In 2026, it was announced that a new TUMO center would open in the city of Vanadzor, the capital of Armenia’s Lori Province, with full funding secured for its development. Planned to open by 2028, TUMO Vanadzor will deliver the complete TUMO educational program to approximately 5,500 teenagers across the region. The project has been made possible through a major philanthropic donation, alongside contributions from early private supporters, while the Government of Armenia has provided a historic building in Vanadzor to serve as the future home of the center, to be restored and repurposed as a learning hub. TUMO International TUMO Paris , 2019. The first TUMO International Center opened in Paris in October 2018. It is located in the center of Forum des Images in Les Halles. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo initiated the process after visiting TUMO in Armenia. TUMO Tirana was opened in cooperation with the American-Albanian Development Foundation and the Municipality of Tirana. TUMO Tirana is the first TUMO center in the Balkans. TUMO Berlin After a partnership agreement was signed between TUMO and KfW in Yerevan in January 2020, attended by Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, TUMO Berlin launched in Berlin in November 2020. The new TUMO Center occupies four floors in a new building, located in the historic Charlottenburg district. The official opening of TUMO Berlin took place in August 2021. It's worth noting that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had visited TUMO Yerevan in August, 2018, and said "I'm shocked in a real positive way. This Tumo is not for Armenia only. It's international. It's a philosophy." In June of 2021, Merkel paid a virtual visit to TUMO Berlin, and visited the Center in-person in November of the same year. TUMO Mannheim The second German TUMO Center, TUMO Mannheim, was scheduled to open upon an agreement signed in Yerevan between TUMO, the KfW Group, and Starkmacher e.V. in December 2022. In September of 2024, the center opened in Mannheim, in September 2024 in the historic Lindenhof district. TUMO Lyon By December of 2021, it was announced that the second center in France would be launched in 2022, in Lyon. TUMO Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) launched in January 2022 on the Campus Région du Numérique à Charbonnières. TUMO Kyiv In March of 2020, TUMO announced plans to launch another center in Kyiv, Ukraine. In May of 2020, Armenia's Ambassador to Ukraine, Tigran Seiranian, visited the future premises of TUMO Kyiv, which would be located in the 19th-century Arsenal Factory. TUMO Kyiv opened its doors September 2021, attended by the Ambassador of Armenia to Ukraine, Vladimir Karapetyan. TUMO Marseille TUMO Marseille opening its doors in 2025 in Marseille, France, as part of the organization's expansion in the country, joining existing centers such as TUMO Paris and TUMO Lyon. Located in the Hangar à Sucre in Marseille's 2nd arrondissement. TUMO Coimbra In January of 2023, TUMO announced its plans to open the first center in Portugal, in the city of Coimbra. TUMO Coimbra opened its doors in September 2023. The building is located in the old post office, next to the city market and the town hall. On 8 September 2025, the Coimbra City Council acknowledged, during an executive meeting, the implementation report and activity plan submitted by the Topsail Association, the managing entity of TUMO Coimbra. During the 2024–2025 academic year, the center hosted 1,218 students, with plans announced to expand capacity to 1,500 students for the 2025–2026 academic year. As part of the existing cooperation protocol, the mayor approved by decree the disbursement of the municipal contribution amounting to €250,000. TUMO Los Angeles TUMO Los Angeles is the first U.S. branch of TUMO. Planning began in 2021, when California Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian secured state budget funding to establish the center in the San Fernando Valley. In June 2021, Nazarian announced that the 2021–22 state budget would include a $9 million USD appropriation to establish a TUMO Center in Los Angeles, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles. The funding package also included $1 million for USC's Armenian Studies Institute and $1 million for the Lark Musical Society. By early 2023 the center's site had been acquired in North Hollywood, in the East San Fernando Valley. The chosen location was a vacant office building at 4146 Lankershim Boulevard in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood. Construction was completed by 2024. