After the success of Startup Cup 2017 organized by TIE and GriffinWorx in Peshawar, it was announced by LMKT that in collaboration with PTCL and funded by Ignite, they were to launch the National Incubation Center in Peshawar.
Speaking at the booth set up at the Startup Cup, the CEO LMKT Atif Rais Khan said, “We’re really excited to be partnering with the Ministry of IT&T on setting up an advanced facility in Peshawar where young, tech-savvy innovators are recognized, groomed and equipped with the requisite tools and resources to create game-changing digital solutions.”
The incubation center is to be a platform for young entrepreneurs to come together and is an attempt by the government to foster the startup culture in the province. The National Incubation Center was also recently launched in Lahore at the LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship, officially changing its name to National Incubation Center (NIC) Lahore.
Read: NIC Islamabad Calls Out for Third Cohort
After the launch of NIC Lahore in December 2017, NIC Peshawar was inaugurated earlier today. Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi graced the occasion as Chief Guest, along with members of the ministry, including Ms. Anusha Rahman.
Secretary IT Mr. Rizwan Bashir Khan visited National Incubation Center Peshawar. The event was also attended by Additional Secretary Dr. Jamal Nasir, Member Telecom Mudassar Hussain, Member IT Raza Shah, Member HR Tahir Mushtaq, Jawad Azfar.
Read: Tech Leaders @ 2018: Asim Ghaffar Shares Forecast on 2018
Speaking to IDG earlier on, NIC Peshawar team, led by the dynamic LMKT management shared:
“NIC Peshawar is a one of a kind incubator in KP both in terms of infrastructure and incubation curriculum. Being partners with the Founder Institute, NIC Peshawar is going to be using their curriculum for incubating the startups. The geographic location of NIC Peshawar is also key. Since it is in the middle of a hub of engineering, tech and business universities. We intend to incubate 12 startups per cycle and hope to make them investment ready by the end of the cycle at which point we will provide them the opportunity to pitch their ideas to potential investors.
We are aware that Peshawar is a city founded by traders and businessmen, the same passion of being ones own boss has trickled down generations and has translated into a significant population being very enthusiastic about the startup revolution in the region. The proof of that would be getting more than thirty startup applications with in 30 minutes of announcing the launch date of NIC Peshawar at Startup Cup Peshawar!”
Beyond the efforts of the KPITB and Basecamp Peshawar itself, this is the largest formal setup for the province. This is a great opportunity and a very well meaning to the ecosystem at large. Here’s wishing the teams and incoming startups the very best of luck!
