Following the lead of Tehran and other Iranian metropolises, Zanjan, the center of the namesake province, has established a technology center to boost its startup ecosystem.
During a Thursday event, the University of Zanjan inaugurated a growth-cum-innovation complex on its premises, IRNA reported.
Ali Sepehri, the university's head of public relations, said the center is a joint project launched by the provincial office of Resistance Economy Headquarters – a government body that directly reports to the president – and the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, with a budget of 10 billion rials ($36,100).
"The technology center spans 10 hectares and includes eight 124-square-meter and four smaller workshops. Offices, storage rooms, restaurants and other amenities are available in all workshop sections," he explained.
Seven hectares of the complex have been designated for agricultural research and field studies.
"These areas are equipped with modern farming facilities, such as greenhouses and various irrigation systems, that have been segregated for the convenience of researchers," he added.
Startups and knowledge-based businesses active in mineral, chemical, metal, food and agricultural industries have already moved in and started operations.
According to Sepehri, the complex still has space for more tech units.
During the inauguration ceremony, the university signed a new agreement to expand the newly-launched center. The center's second phase includes a 1,000-square-meter modern greenhouse.
Sepehri expressed hope that the activity of innovative groups, in collaboration with the university's faculty and senior students, will help grow the local technology ecosystem in their fields of activity, generating long-term sources of income.
More University-Based Efforts
As the outstanding achievements of technology ecosystem have lured different sectors to make investments in the field, universities nationwide have stepped in to extend support to tech teams.
In late September, Kerman’s Islamic Azad University and Science and Technology Park established a growth center to provide technical support (from university graduates and tech park mentors) and financial support (from university resources and private investors) to eager startups.
The first phase of an innovation center was established by Salman Farsi University in Kazeroun, Fars Province, with 6 billion rials ($21,600) from the vice presidential office.
In February, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for technology at the time, inaugurated three tech centers at the Tehran-based Amirkabir University of Technology.
Focused on energy and physics, space science and civil engineering, these tech centers will commercialize students’ ideas by offering legal, technical and market consultancies.
With the addition of three new centers, the university is now hosting eight innovative teams.
Hossein Hosseini, the university’s deputy for research and technology, said the tech centers are aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and technological innovation among students and faculty members.
Besides forming innovation centers and attracting tech teams, universities can utilize their scientific edge to help startups.
Such efforts are a synergetic move to advance the tech ecosystems of Tehran and other Iranian cities.
In late January, Sharif University of Technology in Tehran and Astan Quds Razavi, an economic conglomerate in Khorasan Razavi Province, launched an innovation factory adjacent to Ferdowsi University in Mashhad.
The center is specialized in the renovation of medical equipment and clinical devices, which will help save $420 million annually.
In addition, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences joined hands with the vice presidential office to invest 320 billion rials ($1.16 million) in an innovation center to 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 working on health technology, which offers virtual visits for clinical diagnosis and post-treatment support and consultancy.
The center is also providing technical, scientific and commercial assistance to innovative teams and aiding efforts to commercialize their ideas.
Nationwide Measures
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks and innovation factories have been established throughout the country to offer 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 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 Zanjan, Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj and Yazd to expand startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
At the innovation factories, startups and knowledge-based companies receive legal, technical and financial assistance 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 sector to end the economy’s oil dependency and help overcome sanctions.