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place on February 12, 2024. The City of Los Angeles press office reported that Mayor Karen Bass, Council President Paul Krekorian and TUMO founder Sam Simonian were on hand as crews broke ground on "the first TUMO Technology Learning Center in the United States." Bass said the center would provide "much needed design and technology education to local youth through after-school and weekend programs completely free of charge", and Krekorian said it would help develop "the next generation of creative leaders" for Los Angeles. TUMO Los Angeles officially opened to the public in the autumn of 2025. An inauguration ceremony was held on October 18, 2025 at the center's North Hollywood. TUMO founder Sam Simonian said that what began as a dream in Yerevan had become "a global movement" and that he was "proud and grateful to announce that we are now here in Los Angeles, ready to change lives once again." Serj Tankian, a member of TUMO's Advisory Board, has stated that the Los Angeles center will be located in North Hollywood. He has emphasized "the fact that it's in L.A., we can get actors, we can get filmmakers. I think the creative side, especially the entertainment creative side of the TUMO L.A, is gonna have a VIP list. I'm gonna get hassled to hassle people basically, for the next couple of years. TUMO Amsterdam In April of 2024, TUMO Amsterdam was announced as the first TUMO Center in the Netherlands and was scheduled to open in 2025 in Amsterdam. Developed as a public–private partnership between the City of Amsterdam, the Public Library of Amsterdam (OBA), and private-sector partners including TomTom, Adyen, Just Eat Takeaway.com, and Miro, the center was designed to serve up to 1,000 students, with plans for additional TUMO boxes to expand capacity. The project was officially inaugurated on April 16 during a meeting attended by TUMO Chief Development Officer Pegor Papazian, Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Alexander Scholtes, and partner representatives. Located in Amsterdam-Zuidoost (near the Kraaiennest metro station), the center was set to operate within the OBA Next innovation lab and later the Amsterdam Library of the Future. The launch marked TUMO's tenth international center, further extending the network beyond Armenia. TUMO Amsterdam opened its doors in fall of 2025. TUMO Buenos Aires In 2024, the Buenos Aires city government announced plans to open the first TUMO Center in Latin America. The Center was to be located at the Centro Metropolitano de Diseño (CMD) in the Barracas district and was initially scheduled to open in mid-2025. At that time, the city said it would eventually create three TUMO Centers in different districts (Barracas, Balvanera and Núñez) by 2026. The government committed roughly AR$800 million (about US$3 million) for equipment in the first site. In May 2025, the first South American center opened in Argentina, TUMO Buenos Aires at the Barraca's Metropolitan Design Center (CMD), an intelligent building from a recycled 1934 Fish Market retaining the old Art Deco façade, an urban indicator, located in the Barracas neighborhood. TUMO Gunma TUMO Gunma opened in the summer of 2025, at G Messe Gunma in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The center was developed in partnership with the Government of Gunma Prefecture. The opening ceremony was attended by TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian, the Governor of Gunma Prefecture, Ichita Yamamoto, former Japanese Digital Transformation Minister Taro Kono, representatives of the Armenian National Assembly, and the Armenian Ambassador to Japan. The center was projected to serve thousands of students from across the prefecture and acted as a springboard for future centers and TUMO Boxes planned in other Japanese cities such as Maebashi and Kusatsu. During a visit in September 2025, Armenia's Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports highlighted the center's role in extending TUMO's learning model and its expected annual capacity of up to 9,400 students once fully operational. TUMO Gunma's establishment coincided with Armenia's participation at Expo 2025 Osaka, where TUMO's educational initiatives were showcased. The pavilion won Silver in the Connecting Lives category. TUMO Hirschaid TUMO expanded its presence in Hirschaid, Germany, with the opening of TUMO Hirschaid on 31 January, 2025, adding to existing centers in Berlin and Mannheim. Located at the MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid and funded by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research and KfW, the center was designed by Austrian architect Thomas Herzig and was built to serve up to 500 students per week, with approximately 200 enrolled at launch. The launch is scheduled for 2026, in partnership with the Shantilal Shanghvi Foundation, will be housed in Shikha Academy's brand-new building. TUMO Bilbao-Bizkaia Currently under construction, in 2026, TUMO will open Bilbao-Bizkaia, the first TUMO Center in Spain, located in the iconic Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilbao, originally built as a wine warehouse in 1909, this historic building has become Bilbao's cultural heart, reimagined by designer Philippe Starck into a dynamic space. The center will have a weekly capacity of 1,500 students, providing them