Applications for WISE Lab’s Cohort 1 have been extended until the tenth of September, twenty twenty six, giving more women founders the opportunity to access six months of incubation, dedicated mentorship, technical support, investor connections, and potential grant funding. The extension comes with the deadline having originally been set closer to the end of August, giving prospective applicants an additional window to complete their submissions.
The programme continues to offer participation with no fee and no equity, removing two of the more common barriers women founders often face when seeking structured startup support. This equity free, fee free structure allows participants to access mentorship and resources without giving up ownership stakes or paying for participation, distinguishing WISE Lab from many conventional accelerator programmes that typically require equity in exchange for support.
The six month incubation period gives participating founders a sustained period of structured support, extending well beyond a brief workshop or short term programme into a more comprehensive engagement covering mentorship, technical assistance, and investor access. This longer duration allows founders to work through multiple stages of business development, from early refinement through to more advanced fundraising preparation, within a single continuous programme.
WISE Lab’s continued messaging around the tagline Her Idea, Her Enterprise reflects its specific focus on supporting women entrepreneurs, an area that has seen growing institutional attention across Pakistan’s startup ecosystem this year, including WISE Lab’s own recent partnerships with Pakistan Single Window’s Khadijah Programme and Fatima Jinnah Women University.
The extension is supported by Ministry Of IT and Telecommunication, Ignite National Technology Fund, JazzWorld, Mobilink Bank, and Change Mechanics, reflecting the institutional network backing WISE Lab’s ongoing programming. Those interested in applying for Cohort 1 can do so through the link shared as part of the announcement at https://lnkd.in/dN-_UMSe ahead of the newly extended deadline.
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