Covalent marked Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day with the dual milestone of launching its new innovation division, Skunkworks, and inaugurating its state-of-the-art facility, The Hub. The celebrations brought together the entire Covalent team to commemorate the national occasion while unveiling initiatives aimed at driving rapid technological innovation in Pakistan and beyond.
Skunkworks has been established as a highly agile unit within Covalent, focusing on harnessing artificial intelligence to deliver groundbreaking products in record time, often within days or weeks. Since its inception, the division has secured multiple large-scale enterprise clients and successfully rolled out industry-first AI solutions across various sectors.
Among its notable achievements is Ava, an omni-channel virtual assistant powered by generative AI with advanced intent recognition capabilities. Ava offers features such as voice input and output, seamless API integration, on-the-go learning about an organization’s services, and enhanced persona management. Designed with banking-grade security—a core standard at Covalent—Ava has already been adopted by a major progressive bank in Pakistan and a digital bank in the Middle East for internal operations, with commercial launches expected in the near future.
Another flagship product from Skunkworks is Chequemate, an omni-channel digital cheque and signature verification suite built using AI. The solution integrates directly with a bank’s core systems to enable straight-through digital cheque processing for customers globally. Chequemate’s capabilities include multi-signature verification, advanced cheque attribute checks, MICR reading, enhanced optical character recognition, and more. One of Pakistan’s largest banks is currently integrating Chequemate into its digital channels and core infrastructure. The product has earned prestigious recognition, including the APICTA – Asia Pacific ICT Award and the P@SHA ICT Award, for its pioneering approach and technology.
In addition to the Skunkworks launch, Covalent inaugurated The Hub, its new creative facility designed to foster innovation and provide employees with an inspiring and comfortable environment. The Hub offers amenities ranging from fresh coffee and snacks to recreational sports facilities, reflecting Covalent’s commitment to valuing its employees as its most important asset. The space aims to serve as a collaborative ground for designing and delivering next-generation products.
Looking ahead, Covalent has begun work on establishing the first in-country Global Integrated Operations Centre, which will cater to clients in Pakistan, Iraq, and Africa. This initiative underscores the company’s ambition to position Pakistan as a center for advanced technological solutions with global reach.
The board and management of Covalent expressed appreciation for the dedication and creativity of the entire team, highlighting the innovative spirit that has driven the company’s growth. By combining cutting-edge AI development through Skunkworks with an employee-centric environment at The Hub, Covalent aims to accelerate the delivery of transformative digital products and strengthen its footprint across banking, fintech, and enterprise technology markets.
