According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, the next generation of startups moves in the path of advanced technologies. Despite the presence of thousands of service startup ideas and basic selling of knowledge-based products, the direction of startups is toward advanced technologies with advanced products.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, expressed in a meeting with Dr. Rouhani, the president of Iran, with knowledge-based companies and startups of Pardis technology park: the flourishing of knowledge-based economy is the result of serious efforts of the 11^th-12^th governments. Today, there are more than four thousand and 200 knowledge-based enterprises and six thousand startups in various technology fields.

On top of the Ecosystem Mountain

The president of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter also reminded the transformation of common concepts, such as education, with the help of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, asserting: the concepts of education have evolved in its traditional sense. We move toward the path on which education is important until death.

Sattari pointed out the long steps taken toward the transformation of the environment in the community and cities, expressing: we have aimed to establish innovation factories and innovative regions at the heart of the urban space to bring the benefits of science and technology into the community.

Growth of Seedlings of Innovation and Technology in the Factory

The president of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter marked: establishment of the factory of innovation at the heart of the capital and change in utilization of factories and abandoned places are the first steps taken in this field. The first innovation factory of the country has been established at the heart of the capital and has recruited 1500 creative and educated youth. By completion of the last phase of the factory in May 2019, at least three thousand and 500 youth will begin innovative businesses. This process strengthens the growth of seedlings of creativity and innovation.

He continued: the existence of this ecosystem has led to the investment in creative ideas by the private sector. In this regard, the innovation factory has emerged by the innovation of the youth and is recognized a suitable greenhouse for the flourishing of creative ideas. This thinking path will move beyond the capital and will lead to the development of other cities.

Sattari explained the important future mission, which is the familiarization of people with knowledge and innovation, adding: people must experience the sweet state of innovation and technology in their lives. This will be realized with thousands of innovative ideas presented by the creative youth of the country.

According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, the foundation for creative innovative ideas is the urban environment, which creates an area for people to learn about new innovations on a daily basis.

Bravery and Resilience are more Important than Idea

The president of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter introduced the first priority in the move toward knowledge-based economy and innovative cities to be the bravery and resilience of the innovative and creative youth, declaring: what is more important than innovative ideas is a person who is brave enough and has self-confidence to create new ideas and added value. This trend can be established by the determination of creative youth. Successful examples are observed in startup and knowledge-based businesses that did not exist until some years ago but are now at the position of largest businesses and export products despite the limitations.  

The Second Generation of Startups

The vice president for science and technology affairs considered the second generation of startups to belong to the area of advanced technologies, asserting: the next step in flourishing startups is moving toward advanced technologies and startups with at least one technological product. While there are thousands of startup ideas in the service field based on information and communication technology, which are a unique opportunity for the emergence of new businesses, the product-oriented businesses and startups based on advanced technologies will be the next step in these businesses.

Sattari expressed: this is the new way to inject innovation into the society, which leads to transformation in both the economy and industry or life of people. This transformation is created by knowledge-based companies and its sweet taste is due to the efforts made by the government to realize knowledge-based economy.

He added: the basis of this move is the people and the culture, which lays the foundation for moving from resource-based economy to innovation economy, demonstrating a new look at value creation and innovation by knowledge-based economy.

The vice president for science and technology affairs expressed his hope about the acceleration of value creation and entrepreneurship by the new generation and support of activists in the ecosystem of the entrepreneurship since this part needs the most sympathy and support.

Expressing the Concerns of Knowledge-based Companies and Startups

This meeting was attended by startup and knowledge-based activities, who had the chance to directly express their concerns to the president.

In a part of the meeting, Navid Nejatbakhsh, the CEO of the knowledge-based companies of Behyar San’at Esfahan, explained the activities in the field of advanced medical technologies and recruitment of 300 experts from across the country.

According to this technology activist, Iran has no shortage in terms of technology and whatever is out there can be produced by our youth. However, it is crucial to more focus on this field in order to better pave the way for activists by the Vice-Presidency, which is the only supporter of knowledge-based companies and startups.

The CEO of this company regarded administrative bureaucracy as the most important barrier to the work of knowledge-based companies and regarded the formation of a structural regulation in structures with the help of the Vice-Presidency a way to deal with problem.

In addition, Sahar Bahmani, CEO of Zist Takhmir Co., pointed out the importance of infrastructural support of pharmaceutical producers, asserting: now, these abilities exist in the country. In addition, we are able to create the formulation of primary materials of drugs and have had considerable achievements in supplying the domestic needs and export of products. However, continuation and acceleration of this process require fundamental and infrastructural support.