The establishment of science and technology parks and innovation factories has gained momentum across Iran.
Tehran University of Medical Sciences has announced plans to establish a tech park in District 9, southwest of the capital.
“In collaboration with the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology, the tech park will be implemented over 8 hectares in Tehran’s Yaftabad neighborhood,” Abbasali Karimi, dean of the university, said.
According to the university's website Tums.ac.ir, during a meeting held at the university on Saturday, Karimi announced that preliminary studies are underway and a map is being designed for the tech park.
At the meeting, the university authorities and project managers reviewed and confirmed a general directive on how to attract companies, along with the tech park’s management policies.
"If everything goes as expected, a public notice will soon be issued to invite technology and knowledge-based companies to set up office at the park," he added.
According to the dean, the planned tech park will provide fledgling startups and knowledge-based companies with working space and laboratory facilities, along which legal and technical support from mentors and law specialists.
Tehran’s Tech Parks
Extending support to new startups and technology firms has been on the government's agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in office.
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks have been established throughout the country.
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.
Pardis Technology Park in eastern Tehran also has strong ties with the academia.
Innovation Factories
The establishment of innovations factories in Iran is also witnessing a rising trend.
The first such center dubbed 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.
As per an agreement between the office and Tehran Municipality, abandoned buildings will be transformed into tech hubs for fostering innovative ideas.
Nationwide Push
Tehran is not alone in its push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks. Numerous centers have also been launched across Iran.
Innovation factories are to be launched in Iranian metropolises by the vice presidential office to expand the startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
According to Esmaeil Qaderifar, an official with the office, innovation factory projects in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi and East Azarbaijan are almost complete and will become operational in the coming months.
“Tabriz in East Azarbaijan will get its third innovation factory when a construction project is completed,” Qaderifar said.
"Feasibility studies are underway in Fars, Isfahan and Yazd provinces for introducing similar projects."
A similar project in Mashhad, the provincial center of Khorasan Razavi, is set to become operational in September.
Qaderifar noted that the new projects resemble innovation factories in Tehran, namely Azadi and Highway innovation factories, which have attracted and housed numerous tech teams and startups.
“Provincial projects have also been established in abandoned factories to keep the projects cost-efficient,” he said.
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 develop their activities.
