Asia-Pacific Innovation Forum (APIF) Starts in Tehran

The forum is being attended by top officials from dozens of countries, and is held at the Iran International Conference Centre in Tehran.

Addressing the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Iranian Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari praised the achievements of Iranian startups, and promised a bright future for them.

“Iranian startups have managed to replace YouTube, Uber, and Amazon in domestic market,” Sattari said.

“They’re now seeking to expand their work to regional countries,” he added.

The 1st Asia-Pacific Innovation Forum opened in Tehran on Tuesday, bringing together a host of local and foreign dignitaries.

It is organized by the Science and Technology Department of the Presidential Office.

The event has been held as Iran is home to 4,400 knowledge-based companies, 364 innovative firms and 80 innovation centres, making it one of the most influential countries in the world in the field of nanotechnology. The existence of 45 sci-tech parks, 190 development centres, 80 innovation centres and 30 risk funds has turned Iran into a role model for other countries in the region and across the world.