Iran Web and Mobile Festival

What Iran Web and Mobile Festival does

Iran Web and Mobile Festival (IWMF, جشنواره وب و موبایل ایران) is a private, Tehran-based annual competition — now in its 16th edition (1404 / 2025-2026) — that recognizes the best Iranian websites and mobile applications. Founded in 1386 (2007-2008) by Shayan Shalileh and Milad Ahrampoosh and organized under the Iran Internet Business Association, the festival evaluates submissions across 85+ categories and seven judging criteria (functionality, content, overall experience, visual design, structure, engagement, innovation), combining expert panels of 3,000+ historical judges with public voting. Cumulative platform metrics cited by the company include 20,000+ submitted works, 169,000+ registered users, 7,000+ mobile applications, and 8,000+ participants.

The platform is built on three web properties: the main marketing site (iwmf.ir), a participant dashboard (dashboard.iwmf.ir) for registration, payments, and submission management, and a permanent directory (directory.iwmf.ir) that hosts public profiles of all registered works and now includes an Analytics module, two-factor authentication, comment reply, RSS feeds, and team profile features. Mobile submissions are distributed through Cafe Bazaar (Android) and SibApp (iOS). In 1404 the festival restructured into a continuous format — Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter seasonal awards plus a Monthly Best Of program — accompanied by a podcast series and integration with Vandar for payments.

IWMF generates revenue through per-work registration fees (raised to 350,000 Tomans + 10% VAT = 385,000 Tomans in Autumn 1404), commercial and media sponsorships (e.g., Pakat, Jajiga, Triboon, GSM, Webna, BlogAd), and institutional support from strategic partners including the Iran E-Commerce Union, the FinTech Association of Iran, and the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology. The organization operates with 1-10 employees and is exclusively focused on the Iranian domestic market.

Name

Iran Web and Mobile Festival

Legal name

جشنواره وب و موبایل ایران

Website

https://iwmf.ir

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Iran Web and Mobile Festival is a private Tehran-based competition (now in its 16th edition) that evaluates and awards Iranian websites and mobile applications across 85+ categories, serving individual developers, startups, SMBs, and government entities seeking recognition, expert feedback, and visibility in the domestic digital ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Awards and Competitions

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Reputation Management (ORM) (MPAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Web design competition
• Mobile app awards
• Digital product judging
• Website evaluation platform
• Industry awards program

Headquarters

HQ city

Tehran

HQ country

Iran

HQ region

Middle East

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: Participants pay a registration fee to enter the competition. As of Autumn 1404, the fee was raised from 250,000 Tomans to 350,000 Tomans, totaling 385,000 Tomans with 10% VAT included. Fees are non-refundable unless no group is selected for the month.
2. Sponsorship: Commercial sponsors pay to support the festival, gaining visibility and marketing access to Iran's digital ecosystem. Sponsors receive promotional and informational advantages within festival channels.
3. Podcast Production: The festival produces and publishes podcasts covering Iran's startup ecosystem, experience-sharing panels, and industry discussions. Revenue model for this stream is not explicitly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Iran Web and Mobile Festival (IWMF) operates an annual competition recognizing the best Iranian websites and mobile applications across multiple categories, with expert judging and public voting. It runs a permanent online directory platform (directory.iwmf.ir) where submitted works maintain ongoing visibility, complemented by a participant dashboard for registration and management, and supplementary seasonal and monthly award programs recognizing recent digital product launches.

