IBA CEDIR hosted the I-Incubate Cohort 2 Demo Day, where 16 startups presented market-ready MVPs after a 14-month incubation programme supported by HEC Pakistan.

Iqra University’s Ideaverse 2.0 startup pitching and showcase competition will run on November 10, 11 and 14 in Karachi, with prizes of up to PKR 100,000 and registration open to startups across Sindh.

ASPIRE Pakistan held a panel on startup financials covering unit economics, cost planning, pricing, cash flow and go-to-market strategy, moderated by Farah Mehboob.

The Business Incubation Center at the University of Peshawar organised an AI for Startups session for Cohort 3, led by Waleed Paracha of Arfa Karim Technology Incubation Center.

Ignite is accepting applications from Pakistani tech startups for GITEX Expand North Star 2026 in Dubai on December 8 to 10. The deadline is November 10.

IBA CEDIR Startup Studio offers affordable workspace, high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and access to IBA talent at the City Campus. Applications are open.

Ignite has extended the deadline for the Prime Minister’s SPARK and ELEVATE Program to November 2, 2026, with grants of up to 100 million and 200 million rupees.

Accelerate Prosperity has opened Women in Business 2026 for women-led businesses ready to scale, with coaching, mentors, and financing up to 60 million rupees.

LUMS Centre for Entrepreneurship invites renewable energy innovators to apply by November 8 for CleanTech Hackathon 2026 and a 1 million rupee prize pool.

Tarbee, a startup incubated at Iqra University’s IU CORE, has secured a place among the Top 15 finalists at the Bahria University Startup Competition 2026, selected from 290 startups.

SmartSphere Technologies, a National Incubation Center Karachi startup, won third prize in the Future of Voice Artificial Intelligence Challenge powered by ElevenLabs.

Brothers Muhammad Wisal and Muhammad Ali from Karak built Lowerated, an all-in-one filmmaking platform with scriptwriting, planning, casting, and an AI assistant, which the company says is used by more than 50,000 creators.

O’PASTA, a National Incubation Center Faisalabad startup, won Global Startup of the Year and the Fighting Malnutrition award at the World Food Forum in Rome.

Elaj Ghar, founded by Shawal Zahid, is a Top 30 finalist at the 13th Wafi Tameer Awards 2026, chosen from over 700 applications across 56 districts.

Accelerate Prosperity is growing its investment in Pakistani green enterprises that turn environmental challenges in waste, recycling, and renewable energy into viable businesses.

The International Finance Corporation is working on a fund for entrepreneurs in Pakistan, as Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb discusses private investment and financing.

Karachi-based Bioniks and asani.io are the first businesses to receive financing through the collaboration between Accelerate Prosperity and Sindh Enterprise Development Fund to widen access to affordable credit.

Lucky Investments has launched Lucky Islamic Capital Protected Fund Plan I, a two year Shariah-compliant plan with a minimum investment of Rs 5,000 and subscriptions open until 30 October.

Standard Chartered Foundation, INNOVentures Global and Village Capital concluded the eighth Women in Tech Accelerator cohort in Karachi, awarding EV Square, Blusha App and Zvolta a combined PKR 10.5 million in equity-free grants.

SEIC’s Cohort 2 founders, in collaboration with Startup Syndicate, visited Scents N Stories to meet founder Saad Afridi and tour the head office of the established brand.

The 13th Wafi Tameer Awards has named its Top 30 finalists across six categories, chosen from over 700 applications from 56 districts, ahead of the Grand Finale.

Faisal Jeddy of the Pakistan Software Export Board moderated the Pakistan-US Tech Connect panel at the OPEN Chicago Annual Conference 2026 on October 24.

Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan invited Qatari investors to Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones in Doha, where Retaj Group expressed interest in hospitality joint ventures.

Shevolution 3.0 is open to all on October 26 and 27 at Mövenpick Hotel Karachi, with women-led businesses, Sindhi artisans, and a crafts bazaar.

National Incubation Center Hyderabad has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Yaqeen by Optivise to bring startup knowledge and incubation opportunities to rural Sindh.

Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik announced a planned $10 million fund for clean-air startups, to be set up from the government’s own resources, at the Pakistan National Clean Air Conference 2026.

The Committee on the National Private Equity Framework, chaired by Muhammad Aurangzeb, reviewed bank limits and proposals to treat private equity funds as pass-through vehicles.

The State Bank of Pakistan has revised how much banks can invest in shares, startups, mutual funds, and private equity funds, and requires a formal investment policy.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has directed companies with paid-up capital above 200 million rupees to appoint legal advisers and file Form-9.

The Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan has opened a facilitation desk in Gujranwala to guide businesses on trademarks, patents, and industrial designs.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication plans to support 20 women-led startups and train 200 female micro-entrepreneurs annually.

Shark Tank Producer Usman on the two-year Sony negotiation, the casting calculus, the off-camera valuation coaching, and the production mechanics that turned a skeptical market into the site of the biggest deal in the franchise's global history.

NICAT, in partnership with DEMO Pakistan (SPIN-IDG), hosted a session on data-driven decision-making, exploring how digitization, analytics, and innovation are shaping Pakistan’s economic and enterprise future.

Industry leaders discuss how fintech, agritech, and edtech are enabling women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan, while startups leverage technology, partnerships, and community engagement to scale solutions.

Pakistan’s venture capital ecosystem needs stronger domestic institutional capital, better funding pipelines, and improved exit pathways to support startups scaling from early stages to global markets.

Regional instability, macroeconomic shifts and changing investor strategies are reshaping venture finance across MENAP as startups adapt to a more selective capital environment.

Discover how Sialkot's world-renowned sports manufacturing industry can evolve into sports-tech innovation, using smart equipment, AI, sensors, and connected technology to shape the future of global sports.

Pakistan Super League offers startups more than sponsorship. Discover how PSL can drive brand awareness, customer acquisition, and long-term growth.

NIC Karachi hosted a session on Saudi Arabia’s PDPL, led by data protection expert Bilal Ghafoor, guiding startups on compliance, risks, and strategies for expanding into the Kingdom.

Five accelerator and incubation programmes across Qatar, Egypt and the UAE are accepting applications from startups, with deadlines ranging from October 2026 to February 2027.

Pakistan-US Tech Connect on October 23 and the OPEN Chicago Annual Conference on October 24 will bring founders, enterprise leaders and innovators together in Chicago.

OPEN Global has opened registration for its virtual Annual Women’s Conference on 19 November, focused on the well-being and resilience of women entrepreneurs and open to all communities.

OPEN Global has announced the PAK-US Tech Connect 2026 roadshow, bringing Pakistani technology leaders to Silicon Valley, Dallas, Washington D.C. and Chicago between 16 and 23 October.

At the AI and Digital Bridge Forum in Astana, accelerators including Alchemist, StartX, and Draper University discussed how Central Asian AI startups are reaching US customers and investors.

Ghost has emerged from stealth with an $11 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz, launching Core, a $3,499 personal computer built specifically to run AI agents.

Dealroom data highlights Pakistan’s $4.2 billion technology sector valuation, startup funding landscape, venture capital challenges, and the role of diaspora-led global companies.

KPMG Venture Pulse Q2 2026 reveals shifting global VC dynamics as AI-led investments dominate funding, while Pakistan startups adapt to tighter capital conditions and focus on efficiency.

Pakistan’s startup ecosystem in 2025 entered a new phase shaped by selective funding, hybrid financing, debt-backed growth, AI innovation and institutional maturity, as startups adapted to tighter capital markets and evolving investor priorities.