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.

NIC Sialkot hosted an Industry and Startups Collaborative Framework session that brought its startup cohort together with local industrialists to tackle shared challenges and plan hands-on industry visits.

SEIC and Pakistan Single Window are hosting a trade readiness session, From Startup to Global Markets, on October 30 at SEIC Catalyst Hall to help startups navigate international markets.

AeroFusion 2026, from the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies, is open for applications across seven areas with winner prizes of 200,000 rupees.

AeroFusion 2026, from the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies, is open for applications across seven areas with winner prizes of 200,000 rupees.

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.

WISE Lab is offering women in Bahawalpur and Sukkur a free four week bootcamp, with top trainees gaining access to 500,000 Pakistani rupees in loans and grants.

EcOlivia, co-founded by Israr Afridi, is a Top 30 finalist at the 13th Wafi Tameer Awards 2026 from the Business Incubation Center at the University of Peshawar.

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.

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.

Rein n Raus, incubated at the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies, has secured a commercial contract with NADRA Technologies Limited.

Team SRC, incubated at the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies, won 500,000 Pakistani rupees as overall growth stage winner at SEE Pakistan 2026.

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.

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.

National Incubation Center Peshawar has inaugurated the Commerce Entrepreneurship Incubation Center at Government College of Management Sciences in Jamrud, Khyber.

Dr. Hashim S. Hussein of UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain visited the Institute of Business Management and met founders at the Shahjehan S Karim Incubation Center.

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.

Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik has called for closer cooperation with Germany in green entrepreneurship and research at a ceremony in Islamabad marking the Day of German Unity.

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.