The press conference of the “Iran National Technology and Innovation Financing Award” was held with the participation of the Award Secretary and the Secretary of the Iranian Venture Capital Association. During the session, a report on the state of financing in the country’s technology and innovation ecosystem in 2024 was presented, and details of the first edition of the Award were outlined.
Dr. Karshenas, Secretary of the Iranian Venture Capital Association, highlighted the remarkable growth of venture capital in the country, noting that the total investment in 2024 increased by 505% compared to the previous year, rising from 3,202 billion IRR to 16,169 billion IRR. He added that of this amount, 11,436 billion IRR was invested in shares of innovative and knowledge-based companies, 3,482 billion IRR in projects without equity ownership, and indirect investment through specialized financial institutions reached 1,000 billion IRR.
Regarding financial facilities, total disbursements to innovative companies in the past year amounted to 8,376 billion IRR, reflecting a 43% increase over the previous year. Dr. Karshenas noted that 82% of these facilities were provided solely with a check or promissory note. In the guarantees sector, there was a 220% growth, with the value of issued guarantees rising from 20,000 billion IRR to 45,153 billion IRR, approximately 90% of which were issued through simplified procedures.
In the field of technology asset valuation, 155 projects were assessed in the past year, with a total value of 31,544 billion IRR. Furthermore, crowdfunding resources increased nearly fourfold, from 3,803 billion IRR in 2023 to 12,858 billion IRR in 2024. Around one-quarter of these funds were allocated to knowledge-based company projects, with a total of 135,764 participants in the process.
Dr. Behrooz, Secretary of the Iran National Technology and Innovation Financing Award, addressed the growth of innovative financial instruments over the past two decades. He noted that while the establishment of research and technology funds and the Innovation and Prosperity Fund has significantly developed the country’s financing ecosystem, many knowledge-based companies still rely on traditional financing methods, primarily bank loans, despite the availability of diverse financial tools.
He explained that the purpose of the Award is to foster a culture, promote, and introduce new institutions and financing tools. The Award is not merely a recognition event, but a platform to develop policies in technology financing. For the first time in the country, a credit evaluation model for the technology financing system was designed and implemented with the participation of academic and private sector experts.
Dr. Behrooz also reported extensive participation of financial institutions in the event. Out of 523 invited institutions, 334 are involved in the main sections and 85 in special categories of the Award. The closing ceremony will recognize top-performing institutions across 20 categories, including banks, venture funds, accelerators, and crowdfunding platforms. He expressed hope that in the coming years, the Award will reach a regional level and become a trusted reference for identifying influential financial institutions in the development of Iran’s technology ecosystem.
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