Common Fields of Cooperation Between ICT Park and El-Gazala Technopark in Tunisia Were Explored

This was a preliminary meeting to evaluate the common fields of cooperation as well as the possibility of signing a memorandum of cooperation between Iran's Information and Communication Technology Park (ICT Park) and Tunisia's Elgazala Technopark,  held on July 4th, 2022 with the presence of Dr. Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan, Communication and International Affairs Advisor of ICT Park and Ms. Mona Jendoubi, the Head of Entrepreneurship & Business Development Department in Elgazala Technopark.

At the beginning of this meeting, while introducing Tunisia's Elgazala Technopark, Ms. Jendoubi said: “This park was established in 1997 and its first company started operating in 1999. The main goal of the Tunisian Technology Park is to create a synergy between education, industry, and the resources. Different well-known universities that offer technology programs and certificates, including Sup'Com University and Higher Institutes of Technological Studies of Tunisia are associated with this park. We currently have approximately 100 companies active in the field of information technology and 40 startups. Since the establishment of this park, we have signed several contracts with other countries and are in contact with many international ecosystems. To promote our entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, and aiming to link our startups, we collaborate with many different growth centers, innovation centers, and university technology parks all around the world. Our main mission is to ensure technology transfer and development of startups and to guarantee more financial opportunities.”

Moreover, with the aim of developing joint cooperation, she suggested holding in-person meetings and visits to explore the startups and companies associated with both parks.

The Head of the Entrepreneurship and Business Development Department of Tunisia's Elgazala Technopark also mentioned that Tunisian startups are interested in participating in ICT Park's accelerating programs.

Indicating the wide connections of Tunisia's Elgazala Technopark with different science and technology parks in African and Middle Eastern countries, Ms. Jendoubi asked ICT Park to provide support for the establishment and development of technology parks in African countries, share its experiences as an exemplary successful Park in developing technology companies and guide their products to enter regional and international markets.

In the course of this meeting, Dr. Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan, Communication and International Affairs Advisor of ICT Park, fully introduced ICT Park: “ICT Park was established by Iran's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and is also licensed by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology for operating in the field of information and communication technology. In 2017, this park was established as the first Iranian science and technology park in I.C.T in Iran and the President of ICT Park has more than 30 years of experience in the maintenance of science and technology parks,” he said.

Communication and International Affairs Advisor of ICT Park also provided a detailed report on the park’s activities, including the number of park branches, the number of associated companies, the number of park products, and other relevant issues, elaborating on the Park’s potential capacities for mutual cooperation at the regional and international levels.

Dr. Ghanbari Baghestan stated that the main goal of Iran’s ICT Park is to support innovative and technology-based businesses active in information and communication technology. “Currently, more than 60 companies are operating in Iran’s ICT Park,” he added.

He went on to point out the potential possibilities and the taken measures for the internationalization of the ICT Park: “ICT Park has started cooperating with different countries, including Mali, Ghana, and Nigeria. It should be noted that due to Iran's geopolitical position in the Middle East and its access to Central Asia and China, Iran’s ICT Park can help Ethiopia’s ICT Park to enter the markets of Central and Eastern Asia (such as Afghanistan and Pakistan). Iran can also lead Tunisia to the Turkish markets, paving its access to the Western regions, including European Union,”, he clarified. 

In the end, referring to the preliminary draft of the memorandum of understanding between the two parks and the formation of a joint working committee for this aim, Dr. Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan suggested that the representatives of each park to finalize the areas of cooperation and the Action plans proposed by Elgazala Technopark, thereafter, the senior heads of both parks shall make the final decision in the near future.