ASPIRE Pakistan has opened applications for the National Idea Bank V Hackathon, a nationwide competition for early stage startups that invites founders from across the country to submit their ideas. Applications are open from November 2 to December 20, 2026, and every submission goes through an assessment based on artificial intelligence followed by a review by people. The call asks aspiring entrepreneurs to put their ideas forward for the chance to turn them into working startups, with the strongest entries moving into a structured pre-incubation program.
The top 30 to 35 startups will join the 16-week National Idea Bank Pre-Incubation Program, which is built to take an idea from a rough concept toward a business that is ready for the next stage. Participants will work on core startup documents, take eight weeks of training through the Founders Edge program, and receive a review of their documents along with mentoring that includes one-on-one coaching. Pre-incubation of this kind is aimed at founders who have an idea but have not yet formed a company or reached the market, giving them structure, feedback and guidance when those things matter most. For teams that are still deciding how to describe their business, the document review and individual coaching offer a chance to test their thinking with experienced reviewers before they approach investors or customers.
Cash prizes are on offer for the strongest ideas. The first prize is Rs 100,000, the second prize is Rs 50,000, and the third and fourth prizes are each Rs 25,000. Awards of this size can help young founders cover early costs such as prototyping, legal registration or initial marketing, and they add recognition that can help teams attract further attention. Because the process combines an open hackathon with a longer training program, the competition is designed to reward ideas that are ready to be developed, not only those that make the best first impression.
Founders who wish to take part can apply here before the December 20 deadline, or scan the code shown on the call for applications. The hackathon is open nationwide, which means entrepreneurs outside the major cities can submit ideas on the same terms as those in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. ASPIRE Pakistan has been building a pipeline of early stage founders through programs such as pre-incubation and mentoring sessions, and National Idea Bank V adds another entry point for those who are just beginning. With the window open for about seven weeks, applicants have time to refine their ideas and prepare a submission that shows both the problem they are solving and the plan they have to solve it.
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