The inaugural Asia-Pacific Innovation Forum will take place in Tehran from 10 to 12 June 2019. The Forum is jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Vice Presidency for Science and Technology).

The theme of the Forum is "Technology Start-ups for Sustainable Development" in recognition of technology being a key means of implementation for the Sustainable Development Goals. The Forum will be an opportunity to showcase the most innovative technology start-up initiatives, discover frontier technological advancements from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, and develop partnerships with other member States so that the countries in the region can move forward together to face great opportunities and challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Forum will be relevant to technology start-ups addressing sustainable development challenges, policymakers working on technology start-up strategies, leaders of technology parks, and public and private institutions investing in and supporting technology start-up development.