Iranian Tech Parks Forge New Path for Innovation Governance at PTP Gathering

The fifth edition of a specialized empowerment course for key personnel of Iran's science and technology parks commenced at the Pardis Technology Park (PTP). The two-day event, supported by the Ministry of Science and UNESCO, aims to redefine the role of tech parks in the knowledge-based economy, focusing on governance, international collaboration, and effective networking.

The program brings together managers from across the country to participate in workshops and expert sessions. Key discussion topics include optimal governance models for parks, strategies for enhancing international ties, urban management integration, and modern public relations tools.

In the opening ceremony, Mehdi Safarinia, President of Pardis Technology Park, emphasized that building a technology ecosystem requires more than just incubating companies. "It necessitates institutional building, drafting supportive regulations, and amending laws," he stated. He highlighted efforts such as securing tax exemptions for knowledge-based companies and establishing innovation factories as critical for sustainable growth. Safarinia called for greater synergy among the nation's parks to elevate technology policymaking.

Seyed Mehdi Abtahi, Deputy Minister of Research at the Ministry of Science, stressed the untapped potential of Iran's human capital and industrial capabilities. "What is missing are cohesive, national-scale networks for problem-solving," he noted. Abtahi argued that technology development accelerates when large projects are structured as networked research packages distributed among universities, parks, and companies. He warned against weakening the university-park link, which is the primary source of new ideas.

Ehsan Yazdian, Head of Isfahan Science & Technology Town, described park management as steering a multi-actor ecosystem. He advocated for parks to act as regulators and facilitators, intelligently delegating tasks to the private sector to activate external capacities rather than centralizing all missions within the government structure.

Discussions on globalization featured insights from Mozhgan Yazdianpour and Aminreza Khalegian. They stressed that internationalization is a strategic endeavor beyond symbolic participation. "Membership in global networks like IASP and ASPA must be output-oriented and yield practical achievements," Khalegian stated, emphasizing the need for specialized skills in negotiation and targeted use of global innovation networks to connect local companies with international markets.

The first day of the event underscored the innovation ecosystem's critical need to redefine roles, strengthen networks, and foster national synergy, setting the stage for decisive new strategies.