The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has commenced the application process for the 5th Cohort of the Incubation Cycle under the National Expansion Plan (NEP) of the National Incubation Centers (NICs).

As part of the National Expansion Plan for NICs, applications are being sought for incubation centers in various cities across Pakistan, including Gujrat, Jamshoro, Karachi, Kohat, Lahore, Muzaffarabad, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Swat, and Taxila.

The National Expansion Plan of NICs, a collaborative initiative by the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoITT) and Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), aims to foster and expand the startup ecosystem within the country.

The 5th Cohort’s incubation cycle will span six months and operate on a Zero Equity Model, ensuring that participating startups incur no costs for their induction. Selected startups will receive benefits such as free office space, legal consultation, and mentorship. Over the six-month program, more than 30 sessions and training modules will be offered to the startups.

NEP is accepting applications from across Pakistan, including Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, and AJK. In Punjab, applications are welcome from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Taxila, and Gujrat regions. For Sindh, NEP has invited applications from Karachi, Jamshoro, and Sukkur regions, and for Balochistan, applications are sought from Quetta and Lasbela regions. Furthermore, applications are open for the Kohat and Swat regions in KP and the Muzaffarabad region in AJK.

This initiative underscores the commitment of the Ministry of IT to promote entrepreneurship and innovation across Pakistan by providing startups with valuable resources and support through the National Incubation Centers.