Product overview

Iran Web and Mobile Festival (جشنواره وب و موبایل ایران — IWMF) is the largest annual competition platform for Iranian websites and mobile applications, now in its 16th edition. The core offering centers on the annual Festival Competition and the accompanying Festival Directory platform. The Directory serves as a comprehensive profile management hub where submitters register their websites and apps, access performance analytics, manage team members, respond to user feedback, and publish RSS feeds. In 1404, the festival introduced supplementary modules including Seasonal Awards (quarterly recognition for recently redesigned or launched works), Monthly Best Of Awards, and a Podcast Series featuring expert panels and ecosystem documentaries. The Judging System provides multi-criteria expert evaluation across functionality, content, UX, visual design, structure, engagement, and innovation. A Public Voting mechanism allows community participation, with unique festival codes enabling vote tracking in seasonal cycles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Iran Web and Mobile Festival Competition The annual competition evaluating Iranian websites and mobile applications across categories using multi-criteria expert judging (functionality, content, UX, visual design, structure, engagement, innovation) and public voting, awarding trophies for the best in each group.
• Festival Directory (دایرکتوری) A permanent online directory platform (directory.iwmf.ir) hosting profiles of registered Iranian websites and mobile applications, providing year-round visibility and discovery beyond the annual competition cycle.
• Seasonal and Monthly Awards Program Quarterly and monthly award cycles recognizing Iranian websites and apps with recent design improvements or new launches over the past 3-6 months, featuring restructured competitive groups and public voting-based selection.
• Podcast Series Podcast content featuring experience-sharing panels, expert discussions, debates, and documentaries from Iran's startup and digital ecosystem, produced on a seasonal schedule.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ works submitted across all editions
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pakat (پاکت)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a commercial sponsor of the Iran Web and Mobile Festival, providing financial support in exchange for promotional visibility and marketing access to Iran's digital ecosystem.
• Jajiga (جاجیگا)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a commercial sponsor providing financial support and receiving promotional benefits in return.
• Triboon (تریبون)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a commercial sponsor providing financial support and receiving promotional visibility.
• E-Union - Iran E-Commerce Union (اتحادیه کشوری کسب و کارهای مجازی)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Iran E-Commerce Union (E-Union) serves as a spiritual/national sponsor, with its chairman having served as festival president for four consecutive years. Provides institutional legitimacy and connection to Iran's broader internet business ecosystem.
• FinTech Association of Iran (انجمن فین تک)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a spiritual sponsor, providing industry association endorsement and cross-promotion with Iran's fintech sector.
• Aav Innovation Center (مرکز نوآوری آوو)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a spiritual sponsor, supporting innovation and providing startup ecosystem connections.
• Upla (آپلا)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerA legal advisory firm specializing in e-commerce law that assists the festival with legal documentation, terms and conditions, privacy policy, and usage terms review. Prepared and verified the terms of use, privacy policy, and regulations documents.
• GSMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media sponsor providing press and media coverage support for the festival.
• Webna (وبنا)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media sponsor providing press and media coverage support.
• BlogAd (بلاگ اَد)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with the festival in the 12th edition to introduce the 'Best Digital Advertising Campaign of the Year 1398' special category, providing marketing expertise.
• Vice Presidency for Science and Technology - Digital Economy and Smartization Headquarters (معاونت علمی و فناوری ریاست جمهوری)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with the festival in multiple years to define and judge special technology categories including IoT, Blockchain, AI, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Home, Smart City, and Augmented/Virtual Reality. Provides government-level endorsement and support for technology-focused startups.
• Editors and Writers Association (انجمن ویراستاری)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to review and edit all category definitions in Persian for accuracy and proper language standards in the festival's 12th and 13th editions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Awwwards: International awards platform recognizing the best in web design and development. Directly comparable as a juried, category-driven digital product awards community with public voting and a permanent showcase directory.
• W3 Awards: Annual web awards program run by the International Academy of the Visual Arts evaluating websites, web marketing, and mobile apps. Directly comparable juried model across web and mobile categories.
• CSS Design Awards: Web design and development awards community with judging criteria and a directory of recognized sites. Closely mirrors IWMF's juried-evaluation-plus-directory structure.
• The FWA (Favourite Website Awards): Long-running daily web awards program honoring innovation in digital design. Comparable business model of expert judging plus public recognition for submitted websites and apps.
• Mobile Web Award: Annual competition recognizing excellence in mobile websites and apps across multiple categories. Closely aligned with IWMF's web + mobile combined competition model.

Broad incumbents

• The Webby Awards: Established global internet awards presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Operates at much larger scale and international scope, but shares the same juried-recognition model for websites, apps, and digital content.
• Google Play Best of: Google's annual and ongoing recognition of top Android applications and games. Relevant benchmark for the mobile-app recognition segment IWMF serves within Iran.
• App Store Awards (Apple): Apple's annual recognition of the best iOS apps and games. Comparable as a curated awards program for mobile applications, though controlled by a platform owner rather than an independent community.

Regional players

• Dubai Design Week / Dubai Digital Awards: Regional digital design and innovation event ecosystem in the Middle East. Comparable as a regional forum for recognizing digital and design excellence, useful for triangulating Middle East digital ecosystem dynamics.
• Lovie Awards: European counterpart to the Webbys honoring the best in European internet. Comparable as a regionally-scoped, juried digital awards body serving a defined geographic market — analogous to IWMF's Iran-only scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/iranwebfestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/iwmf.ir

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iran Web and Mobile Festival