TEHRAN – In a recent global ranking by StartupBlink 2026, Tehran’s position has advanced by 20 spots, ranking 348 among the world’s most innovative cities.

Tehran is home to 96 startups, making up 81 percent of all startups in the country. Tehran has approximately 1 startup per 100,000 people. In 2025, the ecosystem recorded an annual growth rate of over 36 percent. The city is currently ranked as the 1st strongest startup ecosystem in Iran, having remained stable since 2025. At the regional level, Tehran ranks 11th in West Asia, having moved up 2 spots since 2025.

According to Iran Innovation Zone, the achievement is the result of strengthening innovation infrastructure and developing interactions among different sectors operating in the knowledge-based economy, Mehr news agency reported.

The report by StartupBlink has highlighted the role of Pardis Technology Park, the country’s largest technology and innovation hub, as one of the driving forces of Iran’s knowledge-based economy. The park hosts hundreds of knowledge-based and technology companies, creating business development infrastructure and providing a platform for enhancing cooperation among startups, investors, large industries, and institutions.

Moreover, hosting the International Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INOTEX) every year, Pardis Technology Park plays a key role in networking and connecting experts in the innovation ecosystem. According to the report, thanks to the capacities of Pardis Technology Parks, Iran's startup ecosystem ranks 95 globally.

The Innovation and Prosperity Fund and MCI (Hamrah Aval – Iran’s first mobile operator) Ventures are the two other key agents that have developed Iran’s innovation ecosystem by facilitating the growth of technology and knowledge-based companies.

Iran ranks 58th globally in ‘Corporate Engagement’, an indicator that reflects the effective interactions between large industries and innovative and technological companies.

Fintech, the leading industry in Iran, ranks 72nd globally, 5th in the Middle East, indicating the country’s high capacity in the development of financial technologies. Iran Fintech Industry has 23 startups, representing 19 percent of all startups in Iran.

In the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, Iran’s startup ecosystem is ranked 103 worldwide, holding steady compared to the previous year. The Iranian startup ecosystem ranks 10th in West Asia, having remained stable since 2025. It ranks right after Oman and is followed by Iraq.

The country has 118 startups, representing one percent of all startups in the Middle East. This equals approximately one startup per 100,000 people. The ecosystem grew by +54.4 percent over the past year.

Startup ecosystem flourishing despite sanctions

Despite unilateral sanctions, Iran’s startup ecosystem has successfully thrived since the 2010s, with the country being home to more than 6,000 startups across diverse sectors, ranging from financial services to agricultural technology.

In the shadow of sanctions and economic headwinds, Iran is building one of West Asia’s most structured national innovation ecosystems, banking on a science- and technology-led economy to drive long-term resilience and self-reliance, Press TV reported.

At the heart of this ecosystem are Iran’s knowledge-based companies aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on oil and imported technology. With over 4,500 officially registered, these entities function as strategic policy tools.

They aim to close the persistent divide between Iran’s impressive academic output—ranked among the world’s top 15 in scientific publications—and real-world commercial innovation.

These companies focus on critical and strategic technologies, from pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology to aerospace and information and communication technology (ICT), often developing indigenous alternatives to foreign tech.

Iran’s Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology has led this shift by providing financial, legal, and research support to build a local tech economy. Over the past decade, it has introduced policies like tax breaks, venture capital, IP protection, and export support to help entrepreneurs grow.

The country hosts more than 45 Science and Technology Parks, 600 Innovation and Growth Centers, and numerous Innovation Factories—dynamic hubs where startups, investors, accelerators, and R&D labs come together to fuel innovation and growth.

The Pardis Technology Park, east of Tehran, is the crown jewel, billing itself as the “Silicon Valley of the Islamic World.” These parks offer infrastructure, legal support, and preferential taxation for high-tech firms, often co-located with universities.

MT/MG