K-Electric concluded its Energy Progress & Innovation Challenge (EPIC) 2025 with the Grand Finale held on Wednesday, bringing together some of Pakistan’s most promising energy innovators under one platform. Launched in March 2025, EPIC received more than 250 applications from across the country, each proposing innovative ideas to tackle challenges in Pakistan’s evolving energy landscape. After a rigorous screening and pitching process, 10 projects were shortlisted to compete in the final round, from which the top three were awarded for their high-impact, scalable energy solutions.
The first prize of PKR 1.5 million was awarded to a team from NUST for their development of a tamper-proof PMT-based load shedding solution. Led by Abdul Hadi and Syed Abdul Haseeb Ali, the project aims to improve energy reliability and reduce losses in power distribution systems. Government College University Faisalabad’s team, headed by Dr Abdul Rauf Bhatti and Tallataf Rasheed, secured the second position with their automated demand forecasting model powered by artificial neural networks, earning them PKR 1 million. NED University’s team comprising Shariq Shaikh, Sohaibuddin, M. Waleed, and Mubashir Ali took third place with an optimised AI-based electricity demand forecasting system, receiving PKR 750,000.
The judging panel for the finale brought together leading professionals and innovators from academia, venture capital, and the energy sector. Jury members included Maha Qasim of Zero-point Partners, Shehryar Omar from the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan, Shehryar Hydri of Endeavor Pakistan, Amir Iqbal of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, Tara Uzra Dawood of LADIESFUND Energy, Inam ur Rehman from Disrupt.com, Shaista Ayesha of SEED Ventures, Sheikh Imran ul Haque formerly of PSO, Jehan Ara from Katalyst Labs, Nadeem Shaikh of Neem, and Syed Azfar Hussain from NIC Karachi.
Speaking at the event, Moonis Alvi, CEO of K-Electric, said that EPIC 2025 reflects KE’s long-term commitment to enabling innovation and supporting the energy sector’s shift towards efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. He highlighted the importance of investing in ideas that offer real-world solutions capable of driving meaningful transformation. Sadia Dada, KE’s Chief Distribution & Marcomms Officer, noted that EPIC represents more than a competition—it reflects a strategic shift toward fostering innovation and empowering young minds to co-create the future of Pakistan’s power infrastructure.
The EPIC platform served as a meeting point for academia, industry, and startups. The final showcase included a range of ideas such as IoT-based fleet management, AI-driven grid optimisation, and intelligent theft detection systems. These ideas were assessed through an internal jury made up of functional heads within KE before being presented to the external judging panel.
By concluding EPIC 2025 on this note, KE demonstrated its role in driving collaborative innovation that bridges the gap between academic research and industry deployment, strengthening the ecosystem required to address Pakistan’s long-standing energy challenges.
