According to the Communication and Information Center in the Vice Presidency of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, a meeting of the country's innovation factory managers was held this morning, at the Vice Presidency of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, with the presence of Hossein Afshin, Vice President of Science and Technology, Mohammad Javad Sadrimehr, Director General of the Office for the Development of Innovation and Technology Ecosystem Infrastructures, and a group of innovation factory managers from across the country.

The Vice President of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, pointing out that in the new approach of the Vice Presidency of Science, licenses for innovation factories in the provinces and support for these factories are granted solely to private sector operators, stated: The Vice Presidency of Science supports agile, program-oriented, role-playing and influential innovation factories in the development of the country's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Emphasizing the existence of a clear and specific strategic plan for innovation factories, he stated: The role of innovation factories in the technology and innovation ecosystem has not been accurately positioned and needs to be reviewed; factories need to pay closer attention to their role and position in this ecosystem based on a precise and strategic plan. Afshin stated that synergy and a common vision must be formed between the Vice Presidency of Science and innovation factories, and stated: We must first align and reach a clear and precise definition of innovation factories and the mission of these factories in the technology and innovation ecosystem.

The Vice Presidency of Science and Technology supports innovation factories with 2 billion Tomans.

The Vice President of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, referring to the support for innovation factories to invest in ideas and technology teams, said: Since innovation factories must work on products to be on the path to commercialization, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology will provide 20 billion Rials in facilities to encourage and encourage innovation factories to move on a program-oriented path and support new ideas, to support teams and strategic projects. This facility will be convertible into grant support, provided that the innovation factory submits a plan and report.

Afshin clarified: This support is for innovation factories with private sector operators and will be granted if they provide the necessary documents. If this facility does not lead to support for the teams and is merely a facility received for the innovation factory, no other facilities will be granted to the innovation factory.

The Vice Presidency of Science, referring to the necessity of developing an executive plan to receive support and facilities, stated: To benefit from the support and facilities of the Vice Presidency of Science, innovation factories must present transparent and precise plans that have evaluation indicators (KPI) and specific and tangible outputs.

Afshin continued: "The Vice Presidency of Science does not impose any duties or missions on innovation factories, and innovation factories develop their programs following their ecosystem and capabilities, and the Vice Presidency of Science plays a supporting and facilitating role. These programs will receive the support of the Vice Presidency of Science if they are effective and important in the technology and innovation ecosystem."

The head of the National Elites Foundation stated: Innovation factories have the opportunity to submit their strategic plans to the Innovation Ecosystem Infrastructure Development Office in the Vice Presidency of Science through the service system so that the process of reviewing the plans can be completed and facilities can be granted.

Granting 50 billion Tomans of Innovation and Prosperity Fund facilities to innovation factories

The Vice President of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, referring to the granting of facilities for the improvement of innovation factories with the support of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, stated: The Innovation and Prosperity Fund facilities are granted up to 50 billion Tomans, with a four-year repayment period and a one-year grace period. These facilities, along with the Vice Presidency's seed support for program-oriented and support for flagship projects, are provided in line with the prominent and effective role of innovation factories in the innovation and technology ecosystem. These supports are allocated to a specific number of teams, at the discretion of the innovation factory, in proportion to the capacity and importance of the projects.

He added: Innovation factories must apply for two billion tomans of facilities from the Vice Presidency's Office regarding programs and projects of established teams through the service system, and to receive 50 billion tomans of facilities, they must refer to the Ghazal system of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund.