The National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies (NICAT) is poised to usher in a new era for Pakistan’s aerospace, precision engineering, and deep-tech industries, under the stewardship of an accomplished team of entrepreneurs and startup ecosystem builders. This transition signals not just a shift in management but a broader reimagining of NICAT’s role as a catalyst for high-impact innovation. With NETSOL Technologies now assuming direct operational oversight and IGI Digital exiting the consortium, NICAT is aligning itself with a future firmly rooted in cutting-edge technology and strategic entrepreneurship.
The new leadership team at NICAT brings an exceptional blend of national and international experience, uniquely qualifying them to elevate Pakistan’s aerospace and deep-tech sectors to new heights. Leading this charge is Shayan Yar as Project Director, a figure well-known in entrepreneurial circles for his track record in venture-building, investment facilitation, and program design. Having previously exited a startup in Australia and facilitated the raising of over $12 million for Pakistani founders during challenging economic conditions, Shayan’s expertise in designing impactful programs for global giants like Coca-Cola, S&P Global, and the World Bank places NICAT in formidable hands. His academic background, with a Master’s in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Business Strategy from the prestigious UNSW Business School, adds a layer of strategic depth to his leadership.
Supporting him is Jawad Azfar, Principal Advisor, whose two-decade career spans co-founding RedMarker Systems, leading multiple National Incubation Centers, and executing large-scale national initiatives. Jawad’s strong project management background and his status as an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus bring invaluable experience to NICAT’s evolving mandate. His dual academic credentials, an MBA and an MPhil in Project Management, reflect a solid commitment to systematic, impactful innovation.
Abid Gul Qazi steps into the role of Program Manager, bringing with him more than a decade of experience at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and digital marketing. At NIC Islamabad, Abid was instrumental in supporting over 250 startups, crafting growth strategies that elevated the center’s national profile. His entrepreneurial journey as the founder of a successful digital marketing agency with over 80 clients worldwide shows a hands-on understanding of branding and scaling businesses, an expertise he now channels into NICAT’s programs and startups.
Completing the core leadership is Ali Khursheed as Startup Success Manager, whose global work in sustainability and entrepreneurship has already left a tangible mark. A Techstars alumnus and clean-tech pioneer, Ali’s initiatives have saved billions of liters of water, cut millions of tons of carbon emissions, and helped hundreds of organizations implement sustainable innovations. His wide-ranging expertise in IoT, ESG, and business strategy will now directly benefit startups at NICAT, ensuring that sustainability and global competitiveness remain at the heart of Pakistan’s emerging deep-tech ventures.
What truly sets this leadership team apart is their firsthand entrepreneurial experience. Each member has personally navigated the complex journey of founding, funding, scaling, and exiting businesses. This founder-first perspective ensures that NICAT’s approach will be empathetic, practical, and geared towards addressing the real challenges that startups face. Rather than offering only theoretical support, NICAT is positioning itself as a true partner in the entrepreneurial journey, aiming to help startups become globally recognized companies rooted in Pakistani innovation.
The leadership’s ambitious vision for NICAT extends beyond traditional incubation. With a focus on building a globally competitive ecosystem, the new NICAT aims to provide startups with robust access to international investment opportunities, advanced R&D collaborations, cutting-edge mentorship, and entry points into global markets. By forging strong industry-academia linkages and fostering international partnerships, NICAT hopes to ensure that Pakistani startups are not just surviving, but thriving on the global stage.
Speaking about the transition, Project Director Shayan Yar expressed an inspiring outlook on the future. He acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead, describing it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build Pakistan’s aerospace and precision engineering ecosystem from the ground up. Shayan emphasized that while the goal is ambitious, the team’s combined expertise in scaling startups, facilitating investments, and running innovation programs prepares them to meet the challenge head-on. He articulated a vision of a world-class support system for founders—one that offers mentorship, strategic funding, and deep industry collaborations to help Pakistani startups grow into globally competitive enterprises.
This renewed energy and clarity of purpose at NICAT promise to transform it into a powerhouse of technological advancement. As the new leadership team gets to work, there is a palpable sense that Pakistan stands on the cusp of significant breakthroughs in aerospace, deep-tech, and precision engineering. By fostering a new generation of visionary founders and creating an ecosystem where innovation is not only nurtured but accelerated, NICAT is set to become a cornerstone of Pakistan’s future in global technology leadership.
