Iranian Startups Keen on Funding From Bourse 

Iran’s stock market is expanding its role in financing startups and knowledge-based companies, managing director of Iran Fara Bourse, the junior equity market, said. 
Despite difficulties in listing startups and knowledge-based companies, 30 firms are being financed through IFB and the Tehran Stock Exchange, according to Amir Hamouni.
"Knowledge-based listed companies hold shares worth 130 trillion rials [$520 million]," he told a state TV, the IFB website reported.
Hamouni pointed to the increasing contribution of venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) funds in raising money for startups, saying that so far there are 10 VCs operating in the  IFB and six more are on the waiting list.  
VC is a form of private equity and a financing instrument that investors provide to startup companies and small businesses that are believed to have long-term growth potential, or to companies that have grown quickly and appear poised to continue to expand.