Educators, students, communities need more TUMO - an international program after school where teens can practice tech and creativity in civil engineering etc. Here's Genesis summary as at July 2026 (see also nhk trailblazes)

It sounds like you are thinking of TUMO ,an international, free after-school program where teenagers can practice technology, design, and creative engineering disciplines. [1, 2, 3]

, the globally renowned creative-tech teen center you are describing matches the profile of TUMO Centers for Creative Technologies. [1, 2, 3]

What is the TUMO Program?

• The Core Concept: It is an innovative, 100% free digital media and tech ecosystem designed for teens aged 12–18. [1, 2]
• The Learning Model: Students take charge of their own education using a specialized software platform. They progress through self-paced activities, workshops, and multi-week project labs led by industry professionals. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• The Focus Areas: It perfectly blends tech and creativity. Teens learn 3D modeling, computer programming, robotics, animation, game design, filmmaking, graphic design, and architectural/civil design. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Global Footprint

Originally founded in Armenia, the program has grown into a highly regarded international franchise with digital learning hubs across the globe, including cities like Paris, Berlin, Lyon, and Tirana. The concept has also launched in the United States, including locations like TUMO Los Angeles. [1, 2, 3]

Highly Anticipated TUMO Los Angeles Opens First ... - Facebook

If you are looking for a program for yourself or a teenager, let me know where you are

 located or what specific city you are trying to find a center in. I can find the closest TUMO hub or a similar local hands-on STEM/civil engineering program near you!

You said: Did Tumo start in Japan - who founded it? Do any ai people celebrate it?

No, TUMO did not start in Japan. It was founded in Yerevan, Armenia in 2011. However, Japan has recently embraced the program, opening a major hub in Gunma Prefecture. [1, 2]

Who Founded It?

TUMO was created and funded by Sam and Sylva Simonian through their US-based Simonian Educational Foundation. [1]

Sam Simonian is a successful Lebanese-Armenian telecom entrepreneur who co-founded Inet Technologies in the US.

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Marie Lou Papazian serves as the founding CEO and is the driving force behind designing its unique educational model. [1, 2]

Do AI People Celebrate It?

Yes, high-level artificial intelligence experts and tech leaders celebrate TUMO. The program sits on the cutting edge of combining generative AI with teen education. [1]

• Major Tech & AI Board Members: Prominent AI figures actively help guide TUMO on its board of directors. This includes Rev Lebaredian, the Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA (the company driving the global AI hardware boom), and Raffi Krikorian, the CTO of Mozilla and former engineering director at Uber Advanced Technologies. [1, 2]
• Prestigious Global Awards: In late 2025, the international community celebrated TUMO when it won the prestigious $1 Million WISE Prize for Education for its breakthrough AI solutions. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• Praise for Its "AI Co-Learner" Platform: AI researchers highly praise TUMO's proprietary AI system. Instead of just lecturing kids, the AI acts as a peer. It learns alongside the teenager, letting the student teach the AI to reinforce their own technical and machine-learning skills. [1, 2, 3]
• Collaborations with Computational Pioneers: Acclaimed scientists like Stephen Wolfram (creator of Wolfram|Alpha and a pioneer in AI computation) have directly engaged with TUMO's advanced educational initiatives. [1, 2]

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• TUMO Center for Creative Technologies expands into Japan

  Jun 2, 2025 — In his remarks, Arshakyan stressed the significance of opening the TUMO Center in Japan in the context of the Armenian-Japanese ed...

  

  

  MassisPost
• Tumo Center for Creative Technologies - Wikipedia

  Background. The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies was founded in Yerevan, Armenia in 2011, with the first center opening on Au...

  

  

  Wikipedia
• What is TUMO - TUMO Center for Creative Technologies

  TUMO Foundation Board of Directors * Founder, TUMO. Sam Simonian. * Chief Technology Officer, Mozilla. Raffi Krikorian. * Presiden...

  

  

  TUMO - CENTER FOR CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

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You said: I believe Tumo has about 12 locations cirrently - can you help list them?

TUMO has grown rapidly beyond 12 locations, now operating over 20 flagship centers alongside dozens of mobile "TUMO Boxes" across the globe. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The primary TUMO Center for Creative Technologies hubs are distributed internationally across the following regions: []

🇦🇲 Hubs in Armenia

• Yerevan (The original global headquarters)
• Gyumri
• Dilijan
• Koghb
• Kapan
• Yeghegnadzor []

🇪🇺 Hubs in Europe

• France: Paris, Lyon, and Marseille
• Germany: Berlin, Mannheim, Essen, Hirschaid, and Lüdenscheid
• Portugal: Coimbra and Porto
• Albania: Tirana
• Switzerland: Zurich
• Netherlands: Amsterdam [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

🌎 Hubs in the Americas

• United States: TUMO Los Angeles (with expansion satellite hubs actively underway).
• Argentina: Buenos Aires
• Uruguay: Montevideo [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

🌏 Hubs in Asia & Middle East

• Japan: Takasaki
• Lebanon: Beirut
• Ukraine: Kyiv [1, 2, 3, 4]

(Note: The prominent center originally built in Stepanakert, Artsakh, became non-operational in late 2023.) []