Introduction
“KARESTAN” is a documentary film series on Iranian entrepreneurs. The story of men and women who, both in big and small terms, take risks and change their lives and those of others by creating innovative ideas and values. They are the individuals who themselves may have been little-known or unknown, but who have made the world around themselves and their fellow neighbors more pleasant by making great dreams come true. The impact of our “KARESTAN” entrepreneurs although confined to a small scale and within a limited and local geography, will bring about an invigorating and inspiring atmosphere for work and change.
Our Story
The idea of making films on Iranian entrepreneurs was conceived years ago when Rakhshan Banietemad was invited by her long-time friend, Firouzeh Saber to “The Entrepreneurship Development Foundation for Women and Youth”. Since 2013 and following consultation with Mojtaba Mirtahmasb and merging their concerns, the idea became focused and found specific direction.
For making this idea operational, “The Entrepreneurship Development Foundation for Women and Youth” was the best non-governmental organization that could provide the research-proficiency support for the project. This is a foundation whose primary goal is the promotion and development of the culture of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship at national level.
In spring 2014, the project’s Steering Committee consisting of six members was formed. The outcome of studies and several meetings of this committee was the formation of “KARESTAN” project in spring 2015. Now a large team have offered all their energy and time in order to “bring about magnificence.”
Mission and Goals
KARESTAN Project has been drafted with the goal of “Depicting an image of the Iranian entrepreneurs and transferring this model to the much-in-need society, especially to the Iranian youth”. This is a mission that not only has formed the strategy of the series but will also cover other goals of this national project:
Making an attempt toward documenting and turning into role-models those leaders who, without relying on any special opportunity or privilege, played a significant role in promoting personal and social lives as well as in the country’s development.
Generating motivation and hope for improving individual capabilities with regard to the fact that in the current state of the society, the mass of confronting obstacles will weaken and in many cases revoke decision-making power and objectivity.
Generating academic materials of the experiences of Iranian entrepreneurs methods and innovations from the conception of the idea until deed.