The head of Pardis Technology Park provided a report on the performance and future plans of the park in a meeting with journalists. According to this report, establishing large investment technology camps for knowledge-based and technology companies is part of the future plans of Pardis Technology Park, which will become operational by next year.
As reported by IDEA, Pardis Technology Park celebrated Reporter’s Day (17 Mordad) with a group of journalists in the technology and digital field. On the sidelines of this program, a report on the activities of this park over the past 20 years, as well as its future plans, was presented to the journalists.
Engineer Mehdi Safarinia, the head of Pardis Technology Park and the secretary of the board of trustees, said: “We currently have four operational phases in Pardis Technology Park, and the fifth phase will also become operational by the end of this year. Nearly 500 companies are now benefiting from the services of this park, and approximately 9,000 individuals are employed within the park’s premises. We hope to reach 10,000 individuals by the end of this year.
He added: “In terms of physical development, our plans include the expansion of the park’s operational area to nearly 450 hectares, and we are prepared to accommodate more technology and knowledge-based companies. Although our board of trustees has approved up to 1,000 hectares, we have currently reached 450 to 500 hectares in terms of practical implementation.
Safarinia mentioned efforts to establish technology camps and said: “In terms of developmental space, one of our plans is to create innovation and technology camps, similar to quantitative expansion. Our policy over the past 20 years has mostly been the selective acceptance of knowledge-based and technology companies, but next year’s plan also includes the addition of technology camps. These camps will mainly include various large-scale investments, and companies can create an ecosystem within their own camps that will span over 50 hectares.”
Imposing Residential Space, a Portion of Pardis Technology Park’s Challenges
In the following segment, the head of Pardis Technology Park emphasized the issue of the population size that is located within this park and stated: “We have numerous demands here, but they cannot be accommodated. One of the challenges of Pardis Technology Park is imposing residential space on companies. We have pursued this matter for many years but with limited success.”
He continued: “For a few years now, we have been in negotiations with the Ministry of Housing, but we haven’t found a satisfactory solution for the companies located here. Even though we received instructions from the President, we held various meetings with officials from the Ministry of Housing for the employees of companies in Pardis Technology Park, but we did not achieve the desired outcome. We hope to create a special initiative and good services that will also include the companies established in the park, which involves both employment and residence, in our list of programs.”
Unveiling the Quality Approval and Product Warranty Scheme of the Park (PTP)
Mehdi Safarinia, the head of Pardis Technology Park and the secretary of the board of trustees, explained: “This year, we were able to introduce a new service in the park. The tasks that have been carried out now serve as a model and have developed in the country. Our previous experiences were mostly centered around creating innovation accelerators in the country, which culminated in the establishment of accelerator development throughout the nation in 2015. A new institution, known as the Technology Accelerator, was created, and then the co-working space emerged as another element of this structure.
He also spoke about the branding initiative: “Another accomplishment that we have achieved here is the establishment of an innovation factory, which led to the development of this symbol across the country. This year, we unveiled the discussion on product warranty, which was named the brand of Pardis Technology Park (PTP). We were able to provide a model for the ‘approval’ and ‘guarantee’ of product quality within the park. Under the quality approval section, products approved by the park will be authorized, and any changes that companies make to their product quality will require an additional step for our endorsement. This is additional approval, not just basic approval. Additionally, in the quality guarantee section of the park, financial assurance is added to the product, essentially creating a combination of standards and insurance. This service is highly beneficial for companies as it allows customers to choose and use products more confidently.”
He also mentioned the international expansion, stating that Pardis Technology Park is planning to extend the quality approval and guarantee to foreign customers in its future plans, aiming to develop its products in this manner. Safarinia commented on this matter: “If this successful experience proves fruitful, we hope it will expand both nationally and internationally and become another new service for the development of technological and knowledge-based products.”
Pardis Technology Park, established in 2001 under the responsibility of the presidential institution and with a development-oriented approach, aims to create a suitable environment for business operations, professional activities, and the presence of knowledge-based and innovative companies. It also aims to cater to the needs of Iranian non-resident elites and foreign technologists, address the complex technological needs of the country, and facilitate the process of knowledge and technology absorption, enhancement, and dissemination among universities, research and development institutes, private companies, and ultimately, the ‘industry’ and the ‘market’. It plays a role in shaping and forming the technology ecosystem, improving business laws and regulations in this field, and establishing professional activities in market research, ideation, scientific research, engineering design, prototyping, industrial design, standardization, technical knowledge development, intellectual property registration, sales, and consultancy operations to achieve technological products in the industrial field.
Lack of Access to Information, a Serious Challenge for Technology Journalists
During this session, some technology journalists discussed their work-related challenges. One of the journalists raised a key issue: “One of the most significant challenges in the technology sector is that it often goes unnoticed. Technology sector officials rarely have the inclination to grant interviews to journalists. Unfortunately, this poses a challenge for journalists who aim to create content. Even companies themselves are not optimistic anymore. One of the main reasons could be the overshadowing of the country’s policies on the technology sector, and another reason might be businesses not providing information to journalists.”
In this regard, a reporter from Tasnim News Agency also criticized the head of Pardis Technology Park, saying: “I have not been able to interview him so far, even though Tasnim News Agency is quite active in various sectors besides technology. The issue now is that technology managers themselves must also contribute to this matter. All managers say to send them questions, and they will respond, but this interview model does not satisfy journalists.
Amin Reza Khaleghian, the Director General of Communications and International Affairs, also commented on this matter: “One of the skills that technology journalists can possess is transforming a highly complex and technical subject into understandable language for the public.”
He added: “This is an art that only journalists can have. Currently, some magazines have adopted this approach and are attempting to weave narratives in the technology field to make a subject fully comprehensible for the people.
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