The Presidential Vice-President for Science and Technology unveiled a support package for knowledge-based companies and startups in the online, digital, and virtual fields to provide an opportunity for the development of online services in the fight against Corona. Now that the technology and innovation ecosystem in the medical and technical fields has shone brightly in the fight against Corona, it is time for other activists in this ecosystem to shine. With the unveiling of this support package for startups, activities titled “Corona Plus Campaign” will also see a boom in this sector.
According to the Communication and Information Center of the Presidential Vice-President for Science and Technology, a press conference was held today on “Unveiling the Support Package of the Vice-President for Science and Technology for Knowledge-Based Companies and Startups in the Online, Digital, and Virtual Fields” with the presence of Parviz Karami, Secretary of the Knowledge-Based Economy Culture Development Headquarters of the Scientific Vice-President, and Mehdi Mohammadi, Secretary of the Digital Economy and Smartization Technologies Development Headquarters of the Scientific Vice-President.
Parviz Karami, Secretary of the Knowledge-Based Economy Culture Development Headquarters of the Vice President for Science and Technology, said at the meeting: “In line with the support of the Vice President for Science and Technology for knowledge-based companies and startups to accelerate the fight against Corona, another support package will be unveiled today.” The Vice President for Science and Technology issued a call at the same time as the Corona outbreak, and based on it, the Committee to Fight Corona was formed, according to which good measures were taken by knowledge-based companies in the areas of mask production, mask production lines, disinfectants, and medical devices such as ventilators, Bi-Pep, Corona diagnostic kits, and drug protocols. Yesterday, the second production line for Corona diagnostic kits was inaugurated by the Vice President for Science and Technology as another success of the activities of knowledge-based activists.
The Secretary of the Scientific Vice-Minister’s Anti-Corona Committee continued: In order to expand these successes to other areas and to shine other startups that can play a role in the fight against Corona, this “Corona Plus Campaign” was launched in cooperation with the Knowledge-Based Economy Culture Building Headquarters of the Scientific Vice-Minister’s Office and the Digital Economy and Smart Development Headquarters. In this campaign, we intend to stay at home in line with the slogan of not gathering to carry out activities and take steps through online goods and services, and use the capacity of startups in 9 active areas.
Supporting Startups
Karmi also stated: The result of this campaign is to provide better, quality, cheaper and faster services to the people. In this regard, facilities are provided to startups, of course, comprehensive studies and surveys were conducted about the problems facing startups so that the services provided are in line with solving the problem and speeding up their work. So, helping to accelerate licenses and measures to make startups creative or knowledge-based, providing financial support, helping to remove legal obstacles to obtaining licenses, helping to advertise and introduce them, and providing infrastructure, networking between different startups are among the supports provided in this campaign.
The head of the Communication and Information Center of the Scientific Vice-Ministerial Office, pointing out that in this campaign, informing and introducing startups is done in cooperation with the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation, added: Some small startups do not have the power to advertise their activities and are unknown in society, so introducing them helps to make them better visible. In general, introducing, creating culture, and raising awareness to help and strengthen online startups are among the activities of this campaign.
Karami considered creating a chain with the help of the “Corona Plus” campaign to be one of the goals of this action, so that the threat of Corona can be turned into an opportunity and used, and a new style in looking at information technology, online services, and remote work can be created. So, with the growth of startups, better services will be provided to the people. Maybe we have not done well in this area so far, but this campaign is an opportunity for startups in these 9 areas of activity to shine.
Highlighting the role of startups in people’s lives
The Vice President’s Advisor for Science and Technology continued by stating that the Corona Plus campaign was launched to highlight the role of startups in people’s lives so that valuable measures can be taken with its help, and said: This campaign aims to be like a bridge for the development of innovative and online solutions by creating a connection between government sectors and startups.
Karami described the holding of this campaign in the current situation as an effective move and added: After the necessary studies, 9 groups were identified, groups that can be effective in the Corona crisis with their services in cyberspace and provide a service to the people. In this meeting, startups and teams active in these groups were invited to think together and work together to take powerful steps in these areas. The Vice-Chancellor of Science also supports these teams.
Providing technological solutions by startups
Furthermore, Mehdi Mohammadi, Secretary of the Digital Economy and Smartization Staff of the Vice-Chancellor of Science and Technology, stated that this campaign aims to develop online services and said: By launching this campaign, we intend to strengthen influential areas in cyberspace and through it, identify and support online startup capacities. After evaluating online capacities, they will be upgraded and stabilized and help provide better and higher-quality services.
The Secretary of the Digital Economy and Smartization Technology Development Staff of the Vice-Chancellor of Science also stated: It has been several months since the outbreak of Corona, and we will continue to struggle with this disease for the next few months. So we must resolve issues and problems in the online space. These issues can include various areas such as online transportation to online education.
He continued: In the Corona Plus campaign, technological solutions will be provided by startups. Of course, in this campaign, the goal is to support