with a unique educational experience in technology and design. TUMO Uruguay The TUMO Uruguay center is being established thanks to the support of Corporación América Airports, Aeropuertos Uruguay and Ceibal. Located within the Carrasco International Airport area, TUMO Uruguay opened in April 2026. TUMO Frankfurt In April 2026, a TUMO center opened in Frankfurt, Germany, housed in the Nordwestzentrum and spanning 2,000 square meters. The opening was attended by Frankfurt Mayor Mike Josef and Hesse's Digital Minister Kristina Sinemus, among other civic and institutional figures. The center launched with capacity for up to 1,000 participants across eight disciplines: robotics, 3D modeling, animation, game development, film production, music production, graphic design, and programming. Funding for the first three years of operation, totaling 3.5 million euros, was raised by the TUMO Förderverein, a local support association, with additional backing from the state of Hesse and the city of Frankfurt. TUMO Frankfurt is the seventh TUMO center in Germany. The Frankfurt location also introduced a new architectural feature, glass "Qubes" for workshop rooms, developed for the first time anywhere in the TUMO network. == TUMO Box ==

The TUMO Box project was announced in 2019. TUMO Boxes function as satellite TUMO centers wirelessly connected to larger TUMO centers. This project will allow rural Armenian youth outside of close proximity to a TUMO branch to access TUMO's educational program. The TUMO Box is mobile and can easily be installed in any city or village, functioning as a self-learning center for local youth. Upon completing self-learning activities at their local TUMO Box, students will travel to the nearest TUMO branch for specialized workshops and project labs. The project first opened its doors in Berd and in Gavar as part of a collaboration among TUMO, Amundi-ACBA, and the HAYG Foundation. Upon completing self-learning activities in the TUMO Box's, students can then travel to TUMO Dilijan for more hands-on, practical training. TUMO Boxes will initially provide education in technology and design to about 250 students a year. On December 20, 2021, a TUMO Box was opened in Vayk alongside two other boxes in Kapan and Sevan on the same day. This box is supported by Dr. Armineh and Dr. Ara Tavitian. The box in Sevan was opened on December 20, 2021, with the support of an anonymous donor. The box in Kapan is supported by Lara Arslanian, Garabed Bardakjian and Sarine Semerjian. The box will remain in place for one year, after which it will be replaced by the full-featured TUMO Kapan center inside the city's historic train station, currently being renovated thanks to a generous donation by Judy Saryan and Victor Zarougian. The TUMO box in Martakert, the first in Artsakh, marked the launch of TUMO's Artsakh expansion program. TUMO Stepanakert has welcomed approximately 4000 students and held over 300 workshops, 100 learning labs, and countless special projects with the support of AGBU since 2015. Students from Martakert participate in the self-learning portion of the program at the box, and commute to TUMO Stepanakert for workshops and learning labs, using a specially organized transportation system. == EU TUMO Convergence Center ==

The EU TUMO Convergence Center for Engineering and Applied Science is a planned mixed-use STEM education, research, and innovation complex in Yerevan, Armenia, developed by the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies with financial support from the European Union. Conceived as a hub linking higher education, industry, and entrepreneurship, the center targets university students and young professionals aged 18 and above, extending the TUMO educational model beyond secondary education into applied science and engineering fields. Plans for the Convergence Center were first revealed in 2019, when TUMO organized an international architectural competition to design the complex. Sixty-seven architecture firms from over two dozen countries expressed interest, and the Dutch firm MVRDV was ultimately selected for demonstrating a strong understanding of the project's educational vision and urban context. The Armenian government later allocated land adjacent to the existing TUMO Yerevan campus for the project, with construction plans initially announced to begin under an EU grant program. The Convergence Center is planned as a €25 million EUR ecosystem composed of three main components: learning and research programs, conference and exhibition facilities, and working and retail spaces. A central element is TUMO Labs, a fee-free applied science and engineering platform where students and young professionals collaborate on research and development projects with academic institutions and local and international technology companies. Additional facilities are intended to include conference halls, coworking and training spaces, and modular offices alongside ground-level retail and public amenities. The project forms part of a broader redevelopment plan integrating the existing TUMO campus, nearby technology companies, and the site of the future Halabyan metro station. ==TUMO Studios==

