Iran's Tech Diaspora Powers Domestic Startup Boom

More than four decades after the 1979 revolution, Iran's highly educated expatriate community has emerged as an unexpected powerhouse behind the country's burgeoning tech sector. Drawing on global experience, the Iranian diaspora has become an informal network of "code diplomats" who quietly move knowledge, capital and infrastructure across borders—helping domestic startups thrive despite international sanctions.

A Thriving Digital Ecosystem

Iranian industries face isolation through secondary US sanctions, making access to cutting-edge global technologies difficult. Yet the rise of Iranian startups in the digital sphere has been remarkable, demonstrating the skill and expertise of the country's young professionals.

Iran is far from technologically isolated. In 2023, an estimated 80 per cent of Iranians used the internet—higher than the global average of 72.46 per cent. With a population of 90 million, Iran has about 151 million mobile phone subscribers, and an estimated 94 per cent of people have access to mobile phones.

The annual growth rate of startups in Iran is estimated at 14.1 per cent from April 2024 to April 2025. According to Hossein Afshin, the Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, revenue from Iranian knowledge-based companies increased by 60 per cent in the last year, whilst sales of knowledge-based products rose by 40 per cent compared to 2023.

Virtual Embassies Without Borders

The desire amongst Iranian digital startups to access the world's most advanced technologies has fuelled their drive to connect with the tech diaspora. Over the past decade, this interest has been reciprocal, with expatriates providing opportunities for collaboration and technical assistance to companies unable to access advanced technologies.

A number of Iranian expatriates launched OpenHopeHack on GitHub—a project that has become a symbol of diaspora mentorship inside Iran. These professionals encourage young Iranians to participate in open-source projects, offering prizes such as laptops to help them gain practical experience.

Prominent events such as iBRIDGES—an annual conference organised by the Iranian diaspora—connect overseas technology professionals with entrepreneurs inside Iran. These structured exchanges stand apart from political lobbying, focused instead on technical assistance and political neutrality.

Knowledge Exchange at Scale

The fifth Connect+ Forum was held in April at the Iran House of Innovation and Technology (iHiT) to facilitate knowledge exchange between Iranian experts abroad and domestic technology leaders. According to statistics from the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, Iranians living abroad have remotely launched 200 startups inside the country—the result of cooperation between more than 2,400 expatriates and domestic scientific and industrial centres. From 2015 to 2022, some 2,000 Iranian experts involved in such projects returned to the country.

Building Resilience Through Code

These "tech whisperers" are neither regime loyalists nor political agitators, existing outside Iran's political sphere altogether. They embody generational continuity, retain Iranian talent and quietly contribute to digital ecosystems.

From advising early-stage companies to helping implement infrastructure for scale-up projects, these mentors are creating networks that empower domestic entrepreneurs to experiment with new technologies and connect with global markets, all whilst navigating sanctions and regulatory challenges.

In this landscape, code speaks louder than diplomacy. Whilst policymakers negotiate in international forums, these "ghost mentors" are diligently building economic resilience in innovative ways—a promising collaboration that flourishes when goodwill and mutual growth take centre stage.