The second meeting of the Scientific-Advisory Committee of the Iran National Technology and Innovation Financing Award (INTIFA) was held on June 1, 2025, hosted by the Innovation and Prosperity Fund.
According to the Public Relations Office of the Iran National Venture Capital Association, INTIFA—formally known as the Iran National Technology and Innovation Financing Award—aims to identify and honor pioneers and key contributors in the field of science, technology, and innovation financing. The award also seeks to highlight novel financial instruments and innovative financing mechanisms. It will be held on August 26, 2025.
The meeting brought together leading figures in the innovation financing ecosystem, including:
- Dr. Sajadi-Neyeri, President of the Iran National Venture Capital Association
- Dr. Hashem Aghazadeh, Faculty Member at the University of Tehran and Vice President of the Mostazafan Foundation
- Mr. Dehbedipour, Former Director of Sharif University Science and Technology Park
- Dr. Faridvand, CEO of the University of Tehran Research and Technology Fund
- Mr. Hassan Meysami, Director General for the Development of New Technologies at the Ministry of ICT
- Dr. Siavash Samimi, CEO of Setaregan Research and Technology Fund
- Dr. Sotoudeh Heidari-Nasab, CEO of Naqdineh Corporate Venture Capital Fund
- Dr. Karshenas, Secretary of the Iran National Venture Capital Association
During the meeting, Dr. Amir-Hesam Behrouz, Secretary of the Award, presented and discussed the evaluation criteria for each category of the award in consultation with the attendees.
Participants exchanged views and suggestions regarding the assessment indicators across various categories of the award. The central focus of the discussion was on identifying effective metrics for selecting leading institutions and individuals active in the technology financing ecosystem.
According to the outlined framework, the award will be granted in the following areas:
- Recognition of pioneering institutions in areas such as facilities, guarantees, venture capital, crowdfunding, business angels, and sector-specific (specialized) investment
- Recognition of innovative financial instruments used by startups and knowledge-based companies
- Honoring veterans and influential figures in the field of technology and innovation financing
- Special categories, including:
- Educators or institutions active in the field of financing
- Media outlets or journalists covering technology financing
- Innovative financial tools or solutions
- Influential individuals or institutions
- Veteran contributors in the domain
The first edition of the award is scheduled for late summer 2025 with the support of the Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, the Innovation and Prosperity Fund, the Ministry of Science’s Technology Affairs Office, and the Secretariat of the Research and Technology Funds Taskforce.
The target audience for this award includes banks, research and technology funds, venture capital firms, corporate venture capital funds (CVCs), angel investors, crowdfunding platforms, capital market-based VC funds, innovation accelerators and facilitators, valuation service providers, IPO and securities advisory firms, and innovation bond underwriting consultants.
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