“A bank of startups would certainly help us get a better picture of successful companies in terms of raising capitals. The database would give access to a list of startup companies in the field of information and communication technology, all in one place,” Naser Ali Sa’adat, head of the NSR, said in an interview with IT Men daily.

The official added that ICT is the cornerstone of all small enterprises and ambitious startups. “All startups share one thing in common; they use ICT infrastructure as a means of streamlining their services,” said the official.The official made the statements on the sidelines of the 23rd Iran International Exhibition of Electronics, Computers and E-Commerce that went underway at Tehran International Permanent Fairground on Friday. 

According to the official, Elecomp, which is seen as the largest ICT event in the Middle East, is a unique opportunity for startups to get up close with investors and top players in the industry.

“The exhibition is a place that connects participants and visitors…We need to devise a mechanism to gather information pertaining to startups. It would help them raise funds more effectively,” Sa’adat said.

“To that end, we plan to embark on collecting data on startup companies on the NSR website. The move would eventually pave the way for their listing in stock markets or finding the right investors.”

“I promise Iranian startups that sharing their information on the NSR website will help us find investors for them,” he added.

The exhibition, organized by the NSR, includes a section, known as Telecom Stars, that is dedicated to startup companies. It is essentially a platform for fledgling businesses to promote their ideas and services, raise cash and learn new practices alongside mentors and experts on how to expand their business.

Sa’adat added that there is no clear consensus on the notion of lending support to startups. 

“There is no clear definition of support for startup companies. Some industry players assume that assistance means to walk an entity all the way through different stages of development. But the platform provided by the NSR at the Elecomp exhibition is a true form of support,” the NSR chief noted.