The Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs unveiled the support package for knowledge-based companies and startups working in the online, digital and virtual field to create an opportunity for the development of online services in the battle against corona. Now that the innovation and technology ecosystem of the technical and medical field has been successful in the fight against corona, now is the time for flourishing of other activists in the ecosystem, which can be realized with the start of activities with the title of “Corona Plus Movement”.

According to the information center of national elites foundation, a press conference was held today to “unveil the support package of the Vice-Presidency for knowledge-based companies and startups working in the online, digital and virtual field” in the presence of Parviz Karami, the secretary of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter, and Mahdi Mohammadi, the secretary of the digital economy and automation technologies development headquarter.  

During the meeting, Karami stated: today, a support package is unveiled in line with the other types of support provided by the Vice-Presidency for knowledge-based companies and startups to increase the pace of activities in the fight against corona. Along with the outbreak of corona, the Vice-Presidency issued a call, according to which the corona fight committee was formed in order to take effect measures by knowledge-based companies in the areas of mask production, mask production lines, disinfectants and medical equipment such as ventilator, bypass, corona diagnostic kit and drug protocols.

The second production line of corona diagnosis kits was opened yesterday by the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs as another success of knowledge-based companies.

The secretary of the corona fight committee continued: in order to expand these successes to other fields and flourishing of other startups that can play a role in the fight against corona, the “Corona Plus Movement” has been established with the cooperation of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter and the digital economy and automation technologies development headquarter. In this movement, the main goal is to take steps toward the slogan of staying home and not gathering for activities through providing online services and products using the capacity of startups in nine active fields.

Support of Startups

Karami also expressed: the result of the movement is providing better services with a higher quality and a lower cost at a high pace. In this regard, facilities will be provided to startups. Of course, comprehensive studies have been conducted on the problems facing startups in order to provide the services provided to solve the problem and the speed and strength of their work.

Therefore, helping to expedite licenses and actions in creative or knowledge-based startups, providing financial support, helping to remove legal barriers to obtaining licenses, helping to promote and introduce them and providing infrastructure, networking between different startups are among the supports in this regard.

The president of the information center of the Vice-Presidency mentioned that startups are introduced in cooperation with IRIB, adding: some small startups do not have the power to promote their activities and are unknown in the community, so introducing them will help them look better. In general, the introduction, culture building and awareness to help and strengthen startups in the field of online is one of the activities of this movement.

Karami considered the formation of a chain with the help of the movement as another goal that turns the threat of corona into an opportunity and creates a new view toward information technology, online services and telecommuting.

Increasing the Role of Startups in People’s Life

The advisor to the vice president for science and technology affairs continued that the “Corona Plus Movement” was established to increase the role of startups in people’s life as a valuable measure, asserting: the movement creates interaction between government sectors and startups, acting as a bridge to develop innovative and online solutions.

Karami described the movement as a valuable act in the current condition. In this meeting, startups and teams active in groups are invited to increase synergy between sectors and take effective steps in these field. The teams will be supported by the Vice-Presidency.

Providing Technological Solutions for Startups

Afterwards, Mahdi Mohammadi, the secretary of the digital economy and automation technologies development headquarter, mentioned that the movement considers the development of online services, affirming: with the launch of the movement, we intend to strengthen the influential areas in cyberspace and through it to identify and support online startup capacities.

He continued: technological solutions of Corona Plus Movement will be provided by startups. However, the goal is not supporting ideas but rather supporting solutions that need rapid development.

In addition, Mohammadi described nine groups of startups in the field and talked about the titles of each startup’s facilities and benefits. Online education, online transportation, online health, online sports, entertainment and online tourism, online content production, social innovation, online stores and ideas and initiatives are among the areas considered in the call.

The secretary of the digital economy and automation technologies development headquarter asserted: there are priorities in each field mentioned in the website of CORONA.ISTI.IR. People can submit their request by registering on the website.

A report by the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs