Dihim, turning an abandoned factory into an innovation factory

Factory change and innovative use of industrial sheds have become popular in the world these days. In fact, the old places have given way to start-ups and agile businesses. We are an innovation factory In the field of agriculture, one of these factories.

Follow the conversation of Accomotive media with the internal manager of this factory:

please introduce yourself:

I am Amir Hossein Fitrati, the founder of Alma Rent. I was the internal manager of various companies such as Partosartavan and companies in the field of industrial production. I have been working in the startup space for almost 8 years; Since friends who wanted to launch the Dehim collection knew me, they invited me to collaborate; Of course, I was active in the factory from the very beginning and in the past, and this previous acquaintance led to this connection and re-cooperation from the very first days of the acceleration of the innovation factory.

How was Dehim born?

Deihim Innovation and Acceleration Factory started its official activity in 1398; The factory used to be the largest factory in the wood industry and operated in the field of wood textiles. The factory was established in 1345, and since I was working in the complex under the position of factory manager, that is, since 1984, everything went well, but due to issues such as sanctions, we were no longer able to import, so the factory was closed for a while.

The factory space is approximately 17 hectares and has about 50,000 meters of roofed sheds, which due to industry changes and plans given by consulting companies such as Mackenzie, the best activity for this space was a factory of innovation and acceleration. In this space, different sections such as shared work spaces, industrial and production environments and amenities such as accommodation, kitchen and restaurant, dining hall, amphitheater, library, cafe, etc. are created for different companies that intend to establish. we did.

Is Dehim only specialized in agriculture?

Dihim specializes in agriculture and the arts; We have a specialized agricultural accelerator and we intend to launch an accelerator in the field of art, but there is no ban on the presence of knowledge-based and elite companies in various fields such as IoT, art and any other knowledge-based company.

What services does Deihim provide to the teams?

We are in a dilemma Shared workspace We have about 1800 meters and a capacity of 250 people, 13 rooms between 9 to 36 meters and like all common work spaces in the country; But the difference between this space and other spaces is that if the established companies need production space, we provide this space to the teams along with various amenities. We also have 4 main workshops; Wood industry workshop, parts making workshop, casting workshop, mold making workshop, paint and static that can also use these factory facilities to make prototypes; That means a complete set!

We also have a 300-meter cafe, an active and permanent restaurant, and due to the distance to Tehran, a 24-hour permanent residence with full facilities is provided for the well-being of individuals and teams who intend to establish themselves in the complex. Shared workspace is also available with different tariffs, all of which are listed on our site.

We provide these spaces to the teams, and of course we have intellectual support and consultants to help accelerate the teams’ progress.

How many teams have been attracted to Dihim so far and how many teams have left Dihim?

Dihim has only been launched for 2 years and was inaugurated in 1999 by Dr. Sattari. Due to this issue, 3 teams have been deployed in the field of agriculture so far; Some of them produce and we provided them with production specialization halls; There are 5 art teams working, none of which have been released yet, and we helped 2 teams to increase and expand their production; So no team has left yet because our capacity is a little different from other factories and the spaces are bigger; Therefore, teams are deployed that have products, and given the available space and factory conditions, it is more pleasant for them to continue working in the factory.

What will happen to the teams in Dehim after reaching relative growth?

There are several stages in the factory for teams; What teams are in Dehim and what teams are going to enter. If the teams inside need to invest, if that investment is justified for the factory as an auxiliary arm, the factory will enter either as a shareholder or as a sole partner in profit. It provides facilities to the team, or if they do not need any of them and the teams only need a larger space to produce, we offer them a larger space such as 500 to even 2000 meters to increase their production capacity. Raise.

Do you introduce them to a collection to attract capital?

Teams can benefit from the support of the Innovation Fund by introducing us, and we can also arrange meetings for them to raise capital; Of course, this is the case if we do not intend to invest ourselves.

What has been the biggest challenge for the teams?

In the Dihim complex, due to the large spaces we have (17 hectares), we have created a permanent innovation exhibition (approximately 4000 meters) and the companies that are located here can exhibit their products; In the meantime, for example, there is a company that produces robot arms, which also does a great job in the industry and is well known, but one of the problems of that company is that it can not easily display its products; One reason is that such a product requires a real platform to overcome movement restrictions; But the problem is that an exhibition usually lasts between 3 and 7 days, and such a company can never create a real platform to place its arms on to display it; The company I am talking about is a big car company and it sells its products well, but it cannot show its products at the exhibition, and this is one of the challenges for the teams; Therefore, we provide these spaces to companies so that they do not have these restrictions and can display their products; One of the challenges that the teams face is the display of products, and the spaces that we have provided to them are also to solve this challenge.

What are the communication channels for attracting teams?

We often call for exhibitions and events in the fields of agriculture, art and communities with startups and knowledge-based companies. First we get a plan from them and after reviewing it by the board, if they are approved, an online meeting is held with the person and again if it is approved at this stage, a face-to-face meeting to do The final word and the contract are coordinated.

Applicant individuals and teams can also contact us through the site, social networks or other means of communication to submit to the collection and submit their application.

Apart from the Vice President for Science and Technology, what groups supported you?

Damih Damavand Investment Company.

Do you have a plan to build academic connections to attract students and ideas?

We had good correspondence with universities in the factory area (on the Pakdasht side); There are many agricultural universities associated with us in this area, but due to the prevalence of the corona pandemic and the absence of classes, the programs did not go as they should. Due to the beginning of the new academic year and the possibility of attending universities, we have more effective programs to take advantage of the existing potential in universities.

In general, we have various programs to introduce the collection, and another of these programs is to cooperate with good media in this field, such as Accomotive, to introduce the facilities and capacities of the collection.

What is the role of mentors in Dehim?

In the past, a startup took between 3 and 5 years to achieve results; But now with Mentoring This period is changed to 3 to 6 months, during which each person and company, with the help of the mentor, realizes whether the plan has the necessary returns; Therefore, mentors are very effective in the growth of a business.

What mentors do you use?

We have a number of specialized mentors and a number of general mentors, such as Mr. Shayan Shalileh, who help us in various fields.

What development plans does Dehim have?

Our plan for the next 3 years is to deploy 30 knowledge-based companies or professional teams in the complex.

The last word

First of all, I would like to thank Dehim Damavand Investment Holding for creating this space, which was set up to help nurture and grow the main assets of this region, namely the youth, and then to all my friends who need a safe environment for business development. They have work to do, I invite them to join us at the Dehim Innovation and Acceleration Factory. Because Dihim, in addition to shared space, also provides production space and various amenities such as accommodation, and all these as strengths and differences with other centers, Dihim Innovation and Acceleration Factory has become a complete set to be set up. And has grown a business.