Pakistan has allocated Rs. 352.5 million for two technology innovation programs, SPARK and ELEVATE, for fiscal year 2026 to 2027, with the funding aimed at supporting technology driven projects and improving the innovation ecosystem of the country. The allocation was disclosed in a reply that the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication submitted to the National Assembly. The ministry said that the funding would come through the Research and Development Fund, and that it would not be part of the federal budget or the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). The money for the two programs is therefore drawn from a separate fund, which is managed through Ignite, the National Technology Fund.
The two programs offer grants at different levels. Under SPARK, individual projects can receive grants of up to Rs. 100 million, while ELEVATE offers funding of up to Rs. 200 million per project, which allows applicants to pursue initiatives that have larger financial requirements. The programs aim to provide financial support for innovation and to encourage the development of technology based solutions in Pakistan, with a focus on turning research into products that can be sold in the market. The difference in the size of the grants means that projects at an early stage and those that need more money to be taken to the market can both find a suitable program.
Ignite has planned two cohorts of grants every six months, with up to 30 projects under each program every year. This schedule indicates that the funding is to be released to successive groups of projects over the fiscal year, rather than being given to a single group, and that a total of up to 60 projects could receive support across the two programs annually. The ministry reply set out the amounts for each project and the source of the money, and it also noted that the allocation of Rs. 352.5 million for SPARK and ELEVATE is linked to the Research and Development Fund for fiscal year 2026 to 2027.
The ministry reply also referred to the Pakistan Venture Fund, a separate initiative with a funding size of $20 million. The government expects the fund to help address the financing constraints that high potential technology startups face, by mobilising private investment through professionally managed venture funds. The Rs. 352.5 million for SPARK and ELEVATE is separate from the Pakistan Venture Fund, so the two initiatives work as different sources of support for the sector, with grants through the Research and Development Fund on one side and investment through venture funds on the other.
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