SET and CTM first began collaborating in 2016, when support from The Goethe-Institute enabled the two partners to commission Sacred Horror in Design, a pioneering collaboration between Tehran-based artist Sote, and Berlin-based artist and Thom Yorke/Nicolas Jaar collaborator Tarik Barri. This subsequently led to the first showcase of Iranian electronic music at CTM 2017 in Berlin.

In July 2018, the two partners continued this collaboration at the 4th edition of SET, Tehran’s annual experimental music festival, which was dedicated entirely to artistic dialogue with Berlin. Entitled SET X CTM, the 5-day festival took place 26-30 July 2018 in Tehran and saw the two festivals intensify their efforts to foster cultural dialogue and to strengthen the growing network between the two cities. Co-funded by The Goethe-Institut’s International Coproduction Fund, the festival will saw the premiere of two new commissions that brought artists together from both cities.

For CTM's 2019 edition, SET X CTM's special commissions made their Berlin debuts. 9T Antiope and Rainer Kohlberger presented the Berlin debut of their collaboration Nocebo. Following from his collaborative performance at SET X CTM in Tehran with Rabih Beaini, Pouja Pour-Amin brought his ensemble (featuring Deniz Tafaghody and Daniele De Santis) to the festival. Sote graced Berghain with a special live hardcore set, and Temp-Illusion joined the Bassiani x CTM opening club night.