The vice president for science and technology affairs presented a report on the activities and programs of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs to eliminate challenges and provide sanctioned goods in line with solving the problems of the country, establishing the innovation factory and innovation centers, knowledge-based companies, startups, and the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, the beginning of the new Persian year (1398) was for Nowruz visits. However, work meetings were held between the president and the state delegation during this time.

In meeting with Dr. Rouhani, the president of Iran, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, talked about the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship, elimination of challenges and sanctioned goods, new directions of universities and research centers to solve the problems of the country, establishing innovation factories and innovation centers, knowledge-based and startups and performing knowledge-border studies. In this regard, he added: our esteemed president has allocated time to talk about the achievements, necessities and programs of the Vice-Presidency in line with the development of ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation and knowledge-based economy.

 Pointing out that the concerns and efforts made by the science and technology caravan are in line with the serious attention of the government, especially the president himself, to topics such as the creation of occupation and added value through the development of knowledge-based companies and startups, affirming: after presenting a reports on the activities and programs of the Vice-Presidency, our esteemed president expressed the importance of efforts and emphasis in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to Sattari, the progress of the country"s economy with knowledge-based production and formation of value-adding occupations has always been emphasized by the president. Therefore, a description of activities performed and achievements obtained was provided to the president so that he could be informed of the exact programs and priorities of the Vice-Presidency to realize the knowledge-based economy, emphasizing the necessities of effective move toward this path as the first priority of the country.

Special Attention to Knowledge-based Companies by the President  

The president of the national elites foundation asserted: fortunately, has paid special attention to knowledge-based companies and startups since the beginning of the 11^th government, in a way that the implementation of the law to support knowledge-based companies was initiated in this period. According to the report of qualities and quantities I presented to the president, in addition to emphasizing this issue, he presented comprehensible and clear examples, and I realized that he pays special attention to this area.

Pointing out the formation of the ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship and knowledge-based companies and startups in the 12^th government, Sattari conveyed: the result of this special attention has been the creation of more than 80 thousand billion tomans revenues by more than 4300 knowledge-based companies and thousands of startups and formation of thousands of occupations in the country. 

Contract for the Production of more than 200 Vaccines and Drugs

Sattari mentioned the program of the Vice-Presidency in line with the boosting of knowledge-based products, adding: the president is informed of the abilities of knowledge-based companies and startups in various areas. For example, contracts have been concluded to produce biotechnology products (more than 200 vaccines and drugs) with the cooperation of the ministry of health in 2018 with the role playing of the private sector and with the support of the Vice-Presidency.

Laying the Proper Foundation for Creative Youth

Pointing out the special emphasis of the president on the topic of creative, entrepreneurial and elite youth and maintaining the top talents in the country, Sattari marked: the national elites foundation has carried out programs to return top talents to the country, which led to the return of more than one thousand and four hundred non-resident Iranians from top universities of the world to the country. In this regard, efforts made to create a suitable environment for the creation of knowledge-based companies and startups has motivated these individuals.

The president emphasized the continuance of this trend and making extensive efforts to lay the proper foundation for creative youth based on sufficient knowledge.

Elimination of National Challenges and Sanctioned Goods

Sattari talked about the role playing of the knowledge-based businesses and startups in realization of boosting production and supplying the needs of the country in terms of sanctioned goods (eliminating national challenges and sanctioned goods), as well as the establishment of innovation and high-tech centers and factories, adding: the president has paid especial attention to the importance of these topics, which could shed lights on the path of science and technology caravan. This recognition motivates knowledge-based and startup activists to boost production and supply the needs of the country.

According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, if the greatest authority of the country did not support this issue, there would be no proper path for knowledge-based economy and startups and no favorable attitude toward the human resources and importance of providing a suitable space for flourishing of innovation and entrepreneurship seedlings.

I am grateful for this cooperation from the president, and I hope that this would be the model of the culture of the country and the country"s guide to moving towards a knowledge-based economy.