Applications for the National Expansion Plan under the umbrella of the National Incubation Center (NIC), an initiative of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and executed by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), are open for aspiring startups across Pakistan.
Applications are open for the 13 centers, namely in Punjab (Lahore, Gujrat, Taxila, and Rawalpindi), Balochistan (Quetta and Lasbela), Sindh (Karachi, Jamshoro, and Sukkur), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kohat and Swat), Gilgit Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Muzaffarabad).
Aspiring entrepreneurs can apply through the official website at their preferred location (nep.pitb.gov.pk). Shortlisted startups will pitch to a panel of judges as part of the induction process. The top 10 startups will be admitted to the center of their relevant city.
With leading universities as key stakeholders, the National Expansion Plan has established centers in all six regions nationwide, including Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, making it the largest network of technology incubation centers across Pakistan. The program is particularly designed to support early-stage startups.
The initiative aims to expand the startup ecosystem nationwide and has generated more than 1,200 jobs since its launch last year in 2021. Moreover, 260 startups have graduated, and over 7,500 applications have also been received to date.
