According to the information center of national elites foundation, Sorena Sattari, the
vice president for science and technology affairs, regarded the formation of an
innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem as the most important necessity to
apply the talents of women in the knowledge-based economy during the conference
of “role of information and communication technology in empowerment of women”,
which was held in the presence of Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, minister of
information and communication technology and Masoumeh Ebtekar.

Ability of Information and
Communication Technology to Improve the Abilities of Women

Sattari pointed out the unique capacity of information and
communication technology in the formation of knowledge-based businesses and
startups of women, stating: the ICT is a proper foundation for presence of
women in knowledge-based entrepreneurial fields regardless of previous
attitudes toward the abilities of women in the area of innovation based on the
intelligence, efficiency and innovation of this new environment.

He continued: information and communication technology
creates the foundation for employment of women, who are allocated a share of
55% of computer science graduates, in the innovation and entrepreneurship
ecosystem.

The vice president for science and technology affairs
emphasized the necessity of support of startups and knowledge-based companies
of women by investors of the private sector, affirming: we need to dedicate
extensive effort to create the foundation for presence of venture capitals in
knowledge-based businesses of women and provide the space to change the
attitude of the investors of the private sector toward the innovations of
women.

Creation of an Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

President of the knowledge-based economy, technology and
science development headquarter regarded the presence of women in management of
more than 350 knowledge-based companies as a criterion for the efficiency of
this group of people and necessity of providing an opportunity for their
presence. In this regard, Sattari affirmed: today, women have a share 25% in
management of knowledge-based companies.

Necessity of Using the Capacity of Academics
in Knowledge-based Economy

President of the national elites foundation pointed out the
inaccurate statistics on emigration of Iranian students, mentioning: in the
beginning of the Islamic revolution, 100 out of 270 thousand Iranian students were
studying abroad, 50 thousand of whom were in America. Meanwhile, from the
current four million and 700 thousand Iranian students, only 48 thousand
students are studying abroad, 12 thousand of whom study in America. This
indicates that Iran is not among the top countries with high emigration rates.

He continued: valid and official statistics on the
emigration of students are announced by international units (e.g., the United
Nations) every year, according to which after China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia,
and India, Iran is not among the top student-sending countries.

Sattari also pointed out the role of women in academic
educations, conveying: currently, more than 50% of university entrances are
assigned to women. In addition, 49% of outputs of universities and higher
education centers of the country is allocated to women of Iran. Therefore, the
foundation must be laid for their activities in various businesses.

The meeting of “role of information and communication
technology in empowering women” was held in the presence of Sorena Sattari, the
vice president for science and technology affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, deputy for
women’s affairs, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, minister of information and
communication technology, and a number of senior managers and experts of the
country and active women in the area of management and occupation.

Some of the goals of this event included promotion and
improvement of knowledge about the role of information and communication
technology in empowering of women and evaluation of strategies that can
increase the management abilities of women in various sections by holding
specialized panels.