Iran's share of the turnover of the creative economy in the world is about $ 100 million, which is not in line with our unique cultural and social resources and capabilities. One of the reasons that we cannot solve our problems quickly by knowing its problems and solutions, is the lack of a complete production chain from idea to product and from product to market and export in the country.

Therefore, to complete this important chain, last year a new member called "Creative Companies" and "Creative Homes" entered the country's science and technology ecosystem, which will strengthen the foundations of the knowledge-based economy. And innovators and technologists who previously did not enjoy the special support of knowledge-based companies found their way under the auspices of the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology under the "Cultural and Creative Industries Development Program."

 

 For more information about creative and innovative companies and support programs of the scientific deputy of these new industries in the country, you can read the interview with Parviz Karami, The Secretary of the Culture and Knowledge-based Economy and Development of Soft and Creative Industries Headquarters:

* Until a few years ago, there was no such thing as creative companies in the science and technology ecosystem of the country. What are the characteristics of creative companies as a new member of the vice presidency and with what purpose were they created?

 

In the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology, there is a committee called the Knowledge-Based Companies Competency Assessment Committee, which many people, persons and products, when referring to this committee, were not considered knowledge-based companies due to lack of complexity and high technology or advanced technologies. The reason was rejected.

For the past two years, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology has implemented a program called "Supporting the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries," which incorporates soft, creative, and identity-building technologies. Also, a headquarters called the "Soft Technologies and Identity Building Headquarters" was formed in the deputy, from which creative companies emerged.

 * What are the characteristics of creative companies?

 Creative companies are companies whose growth nature is based on creativity and innovation, offering new products and services, and based on new business models at the target market level. The growth and development of products and services of creative companies, unlike knowledge-based companies, does not necessarily require sophisticated and advanced technology.

 These companies also have requirements. For example, they must have legal entities that can be registered in the legal system of the country, be a member of the private sector, have economic, social and cultural effectiveness, their product must be innovative and related to the areas that the country needs.

 

Therefore, in the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology, to identify and use the power of creative companies, principles have been formed to differentiate and screen the companies that apply for facilities. Some accelerators, some facilitators and investors, a number of strategic technology headquarters, some government organizations such as the Ministry of Guidance, Cultural Heritage, etc., some festivals including the Children's Festival, Fajr Film Festival, some growth centers These are the approved and differentiated bases of creative companies, which have been formed in total about 80 bases for identifying creative companies in the country.

 * In what areas have creative and innovative companies entered and operated?

Out of 1300 creative companies, about 600 creative companies are active in the field of digital businesses and cyberspace, 110 companies are active in the field of visual, audio, film, photo, narration, podcast, radio and cinema industries. About 98 companies in the field of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts, 150 companies in the field of games, toys and entertainment, about 70 companies in the field of design and architecture, 10 companies in the field of visual and performing arts, 30 companies in the field of publishing, printing and learning , 50 companies in the field of medicinal plants and traditional medicine and 32 companies in the field of infrastructure services in the field of creative industries and a number of other companies operate in other fields that are known as creative.

* What measures has the scientific deputy taken so far to support and empower creative and innovative companies?

 To support creative companies, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology has first addressed the issue of empowering these companies. Creative companies are start-ups and are mostly artist-oriented and person-centered. The Vice Presidency first helps these people become a company and a team.

Therefore, specialized facilities of the duty system have been considered for them. Also, by signing a memorandum of understanding with the metropolitan municipality, it has become possible to establish these creative companies in residential areas, provided that they do not disturb other residents.

 At the end of 2020, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology set up a special fund for creative and cultural industries research and technology for creative companies. Supporting the presence of creative companies in domestic and foreign specialized exhibitions, helping to export the products and services of creative companies, establishing these companies in science and technology parks, introducing creative companies in various television networks and participating in specialized exhibition companies are among the capacities available to this company.

 

Creative companies receive up to 5 million Tomans for preparing market research reports, up to 12 million Tomans for accounting financial services, up to 20 million Tomans for purchasing accounting software, and up to 5 million Tomans for empowering digital marketing services.

 * Has the development of creative homes in Iran and other countries been in this direction?

At the end of 2020, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology designed a platform for creative and innovative houses in order to better form the chain of ideas to products in the field of cultural industries, soft and creative technologies. So far, creative houses have been established in 9 provinces of the country. The development of these houses in other provinces of the country was provided in 2021 so that other provinces also benefit from creative houses.

Iran Innovation and Technology House in Kenya, Armenia, Syria, Turkey and China have been set up with the investment of the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology and as the first permanent base of this Vice Presidency, expands Iran's innovation ecosystem to other countries as a base for Create innovative ideas, commercialize these ideas, and play a role in exporting Iranian knowledge-based products and services to global markets.

 Creative companies are present in student research institutes and produce content in the field of soft and cultural industries. Good cooperation has been established with various organizations such as the Cultural Heritage and the Ministry of Guidance, and useful memoranda of understanding have been concluded in this area.

 

The Vice Presidency of Science and Technology, in cooperation with the legislature, has set up an innovation center and creative house in the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The House of Creativity and Innovation of the Majlis tries to converge with the esteemed members of the Majlis to seek help from the ideas of the creative and innovative youth of the country in the field of law and refining the laws.

