The wave of entrepreneurship is emerging in the province of Balochistan as the peace returns the province along with the development of Gwadar in the province.
According to the local news, there is tremendous work being done at the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) and the recently established National Incubation Centre (NIC) Quetta. The NIC Quetta has recently started their operation in the province. The incubation center is sponsored by the Ministry of Information Technology’s Ignite and is located at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management.
Muhammad Shah Khan, Director of NIC Quetta revealed to the local news that 347 start-ups applied for the first cohort at the centre from which about 35 out of which 10 have a woman co-founder. The start-ups at NIC Quetta are working on a range of ideas in the areas of artificial intelligence, big data, Internet of Things, education, health and civic technologies.
At the center, Dr Abdul Qayoom, a physician with 35 years of practice working on developing a unique thermostat, which has a large application in laboratories and poultry incubation. He is working with his daughter Ruquia, who has done BSIT and MBA. Muhammad Awais, a final year student of computer sciences is working on the online delivery of household items and the use of big data to analyze consumption trends.
A startup called Shalkot Feed has come up with a unique recipe for cattle feed in the water-starved region of Balochistan. Fattugrapher is all set to capture the newly developed market of photography and online digital content. Moreover, Gul Rehman hopes to introduce his technologies for the smart monitoring of patients in hospitals of Pakistan.
All the startups at NIC Quetta hope to address the social and economic problems faced by the region.
With all the development happening in Gwadar, it is high time that the government and the corporate engage Balochistan’s entrepreneurs to provide such services through a sustainable business model.
