Iran Hosts 20 Countries in 1st Int’l Nanotechnology Olympiad
“Given our extensive experience, we decided to expand the Nano Olympiad to the international student level and lay the foundation for broader participation worldwide,” said Afshin Ramzi, the Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the International Nanotechnology Olympiad.
“This year, with the support of the Young Scholars Club, which oversees national and international Olympiads in Iran, we managed to secure hosting rights for the first edition in virtual format,” he added.
“These competitions provide a unique platform for students to showcase their scientific skills and creativity while tackling real-world environmental problems,” Ramzi said.
The 2025 student competition attracted representatives from 20 nations, including Germany, Bangladesh, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the US, Venezuela, India, Australia, and Iran.
The Olympiad was held virtually on September 29, 2025, with students given 72 hours to upload their video submissions. Each team presented a business model designed to solve an environmental challenge, which will be evaluated by an international jury.
“Results are expected to be announced next week,” Ramzi said.
Iran has made nanotechnology a priority in recent years, achieving remarkable success. The nanotechnology research website StatNano has ranked Iran as fourth in the world in nanotechnology publications.
Earlier reports in August said that Iran’s nanotechnology market has experienced significant and sustained growth over the past decade, and according to official figures, its average annual growth rate from 2013 to 2023 reached nearly 97%.
The average annual growth rate of 97% in the nano market means that the sales volume of nano-based products in Iran has doubled almost every year. This significant growth occurred while the largest jump was recorded in 2020 with a growth of 160%, and the growth in 2023 with 102%, exceeding the set targets (40%).
Despite the impact of factors like the increase in the exchange rate and inflation on the country’s economic indicators since 2017, Iran’s nanotechnology market has continued to enjoy sustained growth, and even the share of exports in this field reached 57,100 billion rials (Iranian currency) in 2023 (equivalent to 9.2% of the total market).
In addition to the product market, the nanotechnology equipment market has also grown significantly in recent years, specially in 2020, 2021, and 2023. As in 2023, after a period of decline, it experienced a growth of nearly 60%, and devices like ‘freeze dryers’ and ‘sputtering coating’ have been at the top of the best-selling equipment.
These statistics provide a clear picture of the dynamism, exports capacity, and upward trend of nanotechnology in Iran, which can be the basis for larger policymaking in the field of science, technology, and knowledge-based economy.
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