Iran increases export of knowledge-based products

Iranian knowledge-based companies marketed their products in 70 countries, and in some global markets have overtaken European and American companies, Siavash Maleki, deputy head of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, has said.

The number of knowledge-based companies has exceeded 6,800, he stated, adding that half of them is active in the field of electronics and electricity.

Last year, knowledge-based companies gained about $800 million in revenue from export, and in the current year (started March 21), it seems to reach over $1 billion, he noted.

These knowledge-based companies have now found their export markets in 70 countries around the world. In some markets, they have been able to overtake European and American companies, he emphasized.

Today, the country's knowledge-based ecosystem accounts for more than 3 percent of GDP, he also said.

Exporting technological products of Iranian knowledge-based companies is one of the important and key programs of the vice presidency for science and technology, and in this regard, the Iranian houses of innovation have been set up in several countries to develop the global market for knowledge-based products.

These centers have already been set up in countries such as Russia, Turkey, China, Syria, Kenya, Armenia, and Iraq.

Presence in Africa

Iran House of Innovation and Technology (IHIT) was officially inaugurated in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi in January 2021, as the first center in Africa.

Iran’s Vice-President for Science and Technology, Sourena Sattari, officially opened the center which serves as a base for the creation of innovative ideas, the commercialization of these ideas, and the export of Iranian knowledge-based products and services to the East African market.

The IHIT, by supporting innovative ideas, holding technological and innovative events will be a platform for the development and promotion of Iranian knowledge-based companies, startups, and creative industries.

In the first step, this Innovation House hosted the Techstars Startup Weekend event as a start for innovative and technological activities in East Africa, with creative and innovative teams.

The Techstars event, as the first activity of the Iran House of Innovation of Technology, was held from February 29 to 30 and paved the way for interaction and innovative cooperation among the two countries.

At the event, innovative idea owners, programmers, knowledge-based companies, startups, creative industries, marketers, and graphic designers come together to come up with innovative ideas to convert ideas to services.

Knowledge-based companies

Due to the necessity of Iran's presence in the global technology markets and the high capability of knowledge-based and creative companies, the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology stepped into the field to pave the way for its presence in the global market.

To this end, it has developed and implemented programs, policies, and support packages related to the development of export, planning to attract foreign investment, eliciting the participation of Iranians abroad, and connecting domestic capabilities to the global market are among the actions taken in this regard.

The Year of Production: Knowledge-Based and Job-Creating

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei designated the current Iranian year as “The Year of Production: Knowledge-Based and Job-Creating”.

A plan for strengthening knowledge-based companies is on the agenda, raising hope for reducing obstacles on the path to development.

The Leader has called on all Iranians, including citizens and government officials, to work hard to boost knowledge-based production and create new jobs.

Today, the country's knowledge-based ecosystem accounts for more than 3 percent of GDP. And the figure is projected to reach 5 percent, however, the main goal is to step toward a 10 percent share in GDP, Vice President for Science and Technology, Sourena Sattari told Fars on February 13.

The share of knowledge-based companies in the country's economy has exceeded 9 quadrillion rials (about $34 billion), and since 2019, it has experienced a growth of more than 450 percent, he stated.

There are currently over 6,800 knowledge-based companies operating in the country, offering advanced products and services in various fields of technology to domestic and foreign markets, and some of them have entered international markets, Siavash Maleki, deputy head of the Fund, stated.

The fields of aircraft maintenance, steel, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, oil, and gas are among the sectors that researchers in technology companies have engaged in, leading to import reduction.