In line with strengthening the innovation ecosystem, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Iran Venture Capital Association and the Omid Entrepreneurship Fund on April 6, 2025. This agreement was established amid the recognition that developing innovative financing tools and reducing barriers to startup access to financial resources are among the main challenges facing the country’s innovation ecosystem.
The MoU was designed to leverage the shared capacities of the two institutions to enhance the effectiveness of support for innovative and technology-driven businesses and included the following key areas:
- Developing effective interactions between the Omid Entrepreneurship Fund and research and technology funds affiliated with the Association to optimize innovation financing mechanisms;
- Facilitating and improving access of innovative businesses to financial and credit resources;
- Reducing financing risk through specialized project evaluations and utilizing the technical capacities of research and technology funds;
- Increasing support capacity for innovative businesses through designing and implementing hybrid financing models and employing modern financial instruments;
- Strengthening advisory and mentoring systems to accelerate the commercialization process of innovations.
Under this MoU, the Omid Entrepreneurship Fund committed to implementing a set of supportive measures in financial and credit areas in collaboration with research and technology funds. These measures included facilitating loan acquisition processes, accepting credible guarantees, designing new credit instruments, and establishing joint mechanisms for resource evaluation and allocation. The aim of these commitments was to enhance the speed and efficiency of financial support for innovative businesses and reduce their funding barriers.
The MoU was signed during a formal meeting attended by senior executives of both institutions. During the session, the managers emphasized that the future of the innovation ecosystem requires convergence of financial and technological capacities, and that strategic collaborations of this kind can contribute to sustainable development of innovative businesses.
Speakers at the meeting highlighted the critical role of venture capital in supporting knowledge-based companies and expressed hope that the implementation of this MoU would make startup access to financial resources faster and more transparent. Additionally, the successful experience of research and technology funds affiliated with the Association was introduced as a reliable foundation for evaluating and validating technological projects.
In another part of the meeting, representatives of the Association and the Fund explored joint capacities in education, consulting, and empowerment. Conducting specialized training programs for experts and managers in areas such as technology evaluation, business model analysis, and investment risk management was identified as a shared priority.
The Iran Venture Capital Association and the Omid Entrepreneurship Fund believed that collaboration and synergy between specialized financial and technological institutions play a key role in enhancing the innovation ecosystem and facilitating access to financial resources. This MoU was considered an effective step in this direction and aligned with the Association’s mission to empower the country’s innovation ecosystem.
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