A law entitled "Production Leap" is being drafted in parliament to address the challenges of the law establishing and supporting knowledge-based companies. One of the important demands we must have from the parliament is to make the role of creative industries as employment-generating and wealth-creating industries more colorful in our laws.

 Unfortunately, our industries have not mentioned these industries so far. Therefore, the amendment of the "Production Leap" bill, which is on the agenda of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, can give a great leap and energy to the issue of creative companies so that these industries can appear more and more in our country.

 * Where is the position of creative and innovative industries in the country and why are they important for the development and growth of the country?

 

The turnover of the creative industries in the world is 2700 billion dollars. Last year, we made about $ 100 million in foreign exchange through the creative industries, which unfortunately is very little compared to our cultural, artistic and cultural capabilities. Therefore, we should be able to use the creative potential of the country more by designing appropriate support and clustering in different provinces of the country and considering the religious and regional scientific advantages.

 

Stronger and more orderly formation of creative houses can help to better shape the ecosystem of creative industries. Specialized innovation centers in the field of creative industries can increase our production chain. The Vice Presidency can provide the initial capital for people who need it through the ventures that have entered the field.

 Export of culture in the form of economic products

 

The formation of a technology industry with a difficult economic situation has become very difficult today. However, creative companies have made things much easier easily, relying on the local capabilities and capacities of different provinces of the country. Creating a creative ecosystem in the country helps to decentralize and make it easier to support traditional and start-up local businesses.

It also revives the cultural heritage and localism in the country. If Islamic Iran wants to export culture, it can transfer its cultural assets through knowledge-based companies. No cultural work is sustainable unless it goes beyond borders as an economic product.

 * As you mentioned in your speeches, the Islamic Consultative Assembly has not yet passed a law to protect the creative industries, and most of the protection laws have been allocated to knowledge-based companies. What measures has he devised?

 Use of special facilities, by upgrading creative companies to knowledge-based type 3

Last year, the Headquarters for Culture and Knowledge-Based Economy and Development of Soft and Identity-Building Technologies was able to raise the issue of Type-3 knowledge-based companies, and now creative companies can become a Type 3 knowledge-based company with a re-evaluation. This was one of the very good things that was done with the support of Dr. Sattari.

 

In 2020, the Fund for Creative Industries was established, which sponsors and provides facilities to creative companies. Balochistan and Yazd have signed memoranda of understanding to establish special credit lines for the creative industries.

 What are the benefits of becoming a Type 3 knowledge-based creative company?

We have a fund in our country called Innovation and Prosperity. According to the law, this fund could only provide facilities and empowerment assistance to the knowledge base. Therefore, a memorandum of understanding was signed last year to provide facilities to some creative companies. But because the law did not allow us to do so, creative companies had to be knowledge-based to be able to use these facilities. That's why we agreed that some creative companies with high capabilities should become Type 3 knowledge-based. And then they can use the support and facilities agreed between the Vice Presidency and the Fund.

 * If a person or company that has a creative and innovative idea wants to take advantage of the benefits provided by the Vice Presidency for Creative Companies, what should they do?

 

These individuals and companies must first register by visiting the site http://ircreative.isti.ir or the Creative Ecosystem program, and after conducting a series of inquiries and initial review, their application will be rejected or accepted by the National Deputy. If they accept the title or license of creative industries, they will be awarded and can use the benefits provided for them in the site of creative industries.

 This website, which is designed to be interactive, provides the necessary information and training to applicants about the ecological development program of creative companies, what the registration process is like, and what services are provided to them. Interested parties can also follow the announcements and news in this field through this website.

* In your speeches, you mentioned the components of the soft and creative industries ecosystem, what exactly are these components of the ecosystem and how do these components fit together?

 

Creative Ecology A platform consisting of creative companies, creative homes, specialized cultural accelerators, mentors, research and technology funds, training universities, science and technology parks, related students and professors, related artists, businessmen or Sellers of creative goods, Innovation and Prosperity Fund and Vice Presidency of Science and Technology. These are the constituent elements of the ecosystem, and each has its role and function based on the division of Carmel that has taken place.

 Complete the idea-to-product chain through creative and innovative homes

 

 A person who has an idea in the field of creative industries and cultural industries will be guided in the creative house from idea to product production. In fact, the person becomes creative with an idea coming into the house and then finds a colleague and team, then has a lot of contact with the investor, marketer and consultants in the creative house.

For example, in Sarbaz city, we have very artistic women who do needlework, and the best and highest quality needlework is done in those areas. In that case, the only thing these women need is a market that is available to them so that they can sell their products there at a real price.

By visiting Zahedan Creative House, these women can meet a team of experts who come up with new designs, market their products at home and abroad, and provide a platform for them to expand their art.

 There are cheese contest events in the world, the best of which are in Finland and France. There is a special type of cheese in each of our provinces. Why shouldn't these great capacities become global? But a well-meaning person can expand and even export these products by identifying and collecting different Iranian cheeses.

All this can be done in the context of creative industries. In our country, we have many hard-working and well-thought-out people who only need special support. We pursue this important goal in the scientific department and through creative and innovative houses.

Communication and Information Center in the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology