The first Iran-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Forum was held in Tehran last 19th  and 20th  April 2017. The Forum is the largest European event devoted to the internationalization of research and innovation systems, which is also the platform for revitalizing the economic and cultural exchanges between Italy and Iran.

Following the opening ceremony, the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research, Valeria Fedeli, and the Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Mohammad Farhadi, signed the joint declaration to implement the collaboration already begun between Italy and Iran in Science and technology sector, further strengthening institutional synergy through the participation of science parks and technologists, clusters and new initiatives like several fablabs that took part in the Forum.

The inaugural day has also been featured by 8 thematic seminars including a session dedicated to Innovation Policies with the Iranian Vice-Minister for Research and Technology, Vahid Amadi, Innovation, Startup and Internationalization Ministry of Campania Region, Valeria Fascione, and the Development Ministry of Lazio Region, Guido Fabiani. The topics discussed: energy, biomedicine, agro-food, environmental technologies and ICT, including a specific focus on cultural heritage technologies, a strategic focus for two countries such as Iran and Italy, rich in testimonies historical, archaeological and cultural heritage.

The schedule of one-to-one meetings has been very full. Over 400 business meetings between Italian and Iranian researchers and entrepreneurs to deepen the hypothesis of joint research projects, transfer of new technologies and innovative products between research institutions and innovative Iranian and Italian companies.

There were more than 600 participants between Italian delegates and Iranians. Finally, the first day ended with the presence of Vice-Minister Vahid Amadi. Kosro Piri, Director of Technology Affairs of the Ministry of Science, Iranian Research and Technology, and the main actor in organizing and promoting the Forum, has brought participants greeting.

On the second day of the Forum, however, there was a series of visits to important Iranian scientific and technological realities including the Medical Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University, which hosted the Forum, Iran FabLab, in the Pardis Science and Technology Park, and Sharif University, a prestigious Iranian Polytechnic centre

With the Sharif University, which each year sees many talented engineers graduating, Regional Minister Fascione and Secretary General of Città della Scienza, Vincenzo Lipardi, came into contact to develop joint venture startup and acceleration projects, in synergy with the new  Campania NewSteel certified incubator, created by the partnership between the Federico University of Naples and Città della Scienza. Finally, a delegation composed of organizations active in the marine and maritime sectors, led by the delegates of Città della Scienza, was received by representatives of the Office of Science and Technology of the Vice Presidency of the Iranian Republic in order to meet a group of institutes and enterprises of the sector and build a network of cooperation for the future.