Ali Agha Mohammadi, member of the expediency council, along with Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, visited the technological units of Sharif Innovation Station and Azadi Innovation Factory and Sharif Station to learn about the latest technological and innovative achievements in the Sharif Innovation Region.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, Sharif Innovation Region hosted Sorena Sattari and Ali Agha Mohammadi this morning (February 25^th, 2019).

Sattari and Agha Mohammadi first visited the technology services complex of Sharif University and talked with the creative activists and professors and innovators based in this center.

Majid Dehbidipour, head of Sharif Science and Technology Park, explained the achievements obtained through the technological activities of the center, adding that interaction is carried out between the academics of various schools and based on a team cooperation. In addition, professors and students learn that innovative businesses are not limited to working with colleagues in the same university and interacting with other academics based on the space of team work can be taught to students as well.

According to Dehbidipour, in addition to technology offices, staff offices, and research offices for other activities of the university"s vice-chancellor, such as the SETAK office, the university entrepreneurship center, the student achievement commercialization office, as well as the office for the transfer of technology development in the field of student activities and technology projects of the faculty members of the university are active in this complex.

A Center for Innovative Students of Sharif University

A basement in Sharif University, which was formerly known as shelter, is now an innovation center for Sharif Students placed in front of Jabir ibn Hayyan Hall. The entrance of this corridor showed nothing but a basement in the past. Now, this place has been turned into a center for gathering of young students, who have intended to start their innovative businesses from the basement but showcase their work results in the business market.

 Located on the northwest side of Sharif University, “Box” was the next place visited by the vice president for science and technology affairs and member of the expediency council. The knowledge-based business club is a glass building around Sharif University, which was an abandoned industrial shed but is now a place for flourishing of innovative businesses.

This place has been created near Sharif University with an area of 3600 m² to develop businesses based on new technologies.

The presence of activists of technology field in this club, from investors to entrepreneurial companies, will make a change in the knowledge-based business space.

Visit of Innovation Station

Sattari and Agha Mohammadi visited “Station”, which is not similar to other stations and has a different space. The innovation station of Sharif is a place for innovators and reaching the market of knowledge-based businesses.

Majid Dehnavi explained that a long-term program has been created for construction of this station with the cooperation of the Vice-Presidency. In addition, he described the phase-one activities of the center.

From hybrid and electric motorcycles to service businesses based on information and communication technologies have been suggested to be commercialized in the station. The first phase of the station encompasses more than 20 startups and technology units. The station is set to be the largest integrated company in Tehran in the future with 500 startups and participating in the 40,000-square-foot space in the next one and a half years.

Azadi Innovation Factory

The vice president for science and technology affairs and advisor to the Supreme Leader went to Azadi Innovation Factory and visited the industrial sheds that were previously abandoned but are now the production line for innovation and technology. These sheds have provided an opportunity for startups to use the facilities of innovation centers and accelerators and turn their ideas into creative and technological businesses.

Along with this visit, Mahdi Azimian, manager of Azadi Innovation Factory, pointed out the establishment of the second branch of Pardis Technology Park of the Vice-Presidency with the name of innovation factory, asserting: after reconstruction operation, the factory has been equipped and will initiate its activities in the beginning of the next year.

According to the manager of Azadi Innovation Factory, this factory is created with a space of about 18 thousand m² with the cooperation of the Vice-Presidency and municipality of Tehran. It is planned to make the 10-type industrial sheds of the Innovation Company by one of the major public sector companies known as an accelerator or innovation center.

He continued: according to the planning made, the formation of this factory is a great opportunity for the presence of idea owners and startup teams in a joint workspace.

According to Azimian, accelerators, venture capitals, business angles, counseling services companies, instructors and mentors and self-employed individuals are present in this innovation factory.

 In terms of services provided to this factory, he declared: creating an opportunity for increasing synergy between startups, using the services of expert instructors, communication with the network of investors, funds, and venture capitals under the supervision of the Vice-Presidency are some of the support programs of this factory for startups.

The manager of Azadi Innovation Factory added: the welfare services such as café, restaurant, meeting rooms and other amenities have been provided to startups in Azadi Innovation Factory.