IRAN/ According to the latest statistics, Iranian women have a 25% share in the management of the knowledge-based ecosystem; and their activities range from medicine and launching medical equipment to software and information technology.

4,106 official shareholders of Iranian knowledge-based companies are women. These companies operate in various fields of information technology, machinery and equipment, electricity, medicine; and biotechnology, and provide services and initiate products in these fields.

Tehran city has the most female CEOs in knowledge-based companies with 321 people. The reason for the significant difference in the number of female board members and CEOs in Tehran; and other provinces is due to the establishment of more knowledge-based companies in Tehran.

Since the Islamic Revolution, women are working as CEOs in 706 companies. Furthermore; 2,592 women are active as members of the board of directors of knowledge-based companies.

Statistics

According to the latest statistics provided by the Vice-Chancellor of Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy; women own 17% of the shares of knowledge-based companies; and the field of medicine and diagnostic and treatment products has the largest number of women.

In line with the importance of the issue of women’s management in the knowledge ecosystem; an exhibition of the achievements of Iranian women entrepreneurs in various fields such as electricity and electronics, medical equipment; accelerator centers and home businesses, automobiles, software, etc; was established at the Iran Innovation; and Technology House.

For the establishment of this exhibition, among 900 capable women of knowledge-based companies; more than 60 people were chosen as representatives; of the field of science and technology.

During this exhibition, guests from 80 countries including; Japan, Sweden, Russia, China, Singapore, Australia, Ireland, Cameroon, Nigeria, Armenia, Serbia, Azerbaijan; Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Pakistan, Algeria; and… visited the achievements of the technology was the result of Iranian women’s efforts.

Based on the products presented in this exhibition; the following report has tried to present a picture of the role played by Iranian women in the knowledge-based field; and the effectiveness of their products in the country’s industry and economy.

Quick Detection Kits with 3 Anti-Biotics

One of the products produced by an Iranian woman; is diagnostic kits that are used in dairy factories. Beta-lactams, tetracyclines; and sulfonamides are the most widely used antibiotics for the treatment; of bacterial infections in dairy cows. But the use of antibiotics for non-therapeutic purposes leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; which will enter the human food chain through dairy products.

Therefore, it is very important to detect such antibiotics before dairy products enter the human food cycle.

Mohadeseh Haji Abdul-Wahab, Ph.D. in biotechnology and manager of the start-up team producing this kit; said: “We produce antibiotic detection kits in milk that can be used; at the milk production site for daily control; or in laboratories to analyze a set of milk samples.”

Referring to the features of this kit, she said: “Detection of antibiotics, high sensitivity, reproducibility, ease to use; fast and affordable are the features of this product. Of course; there is no Iranian version of this product in the country, which saves currency.”

According to Mrs. Haji Abdul-Wahab, dairy; and milk factories are required to use these kits; so we can provide these factories with 500,000 kits per month. There is also the possibility of exporting in this company; but the priority is to meet the needs of the country; and then we plan to export this product to the Middle East and then European countries.

Monitoring Power Transmission Lines Product

Another achievement of Iranian expert women who were also present at the “Influential Iranian Women” exhibition; was software for detecting defects in power transmission lines through image processing. This Iranian software works based on artificial intelligence and will provide a complete report to the electrical technician.

Zahra Al-Sadat Atari, a representative of a level one knowledge-based company; stated that the software we developed can detect more than 80 types of defects; in power transmission lines with artificial intelligence algorithms; and provides a complete report to the electricity manager.

She stated that in the past, defects were identified with industrial drones and with GPS information; and said: “Industrial drones would fall due to the presence of a magnetic field around the masts; or the GPS would have problems. But with the software we prepared; we can report faults in power transmission lines based on image processing without any other disturbances.”

She added: “This software monitors the power towers in a short time and accurately identifies the fault point. Currently, regional electricity companies and Tavanir company are using this software.”

Pipe Production for Oil & Gas Industry 

The field of production of oil, gas, and petrochemical industry pipes; is one of the other areas where women play a role based on basic knowledge.

Atiya Andakhshideh, CEO of a knowledge-based company that produces pipes needed by the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries; stated that the company produces pipes for the oil, gas; and petrochemical industries said: “These glasses are produced from glass fibers and different types of resin.”

She stated that these composite pipes are more resistant to corrosion; than metal pipes used in the oil and gas industry; and added: “The strength of composite pipes is similar to metal products; but they have very high chemical resistance.”

