Amer Hashmi, a technology entrepreneur whose work spans generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), digital transformation, science and technology parks (STPs), data centers, and the Triple Helix Model of Innovation, will represent Pakistan as the only Pakistani speaker at the 43rd World Conference on Science Parks and Areas of Innovation in France.
The conference is organised by the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) and hosted by Sophia Antipolis Science and Technology Park. It will run from 27 to 30 October 2026 across Cannes and Sophia Antipolis, with the scientific programme centred at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes. This year’s theme, Tech for Humanity, is about shaping values for a human-centric future, and it asks delegates to consider how technology can advance progress while keeping ethics, equity, and positive social impact in view. According to IASP, experts and practitioners from more than 35 countries are expected to attend, and the programme includes plenary discussions on tech diplomacy and global collaboration, responsible AI, inclusive healthcare, brownfield transformation, and climate action. For a forum that brings together the people who run science parks, innovation districts, and similar innovation spaces around the world, having a speaker from Pakistan adds a perspective from a market where such ecosystems are still taking shape.
In a LinkedIn post about his participation, Hashmi described innovation ecosystems as the foundation of sustainable economic growth, one that brings together infrastructure, knowledge, industry, and institutions to open up new opportunities. He said STPs and areas of innovation act as catalysts for collaboration by connecting talent, technology, and enterprises across borders, which in turn helps speed up innovation, build competitiveness, and turn technological progress into meaningful economic and social impact. Hashmi added that he looks forward to sharing his perspectives from Pakistan and exchanging ideas with global leaders on the future of innovation ecosystems. His post also referenced Karachi Technopolis and Quantum Global Data Centre (QGDC) among its tags, pointing to the local initiatives and infrastructure that sit behind the conversation he intends to bring to the stage.
The Triple Helix Model of Innovation, which features in Hashmi’s professional focus, describes the interaction between universities, industry, and government as the driver of innovation and economic development, and it is a natural fit for a conference about science parks, since these spaces are built to bring those three groups together. For Pakistan, where technology parks, data center capacity, and digital transformation are all part of the wider conversation on the country’s economic direction, a presence at an international gathering of this kind offers a chance to share local experience while learning how other regions have built and sustained their own innovation districts. Hashmi’s participation also gives Pakistan a voice in discussions that will shape how science parks around the world think about collaboration, technology, and their role in economic and social progress.
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