Meet the Entrepreneurs
The Gardener November 2013
Powered by
Mobile Innovation
the gardener, nako games
Game apps: an exciting pathway for young innovators Narine Yeghiazaryan, Founder, Armenia
CHALLENGE The market for 2D mobile action games like the Angry Birds series (a popular action game with over 1.7 billion downloads around the world) has grown significantly in the last couple of years. That is why Narine and her team set their minds and efforts on creating a similar action game, but with an Armenian touch to increase the visibility of the country’s rich culture, history, and sights. The app targets domestic users, Armenian diaspora, and others.
CONTACT INFORMATION Yerevan, Armenia
narine@nakogames.com
www.mlabeca.com/eng/mobile_ applications/windows-phone/thegardener/ /NaKoGames
BUSINESS MODEL NaKo Games’ revenue model is based on the number of users engaged in the applications and not on direct sales. Instead, the revenue comes from the sales of advertising space to companies that want to showcase their products or services to the market of game users that download and play the application.
“GAMING APPS ARE A GOOD WAY TO MOTIVATE AND ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN DEVELOPMENT AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY.”
IDEA Narine and her team came up with the idea for The Gardener in December 2012 when they participated in the Hackathon [YAN] contest. This competition inspired them to think of the different ways they could focus their work on young people. It was then that they hit on mobile game apps, since these were the most downloaded applications. Inspired by Angry Birds, Narine and her team created The Gardener. Instead of birds, their main characters were worms, and instead of fixed targets, theirs moved for added difficulty. They also included Armenian traditional items, such as Mount Ararat and apricots.
“CREATING ARMENIAN GAMES IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SUCCESS WORLDWIDE.”
www.infodev.org
twitter: @infoDev
ENTREPRENEUR’S INSIGHTS
NEXT STEPS
WORKING WITH mLab ECA
Get investors for startup • LEARN FROM YOUR PEERS: “We learned the importance of working with creative developers.”
• STEADY JOB AND INCOME was provided by the mLab to Narine and her team, through which they could mentor others and receive training on IT development.
Develop iGardener for iPads and iPhones
• KNOW YOUR BUSINESS: You have to know how to make money out of mobile applications.
• THE mLab HELPED TO BUILD UP CONFIDENCE by providing support in starting up a company.
• SEEK OUT GOOD TRAINERS: There are more young IT enthusiasts than there is a supply of trainers.
• THE mLab PROVIDED INCUBATION SUPPORT such as office space, accounting services, as well as facilitation of product distribution through app platforms. • HELP IN DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS MODEL enabled Narine to transform her idea into reality and expose NaKo Games to potential investors and clients.
KEY OUTCOMES VALUE FOR MOBILE INNOVATORS Putting skills to work: Mobile game apps development helps connect IT knowledge from school with IT skills required in the market. An opportunity to shine: The mobile game apps market provides young innovators with an opportunity to showcase their work.
BUSINESS FACTS INVESTMENT ATTRACTED
JOBS CREATED
USD3,700
6
(4 hired)
NATURE OF JOBS CREATED
USERS REACHED
4
developers
190,200
1
PR
1
The Gardener 1 & 2 – 185,000 downloads for Windows Marketplace The Gardener 1 - 5200 for Google Play
The Gardener 1&2
100,000 Princess Cakes
Supported by:
www.infodev.org
twitter: @infoDev
designer
130,000 Fashion Girl