TUMO Studios is a nonprofit educational program in Yerevan, Armenia, launched in 2017 as an initiative of the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies to foster contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship among university-aged students and young professionals. The program offers free ateliers (educational workshops) where participants engage in hands-on learning across a range of analog design and craft disciplines, including jewelry, ceramics, embroidery, printmaking, fashion, accessories, wood carving, stone carving, product design, culinary arts, and perfume design. TUMO Studios combines Armenia's rich artisanal heritage with contemporary design methods and trends, aiming to cultivate a new generation of Armenian designers and artisans capable of raising the quality and competitiveness of local production on a global scale. Previously housed in a historic early 20th-century townhouse in the heart of Yerevan on 38 Pushkin Street, TUMO Studios also operates a physical and online shop where products created by students and atelier participants are made available for purchase. Revenue from the shop helps support and expand the educational program, enabling further investment in the training and creative development of emerging artisans. The program connects local students and young professionals with international designers and craftspeople who lead ateliers, thereby fostering exchanges of knowledge and exposure to global design perspectives. Since its inception, TUMO Studios has served as a platform not only for design education but also for community-oriented creative initiatives. Through projects such as the "Hand by Hand" initiative, TUMO Studios brings together displaced artisans — for example, women from Artsakh — to collaborate in producing handcrafted goods that carry cultural and personal narratives, thereby supporting both creative expression and economic resilience in diverse communities. == TUMO Labs ==

TUMO Labs, launched in 2020, is a tuition-free applied science and engineering education initiative associated with the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies and serving as the primary educational component of the EU TUMO Convergence Center for Engineering and Applied Science in Yerevan, Armenia. It was developed as part of the Convergence Center's mission to connect higher education with industry, offering practical, industry-relevant training and project-based learning for university students and young professionals aged 18 and over. The program is designed around a combination of guided self-learning and project-based learning, with curricula that respond to evolving demands in technology, science, and engineering. Participants can gain foundational knowledge in areas such as programming languages (e.g., Python, machine learning, and JavaScript) and work on real-world projects in cooperation with academic and industry partners. This blended educational approach aims to equip learners with practical skills that align with global labor market needs and to foster innovation within Armenia's emerging tech ecosystem. == Camp TUMO ==

Camp TUMO is an annual summer educational program associated with the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, first taking place in 2012 and designed to bring teens from Armenia and around the world together to learn technology, design, and creative skills in an immersive summer-camp setting. The camp combines hands-on workshops, project-based learning, cultural activities, and social experiences, allowing participants to deepen their knowledge in areas related to digital media, coding, robotics, and other creative technologies while engaging with peers and exploring Armenian cultural heritage. Camp TUMO is typically held in Yerevan and Dilijan, offering both day camp and sleepaway options for students ranging roughly from 10 to 18 years old, with program themes often including animation, game development, graphic design, photography, programming, and music, among other areas. The curriculum is structured around a combination of workshops and theme-oriented activities, and many sessions include field trips and cultural exploration activities alongside technology and design instruction.''' Camp TUMO's curriculum typically includes a range of specialized workshops and courses, such as "Build-a-Bot" robotics, 3D modeling, animation, game design, photography, filmmaking, and music production, allowing campers to design and complete creative projects over the course of one-week themed sessions. Beyond technical skills, the camp emphasizes creative problem-solving, collaboration, and cultural exchange, giving participants exposure to Armenian history and contemporary cultural sites through guided outings and activities. == See also ==