The top e-business minds in Iran are working to spur innovation and curb the unemployment rate.
The First Gathering of Iran’s e-Business Leaders, a meeting of the digital minds of Iran, was held in Tehran last month to discuss areas of opportunity for growth and development for digital companies in the region and how e-business can stimulate job growth.
The convention was hosted by e-Act, a tech company that teaches a series of online seminars focusing on branding, marketing, web management and online selling.
“By having these kind of events in our country, we hope that we can make Iran have a more successful e-business in order to help people have better lives,” Nima Asdaghi of e-Act, told the Gulf News Journal.
Because business ventures in the digital world require little startup cost and are conducive to a flexible schedule, Asdaghi said it is the obvious choice for business growth in Iran.
“The income depends on one’s effort, so it is the best solution for unemployment and we hope that it will change the rate,” Asdaghi said.
Iran’s unemployment rate sits at 10.7 percent, but the number becomes even more staggering when you look into the amount of youth without employment. Twenty-five percent of Iran’s youth are unemployed.
At the convention, Iran’s e-business professionals focused on how digital development can turn that youth unemployment number around by connecting university graduates with prominent leaders to give training and support. Asdaghi said e-business is also a field he can see the young women of Iran excel in.
“We see young women who are developing their own startups and getting more successful every day,” Asdaghi told the Gulf News Journal. “This kind of job has no gender limitation and instead is a big chance for everybody who is really looking forward to doing some e-business.”
Panel discussions at the conference focused on problems and obstacles in launching e-businesses and how to find ideas and create opportunities.
Golden Trophies were awarded to successful, leading figures in the industry with the hope that they will encourage youth to join the field.
Trophies were awarded to Digikala, Netbarg, Aparat, Pardakht Logisits, BeepTunes, Esam, Levan and Anetwork.
“We have numerous opportunities ahead of us to grow more in Iran, and we must plan for it,” Hamidreza Mohammadi, managing director of Digikala, said at the conference. “This is just the beginning.”
Iranians who sign up for e-Act’s online classes will create their own website, receive specialized instruction from teachers and be a part of the company’s mentor team. The company promises that in six months, students will see growth in their startup business.
“The goal is to make people more comfortable to come forward to detect a need,” Asdaghi said, “And fill that with a winnable idea.”
