With government’s support, several new tech projects have been inaugurated in the northwestern province of Ardabil to boost its startup ecosystem.
During a Tuesday trip to the province, Sorena Sattari, vice president for science and technology, launched new centers through a videoconference and conferred with provincial managers.
According to the vice presidential office’s website, Isti.ir, an innovation center has been inaugurated in Ardabil to boost the province’s startup ecosystem.
The center was established with an investment of 150 billion rials ($847,000). The province’s tech park and the state-backed Mohaghegh Ardabili University will support the innovation center.
The center will soon start offering services to startups and tech units, providing them with a wide range of services.
A tech center on animation, media and videogame development, two innovation centers specialized in honey and herbal medicine production and two laboratories working in food and biotech sectors were launched during the event.
Besides, a center for the general and technological support of emerging businesses became operational at the inaugural meeting.
Meeting the province’s officials and tech managers, Sattari emphasized the necessity of strengthening ties between industries and academic centers.
“The relationship between the two sectors is reliable when the industry is nurtured within universities. Innovative graduates should be the producers of state-of-the-art industrial machinery and equipment. Only then, their ties can be a driving force for success.”
Sattari said that a knowledge-based industry will not materialize until the idea, design and implementation are not genuine.
A tech center on animation, media and video game development, two innovation centers specialized in honey and herbal medicine production and two laboratories working in food and biotech sectors were launched during the event
“During the past seven years, promising steps have been taken in developing the country’s technology ecosystem and knowledge-based economy. Still, the untapped potential in every region is for beyond the current attainments. The elite and entrepreneurial young generation can do big things.”
Pointing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Iran since February, Sattari said the capability of the tech units and knowledge-based firms in developing health and medical items to ward off the disease clearly illustrates their high capacity.
“Tech ecosystem in Iran is a perfectly suitable field for investment,” he added, calling for private entities and sponsors to consider the opportunity and help the local technology flourish further.
“The government’s financial resources are limited and cannot be counted on to extend unbridled support. The state loans and grants can only be an initiator for the tech units and constant growth, private investment is a vital factor,” he added.
Later on the same day, Sattari visited the province’s tech park and a small exhibition of innovative items developed by the park’s knowledge-based units.
Boosting Tech-Industry Ties
The link between the technological and industrial sectors has gained momentum among Iranian officials, resulting in numerous collaboration deals inked between the two sides.
In February, Iranian auto parts manufacturer SAPCO signed multiple agreements with domestic knowledge-based companies, as part of efforts for minimizing dependency on foreign suppliers.
SAPCO, which is a major supplier for domestic automotive companies, signed 80 agreements with tech firms in a wide range of fields, including the production of the electronic stability control system, hydraulic wheel and refrigerant gas used in vehicles' cooling systems.
Even in the food industry, deals have been signed by knowledge-based companies, startups and manufacturing units.
According to Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari, 140 deals worth 2 trillion rials ($11.2 million) and three memorandums of understanding were signed by food production and tech companies last year.
Sattari said at the time that the machinery and production equipment, along with food production know-how, need to be upgraded with the application of smart solutions.
“The food industry and related technological equipment are considered a strategic field that requires modern approaches. Tech firms and startups can be of great help in boosting the efficiency of the sector, particularly in supplying food for livestock, poultry and aquatic animals," he said.
Last year also, a technology center for genetically modified crops was planned jointly by the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran and the vice presidential office.
The center is expected to help develop new research projects and widen the range of studies in the growing GM sector. It will house special equipment for advanced technological research on GM crops.
Since President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in office in 2013, the government has extended strong financial and legal support for tech firms, knowledge-based companies and fledgling startups to ease the country's reliance on oil revenues and its march toward a digital economy.
The backing has led to remarkable progress among talented tech teams in various fields.
