Three innovation centers have been launched in Isfahan, in the namesake province, to boost the local tech ecosystem.
During a Saturday trip to the city, Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari inaugurated the centers, visited a tech park and met with provincial officials, the vice presidential office’s website reported.
One of the projects was the first phase of an innovation center completed at the Isfahan University of Technology. Spread over 5,000 square meters, the center is tasked with injecting modern technologies and science into different industrial sections.
Sattari also inaugurated a livestock feed production greenhouse, developed by Royeshgar Company.
The greenhouse uses hydroponic techniques for growing feed - a form of greenhouse agriculture that involves growing crops without soil and with less water.
Hydroponics involves growing plants in an aqueous solvent such that the roots of terrestrial plants are submerged in the nutrient liquid, or with the roots supported by an inert medium such as perlite, gravel, or other substrates.
According to Royeshgar, fish excrement, duck manure and chemical fertilizers are some of the sources of nutrients used in the hydroponic system.
Pesticides are not used in hydroponic farming and soil contamination does not pose a problem. Water circulates through the plants during the process and reduces water consumption and the cost of farming.
During his visit to Isfahan Science and Technology Town, Sattari inaugurated a tech tower at Sheykh Bahaei Tech Park.
The project started operating in 2015 by providing workspace for knowledge-based companies to facilitate their operations and researches. The 14-story tower is situated over 22,000 square meters of land and includes 125 separate units.
Proximity to the tech park, as well as mentors and consultants in legal and commercial fields can also accelerate the tech teams’ growth.
To hire units at the tower, knowledge-based companies can apply to the Iran National Innovation Fund for loans amounting to 2.5 billion rials ($10,800), according to the tech park’s authorities.
Sattari spent the rest of his tour visiting tech teams and companies in the tech park and discussing the challenges facing their development.
In a meeting with Isfahan’s tech officials, the vice president said tech centers will support fledgling startups and innovative teams in reaching the commercialization level.
“The innovation centers are supposed to prepare the ground for turning startups into successful and independent enterprises and help develop the national tech ecosystem by providing tech teams with technical and scientific support,” he added.
*** IAU Project
With three science and technology parks, 12 startup growth centers and over 200 knowledge-based companies, Isfahan is regarded as a suitable location for tech investment and innovative projects by both the government and academics.
In December 2020, Islamic Azad University of Isfahan stepped in to develop the province’s technology ecosystem by launching five innovation centers.
Majid Toghyani, an official with the university, said these innovation centers are specialized in herbal medicine, information and communications technologies, carpet weaving, seeds and greenhouse emissions.
“In each center, startup growth centers, accelerators, creativity schools and commercialization offices will help startups expand their activities,” he said.
Toghyani noted that university students can enrich their academic dissertations and research projects by interacting with startups and helping materialize their ideas.
*** Medical Tech Park
In early 2019, a medical science and technology park ‘Salamat’ (health in Persian) was launched in Isfahan’s University of Medical Sciences.
The park, spread over 21 hectares, is active in several fields, including developing medical technology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, modern medical equipment, herbal and chemical medicine as well as veterinary medicine and equipment.
The park’s products are used to equip clinics in the province in a variety of healthcare domains.
A locally-made linear particle accelerator (shortened to LINAC) was also launched at the park by Sattari.
A LINAC is a medical machine used for cancer treatment. It customizes high energy X-rays or electrons to conform to a tumor’s shape and destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissues.
The machine is similar to the already existing technology used around the world. However, the producing company says its price is below the imported brands.
*** Countrywide Efforts
Numerous tech parks and innovation factories have been set up across the country over the past few years to provide shared workspace and other facilities to tech units.
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 is backed by the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology and 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.
In its drive to establish innovation factories and tech parks, Tehran is not alone. Numerous centers across Iran have also been founded.
The vice presidential office is developing innovation factories in Iranian metropolises like Zanjan, Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj and Yazd to expand startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
At the innovation factories, startups and knowledge-based companies find legal, technical and financial help to develop their activities.
With the expansion of infrastructural and financial support, those involved in the tech ecosystem are pushing Iran's domestic manufacturing sector to end its reliance on oil business and help bypass sanctions.
