Iran will be developed by relying on the advancement of the domestic knowledge and technology. This issue has led to signing a memorandum of understanding between the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs and Tehran Municipality to create and expand the innovation arena of Tehran. One of the terms of this agreement is opening and developing the Jarah Tehrani Endowment technology and industrial innovation town in district 19 of Tehran.

The memorandum was signed by Esmaeil Ghaderifar, the head of the strategic technologies development headquarter, and Ali Tavakoli, the mayor of district 19. This project will facilitate the expansion of innovation arena in Tehran with a national approach to industrial technology development in the country.

During the ceremony, Ghaderifar stated: the memorandum is signed to properly exploit the potentials of district 19 using the domestic academic knowledge so that the Jarah Tehrani Endowment technology and industrial innovation town would be created.

He added: the topic of the memorandum is participation in and acceleration of the process of laying the necessary legal, financial and technical foundations for the establishment of a technology and industrial innovation center in an area of 27 hectares and a base of approximately 200,000 m².

According to Ghaderifar, the town includes workshops, training, exhibition, innovation factory, support and welfare-service to accelerate the processes of training, modeling, industrialization and commercialization of industrial innovations and technologies according to specific plans in this town.

The head of the strategic technologies development headquarter pointed out the terms of cooperation between the parties, asserting: one of the requirements for successful construction and development of the Jarah Tehrani Endowment technology and industrial innovation town is to establish effective communication with industries and accurate identification of industrial technological requirements in the country.

He mentioned: in this regard, the Vice-Presidency will properly cooperate to make effective communication and introduce the mentioned town to the activists in the field of industrial technologies.

According to Ghaderifar, Azadi Innovation Factory is one of the successful examples in this area.

He continued: we need to make innovation and smart city in Tehran be considered as visual beauties, which is possible with the help of technology and innovation ecosystem.

Ghaderifar considered the use of the endowment capacity in the country a good opportunity for the development of the innovation and technology ecosystem, marking: we must use the country"s endowment capacity to turn the country"s dysfunctional areas into a space for the development of technological businesses.

Ali Tavakoli, the mayor of district 19, emphasized the necessity of attention to deprived regions of the country, stating: attempts must be made to change the lifestyle of the people in deprived districts with the help of technology. Opening this town will increase the presence of graduated people in these areas, which might be helpful.

He also affirmed: we must try to speed up the legal process of building this settlement so that we can see its opening soon.

What does the memorandum of understanding say?

The agreement obligates the Vice-Presidency to introduce the project to activists and investors in the field of science and technology in the country and to assist the process of signing agreements between the endowment part and investors. In addition, financial facilities will be provided to help the development of the project.

Presenting successful models to support purposeful investment and develop knowledge-based and innovative businesses in the town based on the existing capacities was another part of the agreement.

On the other hand, the municipality of district 19 committed to the use of legal capacities after receiving the necessary inquiries from the authorities and provide the necessary construction licenses to start the executive operations of the first phase of the industrial town, including an innovation factory and workshops in the shortest time possible.

A report by the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs