The closing ceremony of the 14^th National Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival (SHTF) was successfully held with the attendance of national and provincial officials, gathered technopreneurs and the founders of new businesses in Isfahan.This festival is annualy held by Isfahan Science and Technology Town (ISTT) with the support of Isfahan Regional Center for Technology Incubator and Science Park Development (IRIS). 

The Iranian Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Dr. Masoud Boroomand addressed the attendees of the ceremony during a speech he gave in which he mentioned that he is delighted to be a part of such a program that showcases the new generation of university graduates and active players of the technology ecosystem. He went on to elaborate that the characteristics of this new generation is different from previous ones and that they are exceptionally hard working with the potential to become the basis of a new economy.

As such Dr. Boroomand thanked and appreciated all the effort put in by Iran’s national Universities and Science & Technology Parks, especially that of Isfahan Science and Technology Town (ISTT) and Isfahan University of Technology (IUT) in steering this movement. He continued by saying that he considers this effort beneficial to national interests, and not just the region.

Iran’s Deputy of Technology Innovation and Commercialization Development of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, Dr. Peyman Salehi also addressed the festival participants by explaining that the Sheikh Bahai Festival has the means to convert entering initial ideas in to wealth. He went on to elaborate that the main objective of the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology is also in the actualization of ideas in to being and thus the accomplishments of this festival are most welcome and heartwarming to the organization.

The Governor of Isfahan, Dr. Abbas Rezaie, also addressed the festival audience and emphasized on the fact that as a community our manor towards research needs to change as well. We need to place more importance on research and development and that this festival is to honor those in this community devoted to applied research and innovation, which he too found worthy of much applaud.

He continued by pointing out that he felt organizing such an event is not only necessary once a year, but to his opinion it could also be multiplied to once every season because of its influential role in introducing research and innovation that offer practical solutions for the countries problems.

Isfahan’s Mayor, Dr. Ghodratollah Norouzi, also spoke during the closing ceremony. The mayor informed everyone that Isfahan had become a member of the world’s creative cities network and that the organization of such events could lead to the creative alleviation of the city’s issues.

He continued by announcing that the management team of the city of Isfahan is open and receptive to all ideas coming from the region’s youth working in the field of technical entrepreneurship, in the hope to rely on their expertise and hard work to solve city related problems.

The President of ISTT, Dr. Mehdi Abtahi, explained that mankind’s dependency to technology is undeniable and so ISTT has endeavored to develop an active innovative ecosystem in the region with the help of its existing knowledge-based companies and the events it holds like the Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival. Iran’s first science and technology park was developed in Isfahan and 10 percent of all the nation’s knowledge-based companies reside at ISTT.

The festival secretariat, Dr. Koroush Khosravi emphasized that the main purpose of the Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival (SHTF) is to identify technopreneurs and the developers of new business plans and to also evaluate their ideas and ability to finally introduce to interested parties of our society. He then went on to say that there is always a need for introductory events in innovative ecosystems.

The festival secretariat continued to inform the audience that this year, out of the 800 plans received at the initial stage of the program, 200 went on to the final round of evaluation. He also explained that during the last day of the festival approximately 200 face to face negotiations took place between investors and technopreneurs. This year the festival incorporated 8 categories of awards in the different forms of plaques, statues and cash from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology, ISTT, Barekat Foundation, Rouzbeh Pirouz (a National Technopreneurial Elite), Pendar Kooshk Imen Co, Reslat Bank and Hamrahvas Co.

The 14^th National Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival was held on the 27^th and 28^th of December, 2018 at Isfahan City Center Cinema Complex.