A JICA team led by Chief Advisor Chiyo Mamiya visited National Incubation Center Sialkot under the Women Entrepreneurs Booster Package project to record the challenges faced by women founders.

The National Product Development Support Program offers women-led micro and small businesses product development, market readiness and finance access, with grants of up to PKR 500,000.

BIC, University of Peshawar and SMEDA hosted a session led by Rashid Aman on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and its core components for student founders.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed SMEDA to formulate a comprehensive strategy for financial assistance to SMEs, focusing on capacity building and global market access.

The WEBPA project team, a SMEDA-JICA collaboration, visited NIC Sialkot to engage with startups and discuss empowering women entrepreneurs.

FJWU-BIC hosted the University-Level Pitching Competition for the Punjab Youth Innovation and Incubation Competition 2026, with 56 shortlisted teams presenting from an initial pool of 111 applications.

SMEDA and SEDF have agreed to strengthen collaboration to improve access to finance for MSMEs across Pakistan, with both organisations outlining plans for financial literacy and SME financing helpdesks.

SMEDA CEO Nadia Jahangir Seth and SEDF CEO Khizar Pervaiz explored collaboration on financial and digital literacy, SME Financing Helpdesks, business formalisation, and the potential replication of Punjab's Asaan Karobar Scheme in Sindh to build a stronger MSME ecosystem.

SAPM on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan called micro, small, and medium enterprises central to the government's growth strategy at Expo Faisalabad 2026, emphasizing export promotion and industrial development.

Mian Zahid Hussain has urged MoIP, SBP, FBR, and SECP to jointly establish a central SME registry and uniform definition, following SBP's revised classification thresholds effective July 16, 2026.

SMEDA is encouraging entrepreneurs and small businesses across Pakistan to register through the SME Registration Portal, SMERP, as part of the Government of Pakistan's vision for inclusive and sustainable economic growth through MSME formalisation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed banks to improve credit access for women entrepreneurs and SMEs while expanding export financing support in Pakistan.