Iran may not be the first destination you would think of when it comes to startups. Its track record is here: top engineers filling American Ivy League Universities, a series of key founders who made possible eBay, Dropbox, Youtube or Zoosk, and, more recently, a political improvement which make diasporans think of going back to the country to make it a tech hub. Yes, Iran sits at the center of a 120-130m people market talking Farsi, with borders to huge and untapped countries.
We’ve spent three weeks in Iran in November 2013, and have been paying visits to the local connectors of the startup scene, as well as attended the Startup Weekend in Shiraz.
In this report on the Iran startup scene, you will learn:
- How wars shaped a generation of top engineers who, by lack of opportunities, often emigrate and create successful tech ventures
- Details on a rich market of Farsi-speaking population, and a regional hub in markets no one has dared to venture
- What are the present day events and community players who make possible the birth of a generation of startupers in Tehran and elsewhere