The federal Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), has established 13 new incubation centres across Pakistan under the “National Expansion Plan (NEP)” to bolster the nation’s startup ecosystem.
The new National Incubation Center (NIC) campuses are located in university premises across six major regions: in Punjab (Lahore, Gujrat, Taxila, Rawalpindi); Sindh (Karachi, Jamshoro, Sukkur); Balochistan (Quetta, Lasbela); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Kohat, Swat); and in the north — one each in Gilgit and Muzaffarabad.
So far, the incubator network has processed about 124,000 applications and incubated 690 startups. Supported ventures — many of them early-stage and technology-driven — have reportedly generated over PKR 1.1 billion in revenue and created around 120,000 jobs (direct and indirect).
Startups accepted into the program receive a comprehensive, zero-equity support package: this includes a monthly stipend, free co-working space, mentorship, business-development support, legal advice, and access to national-level networking opportunities.
The expansion aims to make incubation support more accessible nationwide — beyond the big cities — and nurture entrepreneurship, especially among youth and underrepresented regions.