Imam Khomeini Airport City in southern Tehran and government tech authorities have joined forces to support knowledge-based companies and boost Iran’s growing startup ecosystem.
Representatives from the airport’s Special Economic Zone, the Secretary of the High Council of Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Areas and the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology attended a meeting held on Saturday.
Based on the trilateral agreement, IKAC has agreed to allow knowledge-based companies and startups make use of its economic zone to facilitate the activities of startup accelerators and tech entrepreneurs.
All parties promised to help tech units operate in IKAC and commercialize their products. The deal will also offer financial aid to startup accelerators, facilitate the issuance of permits for innovative industries and help develop exports.
IKAC agreed to bolster the development of infrastructures and offer workspace and equipment to tech units.
Imam Khomeini Airport City was set up in 2013 in accordance with the Fifth Five-Year Developmental Plan (2011-16) over an area of 14,000 hectares. It became an affiliatecof the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development from December 2015 based on a government decision.
Innovation Factory in Shiraz
Backing knowledge-based companies and startups has gained momentum across the country since President Hassan Rouhani took office in 2013.
As a result of the government’s policies, numerous tech centers, innovation factories, tech parks and accelerator companies have been established to pave the way for the technology ecosystem to grow.
Fars Governor General Enayatollah Rahimi told reporters that an innovation factory is to be inaugurated in Shiraz, the provincial center, in the near future.
Pointing to the fact that the tech ecosystem is rapidly growing in the province and increasingly attracting people, Rahimi said the establishment of the factory will create hundreds of jobs for talented youngsters.
The project is based on a deal signed by six entities last year in June. The vice presidential office, Fars Governorate, Information and Communications Technologies Ministry, Iranian Telecommunications Manufacturing Company, ICT Science and Technology Park and Attar Holding Company agreed to establish an innovation factory at ITMC in Shiraz.
Rahimi added that the initiative is an opportunity to promote entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem in the province.
Mehrdad Sohrabi, the head of ICT Ministry’s provincial office in Fars, said the innovation factory aims to attract startups, accelerators and knowledge-based companies active in the fields of electronics and IT.
"Giving financial support to startups, creating an investment mechanism and finding an appropriate market for developing technological products by tech teams are envisaged in the agreement," he said.
An inaugural event was held last week for establishing an innovation center in Shiraz. The center under the management of Shiraz University has been funded by a number of donors, the university and the government.
According to Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology, who attended the event, the center is expected to help produce knowledge-based products in the province.
“The project illustrates that a new approach for supporting fledgling businesses and tech units has been adopted in Shiraz University. With the assistance of the governorate, the move can contribute to the promotion of a knowledge-based economy with the help of technology ecosystem,” Sattari said.
“Private companies and investors need to step forward and provide the growing ecosystem with financial and technical support. The government is required to strengthen the necessary infrastructure and provide space for developing a well-equipped and credible tech ecosystem,” he said.
A Radical Move
The push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks has been underway in numerous Iranian cities over the past several years.
Innovation factories continue to be launched in Iranian metropolises with the support of the vice presidential office to expand the startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks have been established throughout the country.
According to reports, innovation factory projects in the provinces of Markazi and Khorasan Razavi are near completion and will become operational in the coming months.
Innovation factory projects in the provinces of Yazd and East Azarbaijan are almost complete and will become operational in the near future.
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 expand their activities.
