Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey are to invest $500,000 each on establishing a regional startup center, Iran’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) minister has said.
Cited by Tasnim News Agency, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi called the center, which is to be set up in the Iranian capital Tehran, a place for exchanging informational and technological expertise between the four countries' young start-ups. He discussed the Iranian proposal with his other regional counterparts on the sidelines of Bakutel 2018, which was held from December 4 to 7 at Baku Expo Center, Azerbaijan.
Iran has already invested over five billion dollars to develop ICT infrastructures, however, other countries should also cooperate in this field, he said. With remote sensing satellite, a country can predict sand and dust storms and floods, but its manufacturing is costly, he said. “That is why a joint use of these satellites will help reduce the costs,” added the Iranian official.
He also praised agricultural startups which have helped save water through new irrigation systems as well as producing better pesticides. "Replacing traditional methods, Iranian startups save 35% of water resources and 300 thousand dollars in pesticide industry", said Azari Jahromi.