In response to the question of whether Iranian raw materials; were used in the production of these pipes; Andakhshideh said: “We use the raw materials available in the country to produce the company’s products. We also use nanotechnology in production; and we have obtained the Nano-scale approval for this product from the special headquarters for the development of nanotechnology.”

Referring to the features of this product; this director said: “Great resistance to corrosion and electrical properties are the features of these pipes.”

Online Medical Consultation Platform

Getting health services is very expensive for most patients who are constantly at risk; and health monitoring through software and smartphones is considered a continuous; and long-term method to monitor these patients. A women-only start-up team has started its activity to provide online medical health consultation services; throughout the country and allow patients to be quickly connected; to the doctor of their choice.

One of the advantages of this software is that you can even communicate with the veterinarian. Doctor and veterinarian visits at the patient’s place, nutritional advice, providing physiotherapy and speech therapy; responding at any moment of the day and night, protecting the patient’s privacy, providing test services at the patient’s place; are among the advantages of this product.

This start-up provides services as the largest start-up in the field of health. The number of successful consultations through this software is 255 thousand sessions; and more than one million and 900 thousand users are active in it. Also, more than 4,500 doctors and consultants provide services to patients with this software.

Orthopedics & Rehabilitation Services 

Another knowledge-based company that operates under the guidance; and leadership of women has managed to produce a product called remote rehabilitation.

Elahe Faraji, CEO of one of the technology companies located in Ghiathuddin-Jamshid-Kashani Science and Technology Park, said: “Remote rehabilitation is the field of activity of this company, through which we can provide services to some people in this field.”

According to her, we communicate with patients remotely and after initial evaluations, we will provide the product needed by the person in the field of rehabilitation. These rehabilitation products range from crutches and walkers to wheelchairs, beds, mattresses, and headsets for spinal rehabilitation.

Emphasizing that in this service delivery, assistive technologies in the field of rehabilitation are provided to the applicants, Faraji noted: “We used ICT for assistive rehabilitation technologies in the form of these services.”

Ceramic Filters For Casting

Sediqeh Mohebi, CEO of a knowledge-based company in the field of ceramic filters; said: “This product has a gray appearance due to its high-temperature resistance (up to about 1500 degrees Celsius); also is mainly used for the filtration of gray grass; and ductile as well as some non-ferrous metals.”

According to this CEO; the percentage of voids and the size of the holes in this product is set in such a way; that it prevents the entry of slag; products reacted with cast metal, and sand particles into the mold and leading to the smooth flow of the melt while filling the mold will be in addition; to reducing the costs caused by defective parts. This will lead to a reduction in the size of duct systems and, as a result, it will simplify their design.

Referring to the second product produced by this company, which is another type of ceramic filter; she said: “This product with a white appearance and excellent strength is suitable for all industrial and laboratory applications exposed to corrosive substances at high temperatures (up to 1100 degrees Celsius). The high abrasion resistance of this product is such that it can purify and contain all aluminum base melts and can act as a barrier to prevent turbulent and molten flow from entering the casting mold.”

Fashion & Clothing Innovation House

Another different achievement that has recently been presented; by expert women entrepreneurs; is the establishment of a fashion and clothing innovation house. This center is a base for all people and businesses in the world of fashion and clothing who are concerned about the growth of ideas or businesses with any need.

This innovation center will support them from validation and idea development to business launch, design, production, marketing and sales, mentoring, coaching, acceleration, and even export. The fashion; and clothing innovation house was established to develop; the flow of intellectual capital in the direction of innovation; and entrepreneurship in the field of fashion and clothing and shape an efficient ecosystem in the field of fashion and clothing in Iran.

People who want to create a business in the field of fashion and clothing can learn from ideation to sales in the real market by attending this innovation house.

Iranian Science Vice-President’s Promise “Free Facilities & Creating a Fund for Woman Entrepreneurs”

Ruhollah Dehghani Firouzabadi, the Iranian vice president for the science, technology, and economics of knowledge base, has recently made promises to facilitate the activities of women in the field of a knowledge base.

He announced the launch of a special fund for women entrepreneurs and said: “We will support knowledge-based companies whose key elements or a high percentage of employees are women.”

Vice President for Science and Technology, also referring to the exhibition of knowledge-based women’s achievements; said: “Women are influential in the field of innovation, they have produced products, some of which are in sync with the world’s knowledge.” We are proud and feel good to be able to help in this area.”

He continued: “Scientific Vice-Chancellor has facilities that he provides to companies for the development of basic knowledge. In this regard, 67 loans of 5000 million Rials with two-year repayment; will be allocated to the women who are present; in this exhibition.”

Source: Mehr News Agency