The special issue offers a collection of research papers presented in the first International Conference of Research in Innovation and Technology in Iran, in the subject of entrepreneurship and innovation in the service economy, with a focus on a profitable emerging market of Iran.

This conference held in AmirKabir University of Technology in Tehran brought together a considerable number of researchers, practitioners and executive managers from the country and international community participating in this event. Diversity of researches and background of researchers managed in five separate panels of Innovation and Information Technology; Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Media Management; Engineering and Applied Sciences; Economics and Finance; Environment and Urban Planning. Presentations done in physical appearance as well as virtual presentation, to use technology and innovation for a hybrid form of conference.

As the chair of the conference I hope this special issue will create continued dialogue amongst scholars in the field. Collaborative researchers among researchers from different countries, that can be seen in this special issue. I would like to thank the authors of the articles in this collection for their influential contributions and their hard efforts during the conference and then for preparation of their final manuscripts. I know it was difficult period of time to improve the conference abstracts to a final publishable paper. By their efforts this special issue is in our hands. My very big thanks is to Prof. Dr. Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez, the Editor-in-Chief of AD-Minister who generously provides the conference with this special issue in the journal of AD-Minister and also for her honorable serving as a scientific member of conference. I also thanks the founding members of this conference, Prof. Dr. Mike Friedrichsen, from Stuttgart Media University and Humboldt School of Germany and Prof. Dr. Wilfried Modinger from Stuttgart Media University and Steinbeis University of Berlin for their very important role in success of the conference. AmirKabir University of Technology optimistically look at the future to establish a tight cooperation with Humboldt School University of Berlin, the founding higher education institute under directorship of Prof. Dr. Mike Friedrichsen. My special appreciation is for Dr. Datis Khajeheian, the scientific editor and the member of scientific board of the conference who took responsibility of the guest editor for this special issue, as well as another special issue for the conference. By his sincere, precise and obsessed supervision, all of selected manuscripts took rounds and rounds of revision and improvements to be prepared for publishing. Last but not least I would like to thanks Mr. Hadi Zarea as Chief of Executive committee of the conference and his wonderful team. From the very first day until today they spent lots of energy and time to make this conference a great and success one, and they succeeded in it. Scientific contribution is possible by support of people in supporting services, as this special issue implies on, so it is very important to recognize and

appreciate what this people of executive committee did.

I wish the readers find this special issue as an influential contribution in the field. Moreover, we look forward for a more fruitful and productive conference in the next year. Excellence of human lives depends of collective effort; so let’s continue this cooperation in the next conference of research in innovation and technology.