Several projects were inaugurated in the western province of Kurdestan on Saturday to expand technological facilities and support fledgling startups and knowledge-based companies.
Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari inaugurated the tech projects and visited startups and knowledge-based teams at the province’s academic center during a daylong trip to the province on Saturday, the vice president’s website reported.
Three startup accelerators specializing in health tech, videogames and cultural products came on stream during Sattari’s visit.
The startup accelerator focused on gaming industry is named “Zhoorimaang”. It has already offered support to eight startups and plans to back up to 25 teams.
Zharfa is the other accelerator planning to support startup teams that develop cultural products.
The third inaugurated startup accelerator is called Jin, specializing in health technology. In the long run, managers of the center are planning to upgrade the accelerator to an innovation center by expanding its functional space and stretching resources to support tech teams. Currently, Jin is able to accommodate 40 startups.
In his trip, Sattari also launched a knowledge-based polymer and chemical company that plans to produce industrial grade anti-freeze, anti-boil and anti-corrosion fluids and disinfectants.
The company also has a separate production line for medical alcohol. The production unit is jointly developed by the University of Kurdestan and the vice presidential office.
Sattari also inaugurated the second branch of Attila Orthoped Company, a medical equipment manufacturer based in Kurdestan. The company produces surgical and orthopedic devices for treating spinal diseases.
During his visit, Sattari officially launched the provincial fund for research and technology. Local funds are believed to have eased the allocation of financial support to startups.
Sattari also visited knowledge-based units and tech firms at the Islamic Azad University of Sanandaj, the provincial center of Kurdestan, and met provincial tech authorities.
Local Capacity
Speaking at the meeting, Sattari underlined the rich human resources in the region and said technology infrastructures still need to be developed in Kurdestan to be able to employ tech savvy workforce, help develop the local tech ecosystem and promote knowledge-based economy.
“The vice presidential office will work on encouraging investment in the local tech projects,” he said.
Commenting on financial resources specified for the tech ecosystem, the vice president said, “Fortunately, Iran National Innovation Fund, which is affiliated to the vice presidential office, and the National Development Fund are ardent supporters of fledgling startups and tech firms. They support the young tech teams with loans, grants and investments to help them become independent and strong businesses.”
He encouraged the fledgling tech teams in Kurdestan to use the available resources to streamline their innovative businesses.
Sattari also called on financial institutions and banks to make direct investment in startups, because of which the government has been encouraging establishment of venture capital funds.
“Supporting the presence of knowledge-based firms and startups at the international level and marketing their products in the target countries are high on the vice presidential office’s agenda,” he said.
“The move is focused on boosting the export of innovative items and strengthening the role of tech ecosystem in curbing Iran’s dependency on oil revenues.”
Multidimensional Move
Giving support to the technology ecosystem has been high on the government’s agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani started his first tenure.
Officials believe that the nationwide support has already paid off and tech units have flourished in different fields all around the country.
Tech infrastructure projects have been launched regularly in Iranian provinces, expanding the national startup ecosystem and increasing its share in GDP and export revenues.
The state has also played a role in developing technical, legal and financial support centers and tech factories to provide startups with shared workspace and consultancy.
Although Tehran leads other provinces in terms of tech infrastructures and facilities, work is on track to make a collective move in other regions. Numerous tech parks, innovation factories and innovation towers have so far been launched in Yazd, Isfahan, Alborz, Khorasan Razavi, Khuzestan, Hamedan and other provinces.
However, officials believe that materializing a harmonized initiative for developing a strong technology ecosystem still needs a great deal of efforts.
Financial Assistance
Tech officials say financial support to the technology sector is in line with the government’s policy to realize a digital economy and curb the country’s dependency on oil revenues.
Reports say the government has injected 36.6 trillion rials ($164.4 million) in the form of low-interest loans during the first quarter of the current fiscal year (March 20-June 20).
The loans have been offered to 484 tech units and knowledge-based companies, averaging 76 billion rials ($341,500) for each applicant, the Central Bank of Iran reported last month.
The figures illustrate the government going the extra mile to support the tech ecosystem throughout the country, as the amount of financial assistance offered to knowledge-based companies and startups has seen a significant 95.5% rise compared to the year-ago period.
Tech officials are also mulling over the extension of non-financial facilities for the fledgling tech ecosystem, such as affordable workplaces and a variety of consultancy.
