TEHRAN – Iranian knowledge-based companies will participate in the 28th Imex & ISAF Information Technology Exhibition, which will be held in Turkey from October 9 to 12.

The Innovation and Prosperity Fund will support Iranian delegations and help them set up their pavilions, ISNA reported.

The exhibition will cover the sectors of Security; Electronic Security; Homeland Security; National Security; Cyber Security; Information Security and the increasing requirement; Smart Buildings; Smart Life; Smart cities; and the use of technology in the fields of Fire, Fire Safety, and Occupational Health and Safety.

Technological capabilities of Iran’s agriculture, food in Kenya

Supported by the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, a total of 16 Iranian knowledge-based companies took part in 9th edition of agricultural technology exhibition which took place in Kenya from June 12 to 16, Mehr news agency reported.

The exhibition provided Iranian knowledge-based companies the opportunity to showcase their latest achievements and findings in different sectors including agricultural drone, satellite monitoring technology, hybrid seeds, organic fertilizers, cow embryo technology, as well as food and packaging industries.

Over 20 countries displayed the latest innovations and technological advancements in the agricultural sector.

Iranian delegation pavilions were well received by visitors.

Holding B2B meetings with important clients from state and private sectors as well as visiting farms and factories active in the field of agriculture were among the services offered to knowledge-based companies.

Notable growth in knowledge-based companies

The significant and fast-paced growth in the number of knowledge-based companies with over 200 percent increase in their number just over the past year (March 2023 – March 2024), shows the solid foundation, dynamism, and growth of the country in innovation and technology and the productive atmosphere which have been made available in line with the goal of boosting domestic production with public participation.

The current administration underscores the quantitative and qualitative development of knowledge-based companies. The number of companies, which was around 5,000 before the current administration took office in August 2021, has now reached 10,000 with a total value of two billion dollars.

Emergence of knowledge-based companies 

The law on supporting knowledge-based companies and institutions, and commercializing innovations and inventions, was approved by the parliament in Iranian year 1389 (2010 -2011), to achieve a knowledge-based economy.

Throughout these years, administrations have tried to boost infrastructure to support knowledge-based companies' growth.   

These efforts have accelerated recently, especially in the current administration. At the beginning of the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi, there were about 6,474 knowledge-based companies in the country, but in less than two years, their numbers soared and reached 9,215 companies, a testimony of the government's approach to boosting local production in the knowledge-based and private sectors.

Meanwhile, the quantitative development of knowledge-based companies has led to an increase in their employment by 8.4 folds, with more than 420,000 individuals currently working in knowledge-based related jobs.

Knowledge-based companies' products from 1399 (2020-2021) to 1401 (2022-2023) increased by about 100 percent reaching $1,132 million from $296 million. The knowledge-based companies' imports also increased by 50 percent from $1,633 million to $3,855 million.

Innovative companies with a share of about 20 percent of all knowledge-based companies, account for  67 percent of income and more than 75 percent of exports and imports. However, technology companies with a share of less than 7 percent have about 30 percent of revenue and over 20 percent of knowledge-based foreign trade.

Materials and products based on chemical technology have the largest share of exports, at least 50 percent, and this ratio has increased yearly. Machinery, electricity, electronics, and pharmaceutical technologies rank next respectively. Advanced chemicals is the only technology area that has a positive trade balance.

Meanwhile, the export of knowledge-based products has increased by 13 percent, while the import has decreased by 10 percent signifying the increase in the volume of knowledge-based exports.

Accessing new markets is a newly adopted strategy, that is, deepening trade ties with countries, like Africa, that the country has failed to note before.

MT/MG