How ISTT builds a Community of Innovation and Entrepreneurship The Experience of Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT) Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival

Science and Technology Parks (STPs) serve as catalysts for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth by fostering collaboration among researchers, businesses, and policymakers. In Iran, STPs have played a crucial role in developing knowledge-based economy, despite facing significant challenges, including geopolitical restrictions and limited access to international markets.  

On the other hand one of the challenges in the societies today is that the university graduates have just focused on learning the subject related to their fields of specialty and they are very good graduates in terms of getting high scores in their specialized fields. However, when it comes to business and entering the market activities they don't know what to do and how to work. They face challenges in work and business after graduation. Therefore, we see organization of entrepreneurship events and programs and formation of entrepreneur universities, that are identified by their specific characteristics such as creativity and innovation, team work, willing to deal with challenges and change them into opportunities and encouraging their students to have financial independence. Science and technology parks can play a significant role in this regard.  

To achieve sustainable development, the societies need to utilize the new knowledge generated by universities and advanced technologies that can be developed by innovators and entrepreneurs. Therefore, there should be a platform to help universities nurture students in a way to be able to use new technologies and accept responsibilities in their societies. A platform that help graduates become successful entrepreneurs as well. STPs can be appropriate places for this purpose both through their various programs and meeting the challenges.  

The author in this paper intends to elaborate briefly on some of the activities that are performed by ISTT, as the pioneering science and technology park in Iran, to promote entrepreneurship concept in community and to help entrepreneurship ecosystem in community. The paper also explores how STPs in Iran can build a strong community of innovation and entrepreneurship, leveraging international cooperation while addressing the obstacles that have hindered progress, the case of Sheikh Bahai Technopreneurship Festival as a successful community of entrepreneurship will be elaborated later on, while other international relations are referred to briefly as well.