Considering the critical role of the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy and the Executive Board of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund in advancing the country’s economic and innovative development goals, a group of prominent actors in the national technology and innovation ecosystem formally addressed Dr. Pirooz Mohseni, the respected President, proposing the establishment of a specialized, independent task force. This task force, comprising experts familiar with the country’s technology and innovation landscape, would be tasked with identifying and recommending the most qualified candidates for the key positions mentioned above.
This initiative responded to the necessity of strengthening the policy-making and management structures in the knowledge-based and technology sectors, which, given their exceptional capacities, play an effective role in sustainable economic development and creating new job opportunities. Innovation ecosystem actors believe that appointing capable, experienced managers familiar with the challenges and opportunities in this field will facilitate the government’s development goals and enhance the effectiveness of responsible institutions.
The signatories of this letter include leading representatives of reputable professional and sectoral associations in the country’s technology and innovation domain, such as Mr. Seyed Mohammad Hossein Sajadi Niri, Chairman of the Board of the Iran Venture Capital Association; Mr. Mehdi Mohammadi, Chairman of the Board of the Iran Technology and Innovation Management Association; Mr. Ali Mo’tamedzadegan, Chairman of the Board of the Scientific Association of Technology Parks and Innovation Organizations of Iran; and Mr. Mohammad Mehdi Naeibi, Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Advanced and Knowledge-Based Industrial Companies of Industry and Mining. These organizations represent a broad spectrum of influential actors and institutions in the national innovation ecosystem and have presented their proposal to establish a focused, transparent, and specialized approach for selecting technology sector managers.
The full text of the letter reads as follows:
“In the name of God,
Dear Dr. Pirooz Mohseni,
Honorable President of the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Greetings and respect,
First, congratulations on your election as the President of the Fourteenth Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and best wishes for success in advancing the country’s growth and development. Following your emphasis on the active participation of national experts, including associations and scientific and professional institutions, in selecting the most qualified individuals for the government cabinet, and in response to the previous correspondence by the Venture Capital Association expressing concerns and critical issues in the knowledge-based sector, we respectfully propose the formation of a task force composed of professional activists to present qualified candidates for science and technology policymaking positions.
As you are aware, with the growing impact of innovation institutions such as the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, special technology development headquarters, non-governmental research and technology funds, financing institutions in the innovation and technology sector, venture capital firms, and others, a multitude of opportunities and consequently demands have emerged in this sector that can only be adequately addressed through targeted leadership and policymaking. Therefore, it is essential that an energetic, active, diligent individual with experience in the innovation ecosystem, familiar with the laws and policies of this sector and capable of facilitating interactions between the government and startups and knowledge-based companies, assume responsibility for the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy.
The Iran Venture Capital Association, as a professional organization comprising 150 funds, investment companies, and key financial actors in innovation and technology, which in 2023 provided over 300 trillion Iranian rials in financial, credit, and investment services to knowledge-based and technology companies; the National Association of Advanced and Knowledge-Based Industrial Companies of Industry and Mining, representing 42 major private knowledge-based companies with over 10,000 researchers and millions of dollars in knowledge-based exports; the Scientific Association of Technology Parks and Innovation Organizations of Iran, with more than a decade of activity fostering knowledge and organizational networking among science and technology parks, incubators, innovation organizations, and other knowledge-based economy stakeholders, cooperating consistently with executive, scientific, and research institutions to strengthen the innovation system; and the Iran Technology and Innovation Management Association, with over two decades of influence in policymaking and development institutions for the knowledge-based economy and more than 600 individual and over 100 institutional members, the country’s top interdisciplinary scientific association, hereby express their readiness to play a professional and specialized role in supporting the selection of innovation leaders in the fourteenth government.
Given the role and importance of developing the country’s knowledge-based economy and the concerns expressed by the Supreme Leader (may his blessings continue) regarding this sector’s advancement, as well as the remarkable capacity of the knowledge-based sector in economic growth and development, it is proposed that to select the most qualified individuals for the positions of Vice President for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy and the Chairman and real members of the Executive Board of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, a special, independent, and specialized “Technology and Innovation” task force be formed, consisting of the following members:
- Representative of the Venture Capital Association
- Representative of the National Association of Advanced and Knowledge-Based Industrial Companies of Industry and Mining
- Representative of the Technology and Innovation Management Association
- Representative of the Scientific Association of Technology Parks and Innovation Organizations of Iran
- Two former CEOs of innovation financing funds and companies
- Two CEOs of large-scale knowledge-based companies
- One former chairman of science and technology parks
- One former university president with knowledge-based sector experience
- Two experts and opinion leaders in the knowledge-based sector
We hope your approach to increasing civil participation of associations, professional, scientific, and non-governmental organizations leads to fruitful innovation prosperity, and that the Iran Venture Capital Association, the National Association of Advanced and Knowledge-Based Industrial Companies of Industry and Mining, and the Technology and Innovation Management Association are honored to serve in this path.”
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