Pakistan: NIC Islamabad launches Cohort 5
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Shifts focus to execution and scale
Incubation programme targets globally competitive startups with emphasis on performance and real-world impact.
The National Incubation Centre (NIC) Islamabad launched its Cohort 5 with an orientation ceremony signalling a shift toward execution-driven and globally scalable startups. Project Director Sayyed Ahmad Masud introduced “NIC 3.0,” describing a more performance-focused phase prioritising discipline, customer focus, and real-world traction over theory. “This is not a classroom — you are here to build,” he told participants.
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Program Manager Kamran Taufiq Khan said the cohort is designed for founders aiming beyond borders, while Telenor’s Cynia Ejaz highlighted ecosystem support, including pilots, funding, and access to a large customer base. The new cohort includes founders working in AI, fintech, healthtech, climate, and deep tech, many already operating at scale. NIC Islamabad said it is now focused on backing execution-ready startups with global ambition through structured support, partnerships, and mentorship.
Reference link:- https://www.nation.com.pk/28-Apr-2026/nic-islamabad-launches-cohort-5
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
