Two Tech Firms Sign Major Contracts With State Entities

EghtesadOnline: Two tech firms at South Khorasan Province's Technology Park have signed 10 agreements with local executive offices and organizations, collectively worth 95 billion rials ($720,000).

News ID: ۷۴۹۳۲۹

30 December 2019

The deals were signed during the 20th Exhibition of Research, Technology, Achievements and Techmart held last week at Tehran’s International Exhibition Center.

Mehran Garmei, the park's director, said Motemayez Pardaz Houshmand Company (aka Motemayez Co.) is one of the two firms, which is active in the design and manufacturing of smart security systems and surveillance cameras, YJC reported.

"Motemayez Co. signed seven purchase agreements with two local airports, Tehran Municipality, Anti-Narcotics Police, Economic Security Police, the Headquarters for Combating the Smuggling of Commodities and Foreign Currency, and Iranian Space Agency," Financial Tribune quoted him as saying.

Garmei announced that the seven deals were worth 85 billion rials ($644,000).

Green Chemistry Company is the second knowledge-based company, which was successful in signing three deals with TM's Waste Management Office and Tehran Urban Innovation Center worth 10 billion rials ($76,000). The company produces water filtration systems and disinfection tablets used in workplaces, medical instrument and bleaching laundry.

Noting that the technology ecosystem is rapidly expanding its role in conventional industries, Garmei said constant financial, technical and legal support for growing tech firms will definitely yield positive results and accelerate the country's move towards a knowledge-based economy.

He hoped that other startups and tech firms in the province will soon boost operations and enter into fruitful agreements with larger institutions.

Tech Firms in Golestan

As part of efforts to extend financial assistance to fledgling startups and tech-based firms across the country, Iran National Innovation Fund is planning to allocate 10 trillion rials ($75.7 million) in the next Iranian year (starting March 2020), of which 200 billion rials ($1.5 million) will go to tech units in Golestan Province.

According to Mehdi Ghaffari, director of Golestan Tech Park, the amount of budget to be specified to tech units in the park will depend on their level of progress.

"Teams in idea development stage, companies working on technological prototypes and those about to enter the domestic market will need different amounts of money," he added.

Besides, the park also plans to hold training courses and workshops on marketing and commercialization of products, legal consultancy and know-how of forging ties with investors.

Ghaffari said 108 knowledge-based companies and startups are currently active in the park.

Tech Ecosystem

Extending support to new startups and technology firms has been on the government's agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in office.

Over the past few years, numerous tech parks have been established throughout the country.

Currently, there are seven tech parks in Tehran Province, most of which are backed by major Iranian universities, including Tarbiat Modarres University, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University.

These tech parks carry the name of universities backing them.

For instance, Pardis Technology Park in eastern Tehran also has strong ties with the academia.

Housing about 3,500 people active in 1,000 firms and startups, Pardis Tech Park is one of the most outstanding innovation centers in the capital.

According to Akbar Qanbarpour, a deputy head of the park, talented teams in the center have developed over 1,000 innovative items using modern technologies since a decade ago.

"In the fiscal 2016-17, total revenues earned from the import of technology products reached €150 million," he said.

Tehran is not alone in its push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks. Many such centers have also been launched in other Iranian provinces.

Innovation factories are to be launched in Iranian metropolises like Arak, Yazd, Isfahan, Tabriz and Shiraz by the Vice Presidential Office to expand the country’s startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.