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The challenges of Science, Technology and Innovation Ecosystem of Iran

I have been involved in Iran's ecosystem of innovation and technology (mainly S&T Parks) since 2015. Luckily and simultaneously, I had the opportunity of being exposed to international experiences too.
As Iran's Scientific counsellor in East Asia (2015-2018), I visited many countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia, hence, meeting many of the key role players in their innovation and technology ecosystem(see here & here). 

More recently, as ICT Park's international advisor, my knowledge and experiences in this area expanded to Russia and Africa (Tunisia, Mali, Nigeria, Algerian, Ethiopia, etc.) where I met many of their leaders face to face or visited their country in person (see branding gallery) to observe and investigate how their technology and innovation ecosystem works.
This international experience provided me a great motivation to do a comparative study and see how Iran's technology and innovation ecosystem was formed and developed. I conducted an in-depth qualitative study in this field, which mainly included the history of the development of Startups as well as the emergence of Science and Technology parks in Iran.
With a historical approach, I conducted several in-depth interviews with over 30 key role players, including two ministers, five deputy ministers, presidents of the top ten science and technology parks in Iran, a member of Iran's Parliament, three university professors, etc. 
Through this research, we managed to provide a comprehensive picture of the history of our technology and innovation ecosystem besides the challenges and opportunities for the development of this ecosystem. 
Fortunately, the results of this research are under press by University of Tehran (UT) in two volumes; including a series of in-depth interviews which is around 600 pages and also my personal analysis of the trend and challenges of Iran's technology and innovation ecosystem. These two books will be published soon.
                                                                                                                 My Journey at ICT Park

I joined ICT Park in 2019 in the capacity of International and Communication Advisor. In a newly established S&T park, my first mission was to build ICT Park’s brand and then promote it in Iran’s Technology and Innovation Ecosystem and try to integrate it into the regional and international innovation ecosystem.
After four years and in collaboration with my professional team, ICT Park is now a well-known brand not only in Iran, but also in the Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, and Russia as well as some countries in South East Asia like Malaysia.
Communication-wise, we designed the LOGO of the ICT Park as well as its official website. ICT Park's website is quadrilingual, covering Persian, English, Arabic and Pashto. In addition to this website, we use various essential tools and persuasive communication and public relations techniques to provide accurate and transparent information to both domestic and international audiences. These include the ICT Park Monthly Quadrilingual Newsletter, the Park's news outlet, multilingual thematic bulletins, multimedia content, virtual tours, news podcasts, ICT Park's Library and multilingual advertising brochures.
Regarding international prospects and to become a world-class S&T park, we initiated and expanded collaboration with many countries like Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mali, Algeria, Afghanistan, Russia, and Malaysia among other countries. It has been a long path, but fortunately, it is still ongoing. Now, we host many delegations from different countries and three different continents.
On top of all the above-mentioned experiences and having CSR as a priority in our mind, we learned and achieved a lot throughout our journey. Thanks to God, due to the blessing that we have gained by working in ICT Park, we could extend our pure academic concerns, becoming an active team fully integrated and familiar with Iran’s Technology and Innovation Ecosystem. During the last four years, we have experienced working with many key role players (both policymakers and executive people) in Iran’s Technology and Innovation Ecosystem as well as over 100 knowledge-based companies and enterprises.
All around the world, technology and innovation ecosystems are very dynamic, fluid and challenging. In Iran too, even though we faced many challenges, we could manage to create and provide a lot of opportunities. Hopefully, in due time, we will share all those experiences and knowledge with others.
Before I share some of these activities and achievements, I shall conclude this message by expressing my sincere thanks to the Key members of my team: Ms. Mina Rasti, a very accountable, dedicated and decisive team leader in the group and other members (below), who were always supportive and passionate as team members.

Our Team Members

Mina Rasti

 PR Expert and International Assistant

PhD Candidate in Communication, UT

Dr. Elaheh Soofastayi

English Translator

PhD in English Language & Liturature

Seyedeh Fatemeh Ahmadi 

English Translator

PhD Candidate in English Language & Literature, UT

Mehraveh Taghizadeh

Reporter & Content Producer

MA Communication Candidate, UT

Shiva Farzi

 International Expert

MA in Global Studies (Russian), UT

Nabi Sajadi 

Pashto Translator

PhD Candiate in Communication, UT

M. Ghareghani

Photoshop & Designer

MA Candidate in Social Communication, UT

Behnam Majdizadeh

Content Producer

BA Student in Social Communication, UT

Kimia Toupchi

Content Producer

MA Candidate in Communication, UT

Afshin Ziaeian

Video maker and Photographer

Freelancer

Ahmadreza Amini 

Virtual Tour and 360*

Freelancer

Dr. S. Homayouni

Arabic Translator

Lecturer at UT

Some of the Activities

  • A Cooperation MoU was Signed Between ICT Park and Mali's Ministry of Higher Education and Research(Link)
  • A Memorandum of Understanding and an Action-Plan for 2022-2023 Was Signed Between Iran's ICT Park and Tunisia's Elgazala Technopark (Link)
  • Deputy of International Relations in the Russian Digital Economy Organization Visited ICT Park as the Head of a Private Sector Delegation(Link)
  • Dr. Sadigh Met with Mali's Minister of Communications, Digital Economy, and State Modernization(Link)
  • A High-Ranking Delegation from U.P.M Visited ICT Park (Link)
  • Fields of Cooperation Between Iran's ICT Park and the Russian Federation's Digital Economy Organization Were Reviewed (Link)
  • The Tripartite Meeting Held Between Iran's ICT Park, Russia's Kazan Park, and Innopolis Special Economic Zone(Link)
  • A High-Level Delegation headed by the Director General of Innovation in Ethiopia's Ministry of Innovation and Technology Visited ICT Park(Link)
  • ICT Park’s President and the Accompanying Delegation Met with Mali's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research(Link)
  • Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh Met with Mali's Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Link)
  • Dr. Sadigh Damghanizadeh: ICT Park is Interested in Starting Strategic Cooperation with Russian Technology Companies(Link)
  • Salion Niang Deing demanded the presence of ICT Park in the Joint Commission of Cooperation between the two countries(Link)
  • ICT Park’s President and the Accompanying Delegation Visited Mali’s University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies(Link)
  • ICT Park’s Directors Visited Mali's Rural Polytechnic Institute of Training and Applied Research(Link)
  • A Malaysian University Delegation Visited the Mashhad Branch of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Park (Link)
  • The Cooperation Between ICT Park and the National Agency of Algerian Technology Parks was Discussed(Link)
  • ICT Park’s President and the Accompanying Delegation Visited Mali's Kabala University (Link)
  • Amadou Keita Asked for Establishing an Science and Technology Park in His Country(Link)
  • Malian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Visited Mashhad Branch of ICT Park(Link)
  • Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria visited ICT Park (Link)
  • The Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana Visited Different Part of ICT Park(Link)
  • President of ICT Park: I would like to Announce my Readiness for Establishing Technology Parks in Mali (Link)
  • The Asia-Pacific Director-General of Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: I Feel Impressed by Iran's Progress(Link)
  • the Asia-Pacific Director-General of Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visited ICT Park (Link)


Video and Clips