Two innovation centers have been launched by Iran’s University of Science and Technology to support knowledge-based teams and startups working on energy and water technologies.
During an event held on Monday, Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari inaugurated the new centers, Mehr News Agency reported.
Called “Hydrotech” and “Energy”, the centers have been established with the help of vice presidential office and the financial support of private sector.
Speaking at the event, Sattari said the tech centers will help expand and commercialize the activities of the university’s research center for applied hydrodynamics and water-based systems.
“The innovation centers are set to tap the university’s potentials and capabilities to meet domestic industrial demands, master technological know-how, nurture knowledge-based companies and commercialize tech ideas,” he said.
Also present at the event, Jabbar-Ali Zakeri, the university’s dean, said the new centers are to support innovative activities by university graduates in mechanical studies.
The tech centers will be specialized in water and agriculture technologies, particularly greenhouse farming based on deep tech—the generic term for technologies not focused on end-user services—that include artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, advanced material science, photonics and electronics, biotech and quantum computing.
Stressing that the new tech centers will forge a link between engineering sciences and technology, Zakeri said around 20 groups of talented students and professional graduates will start working at the centers.
After the inaugural event, Sattari visited an under-construction “tech services building” project in the university and surveyed its progress.
Strong Role of Universities
The outstanding achievements of tech firms and knowledge-based companies have lured different sectors for investment and support.
Universities have shown strong interest in the field, allowing campus areas and extending financial support to tech teams.
Besides forming innovation centers and attracting tech teams, universities can utilize their scientific edge to help startups.
Such efforts are seen in Tehran and other Iranian cities as a collective move to advanced their tech ecosystems.
Last week, Sharif University of Technology in Tehran and Astan Quds Razavi, a charitable organization in Khorasan Razavi Province, launched an innovation factory adjacent to Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
The center is reportedly specialized in the restoration of medical equipment and clinical devices, which will help save $420 million annually.
In addition, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, located in the namesake province, has joined the vice presidential office to invest 320 billion rials ($1 million) in an innovation center project to help develop unique ideas and commercialize tech-based plans in a wide range of health fields.
Golestan University of Medical Sciences also hosts an innovation center specializing in health technology, which offers virtual visits for clinical diagnosis and post-treatment support and consultancy services.
The tech center is also providing technical, scientific and commercial support to innovative teams and aiding efforts to commercialize their ideas.
Nationwide Efforts
Extending support to new startups and technology firms has been on the government's agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani started his first tenure.
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks and innovation factories have been established throughout the country to offer shared workspaces and other facilities to 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. Backed by the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, the center 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.
The vice presidential office is developing innovation factories in Iranian metropolises like Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, Arak, Karaj and Yazd to expand their startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
At the innovation factories, startups and knowledge-based companies find legal, technical and financial support to develop their activities.
With the extension of infrastructural and financial support, those who are active in the tech ecosystem are propelling Iran’s domestic production to end the economy’s oil dependency and help overcome sanctions.
