Iranian knowledge-based companies and tech firms have earned 1 quadrillion rials ($7.4 billion) from the export of technological products in the first half of the current Iranian year (started March 2019), a member of Expediency Council said.
Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi added that the income has been on an upward trajectory over the past several years, increasing from 600 trillion rials ($4.4 billion) in the year ending March 2018 to 900 trillion rials ($6.7 billion) last year, YJC reported.
"Given the domestic potential and the enthusiasm of tech teams, exports will soon reach 5 quadrillion rials [$37.3 billion] and it is not a farfetched goal," Harandi said.
“The figures prove that the solution to economic hardships facing Iran today can be found inside and not outside the country.”
According to the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, Iran has more than 4,700 knowledge-based companies.
Extending support to new startups and technology firms has been on the government's agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in office.
Resourceful Support
The government is optimistic that giving financial, technical and spiritual support to firms can help them expand their businesses and consequently curb the country's reliance on oil-based revenues.
Iran National Innovation Fund, affiliated to the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, and other tech authorities have played a major role in extending vital resources.
The Rouhani administration established the fund with an initial investment of 30 trillion rials ($223.8 million). As per the law, the government is required to allocate 0.5% of its annual budget to INIF.
The fund’s officials say INIF will continue to give financial support to fledgling tech firms.
Siavash Malekifar, a deputy head at INIF, said the fund will offer 10 trillion rials ($74.6 million) as loans to fledgling startups and tech firms in the next Iranian year (starting March 20, 2020).
"The money is to be paid to tech units requiring financial aid to the tune of 5 billion rials [$37,300] through INIF's 38 provincial branches."
Growing Ecosystem
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks have been established throughout the country.
Currently, there are seven tech parks in Tehran Province, most of which are backed by major Iranian universities, including Tarbiat Modarres University, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University.
These tech parks carry the name of universities backing them.
For instance, Pardis Technology Park in eastern Tehran also has strong ties with the Iranian academia.
Housing about 3,500 people in 1,000 firms and startups, Pardis Tech Park is one of the most outstanding innovation centers in the capital.
According to Akbar Qanbarpour, a deputy head of the park, talented teams in the center have developed over 1,000 innovative products using modern technologies since a decade ago.
Tehran is not alone in its push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks. Many such centers have also been launched in other Iranian provinces.
Innovation factories are to be launched in Iranian metropolises, such as Arak, Yazd, Isfahan, Tabriz and Shiraz, by the Vice Presidential Office to expand the country’s startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
