Women entrepreneurs across Pakistan have been invited to apply for the National Product Development Support Program, a new initiative backed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority in collaboration with the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design. The programme is aimed at women-led businesses that want to grow, develop innovative products and reach new markets, and it offers selected participants a chance to receive grants of up to PKR 500,000. Interested applicants can submit their details through the Google Form to be considered for the programme.
The support on offer covers the full path from an idea on paper to a product on the shelf. Participants can benefit from product development guidance, business planning, commercialization support, digital enablement, access to finance and market readiness training. Together, these areas address the gaps that most often hold back small enterprises run by women, from limited design expertise and weak branding to difficulty in reaching buyers and raising working capital. By bringing these services under a single programme, the organisers aim to save entrepreneurs the effort of looking for each form of help separately and to give them a clearer route towards a market-ready product.
Eligibility has been kept broad so that businesses at different stages can take part. Women entrepreneurs, women-led micro and small businesses, craft and creative businesses and home-based businesses are all welcome to apply, whether they are building a first venture from home or scaling an established one. This focus matters in a country where a large share of women’s economic activity takes place informally, often in households and small workshops, and where artisans and home-based workers frequently struggle to turn skill into steady income. Design support from a fashion and design institute adds a practical layer for those working in textiles, embroidery, handicrafts and similar creative trades.
The programme follows an agreement between the two institutions to jointly run a three year national product development effort centred on women and microenterprises. Under that arrangement, enterprise development expertise from the authority is combined with the design and innovation capabilities of the institute so that small businesses can improve product quality, build stronger brands and become more competitive at home and abroad. For women who have been waiting for a structured opportunity to take the next step in growth and innovation, the call is now open, and applications can be filed through the online form without delay. More information about other support programmes is available on the authority’s official website.
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