What is Divan?

Divan is a crowdsourced database that highlights the achievements and contributions of Iranian entrepreneurs and expats to the global startup ecosystem.

At its heart, Divan is a community—a community for all Iranian startup founders, entrepreneurs, VCs, angel investors, ex-pats, and startup enthusiasts globally. It is a place where we can learn from each other.

In Divan, you can explore the accomplishments of various Iranian entrepreneurs and role models across different industries, countries, and ecosystems. You’ll also find information about promising and emerging startups founded by Iranians, along with the latest news about them.

Divan is a community with only one purpose, so we can learn from each others’ experiences. At Divan, you have access to curated news, interviews, podcasts, and bite-sized startup lessons every founder should master.

Why did Divan start?

Iranians today live in a widespread diaspora, scattered across different countries and continents. This has led to a sense of disconnection in all of us, both from our homeland and from one another.

We started Divan to connect as a community that, unfortunately, is disconnected from each other today.

Throughout recent years, Iranian immigrants have added new and unique perspectives to the startup ecosystems of the countries they move to—places where they can freely create, work, and share ideas. As they succeed, they bring their creativity, hard work, and culture into the startup world, helping to drive progress and growth that benefits everyone.

Divan has two missions:

1. Connect all Iranian startup founders, entrepreneurs, VCs, angel investors, ex-pats, and startup enthusiasts form all over the world to each other, so we can learn from each other’s experiences.

2. Help the next generation of entrepreneurs just starting their journey by providing access to valuable educational materials, role models, success stories, experiences sharings and even failed stories.

How does Divan work?

Divan is a crowdsourced database of:

1. Notable Iranian entrepreneurs and ex-pats from all over the world

2. Notable startups founded by Iranian entrepreneurs globally

3. Curated news, interviews, podcasts, and bite-sized startup lessons every founder should master.

Anyone can update Divan as a contributor. You can add or update information about startups, people, or add content to Divan’s News & Discover section. Check the Add New section in the menu here.

You can also join Divan’s moderators with your contributions and help keep Divan's database always correct and up to date. Right now, Divan’s database is built on public information provided by Crunchbase and CBinsights. This information is limited and might be inaccurate. Our database needs to be updated with the help of contributors like you.