Iran’s Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology have inaugurated several tech projects in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan to boost its technological ecosystem.
During a Tuesday visit to the province, Vice President Sorena Sattari launched tech centers and conferred with provincial managers.
The first project coming on stream was the establishment of an innovation tower in a tech park at the University of Medical Sciences and Health Services in Zahedan, the provincial center of Sistan-Baluchestan.
The tower, spread over 1,000 square meters, is able to host 35 innovative teams and six big tech company.
The park’s first phase, spanning 1.4 hectares, was launched last year in summer.
The whole project will ultimately expand to cover an 8.8-hectare area.
According to the report, 20 knowledge-based companies and startups are currently active in the university, some of which have already moved into the park.
As the university, the park is mainly focused on health and medical fields, facilitating the growth of innovative ideas and research projects.
The second project coming on stream was a new tech center in the State University of Sistan-Baluchestan, which will hold large-scale tech conferences and startup mentorship sessions.
The center is built in two stories with a total area of 650 square meters. According to the university’s officials, an under-construction extension to the building will be ready for operation by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2022).
Sattari also inaugurated an 8,000-sqm technology factory in Zahedan, which has the capacity to accommodate 32 technology firms and 24 startups working in the fields of nanotechnology, digital industries, power and electronics, health, architecture, agriculture, herbal medicine and handicrafts.
The factory provides tech units with shared working space, business services, investment opportunities, laboratories and professional workshops to support them from the early development stages.
Sattari told provincial managers and officials that the vice presidential office has been supporting knowledge-based companies and startups since past several years.
Pointing to the fact that the province’s talented and motivated youths are a valuable treasure, the vice president said creating innovation-based job opportunities can bolster the technology ecosystem.
“Efforts have been made to introduce the unique capabilities of entrepreneurs and the untapped potentials of the province to decision-makers and economic insiders,” he said.
“In the past seven years, promising steps have been taken for developing the country’s technology ecosystem and knowledge-based economy. Still, the untapped potential in every region is far beyond the current attainments. The elite and entrepreneurial young generation can do big things.”
The vice president noted that Iran’s tech ecosystem is a suitable field for investment, calling for private entities and sponsors to consider the opportunity and help the local technological ecosystem flourish.
Later the same day, Sattari visited a small exhibition of innovative products developed by tech teams in the province’s tech park.
Previous Round of Inaugurations
In July 2020, Sistan-Baluchestan launched several tech projects with government support.
The launch of construction of an innovation factory over a 2-hectare area was the first project.
When completed, the factory will become a shared workplace for tech firms and startups, as it gathers mentors, technical and legal advisors and accelerators, providing multidimensional support for tech units.
A technology complex called Nogam (meaning fledgling in Persian) was another project launched by Sattari during his provincial visit. The complex covers 6,200 square meters and has the capacity to house 45 knowledge-based companies and startups.
Creative House is the name of the last project launched in the province. As a joint initiative of the vice presidential office and Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Ministry, the center is to gather entrepreneurs and startup teams working on the publicity, marketing and distribution of local handmade arts to domestic and foreign customers.
Empowerment programs, mentoring schemes and art consultancy services have also been lined up for enthusiastic tech units.
Nationwide Efforts
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.
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks and innovation factories have been established throughout the country to offer shared workspace for tech units.
Currently, there are seven tech parks in Tehran Province, most of which are backed by major Iranian universities, including Tarbiat Modares 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.
Innovation factories in Tehran, such as Azadi and Highway, have also attracted numerous tech teams and startups.
Azadi Innovation Factory was launched in August 2018 at an abandoned chemicals factory near Azadi Square, west of Tehran. The center, backed by the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, is managed by Sharif University of Technology.
Highway, the capital's second innovation factory, is under construction. The factory is being established in an old building near Nobonyad Square on the northeastern flank of Tehran.
Tehran is not alone in its push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks. Numerous centers have also been launched across Iran.
Innovation factories are to be launched in Iranian metropolises by the vice presidential office to expand startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
Innovation factory projects in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi and East Azarbaijan are almost complete and will shortly become operational.
Tabriz in East Azarbaijan will also get its third innovation factory when its construction is completed.
Feasibility studies are underway in Fars, Isfahan and Yazd provinces for introducing similar projects.
The new projects resemble innovation factories in Tehran, namely Azadi and Highway.
Provincial projects have also been established in abandoned factories to keep the projects cost-efficient.
The Roads and Urban Development Ministry, municipalities and governorates in the host cities are assisting the vice presidential office in implementing these projects.
At the innovation factories, startups and knowledge-based companies find legal, technical and financial support to develop their activities.
Given the avowed pledge of extending full support to those who are active in the tech ecosystem, Iran is expected to make its mark on the international stage.
