WISE Lab has announced the 17 women-led startups selected for its first cohort, describing the group as one defining new chapter. Each of the selected companies brings its own vision, ideas, and determination to build, and the lab said it is excited to support what comes next. The announcement follows the orientation for Cohort 1 held earlier this week, and it names the founders who will now begin work in the program, turning the first cohort from a plan into a group of real companies with real teams behind them.
The startups selected for Cohort 1 are Aao Kahani Ghar, Cardana Utensils, Qabil, MomSa, Era Robotics, Ustaad App, Blusha, Eco Muhafiz, Bayrish Naturals, Orvex, Parr, PhoneFlip.PK, CareMindx, Softech Digital Group, Adal Flow, Career Compass AI, and Foxy Audit. The names point to a varied group, with companies that appear to span products for the home, technology services, education, and consumer goods, though the announcement did not describe what each company does or which sectors they represent. Seventeen is a manageable number for a first cohort, large enough to build a lively community of peers and small enough for each company to receive real attention from mentors and program staff.
Over the next six months, the selected startups will build up their businesses through mentorship, practical guidance, and connections that support growth. For early stage founders, these three elements often matter more than any single piece of funding. Mentors can help them avoid costly mistakes, practical guidance can teach them how to manage finances and operations, and introductions to customers, suppliers, and investors can open doors that remain closed to businesses without a wide network. The six month period gives the cohort a defined span in which to make visible progress, and it sets a rhythm of learning and milestones that founders can plan around.
WISE Lab is funded by Ignite National Technology Fund under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, and it was set up to support women founders in Pakistan’s technology and startup sector. The ministry has said it aims to support at least 20 women-led startups every year through the lab, and this first cohort of 17 represents the opening step toward that goal. The announcement did not share details about the selection process, the number of applicants, or the funding the startups may receive. What it did make clear is that the lab sees its first group as a statement of intent, and it ended its message with a welcome to the founders: congratulations to the selected startups, and welcome to WISE Lab.
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