The National Incubation Center Karachi has officially announced the commencement of its Cohort 15, welcoming 36 promising startups into its flagship incubation programme.
Following a highly competitive and rigorous selection process, which attracted over 500 applications and included 160 startup pitches, the selected ventures represent some of the most innovative and high-potential ideas from across the country. NIC Karachi, managed by LMKT in partnership with Lucky Landmark Pvt. Limited and global acceleration partner Orbit Startups, aims to provide these startups with the tools, mentorship, and strategic support required to scale sustainably.
Funded by Ignite National Technology Fund, NIC Karachi continues to serve as Pakistan’s largest incubation center and startup accelerator. Over the years, the center has played a pivotal role in strengthening the entrepreneurial landscape, with its incubated startups collectively creating over one million jobs, generating more than Rs12 billion in revenue and raising Rs13 billion in investment.
Through its collaboration with Orbit Ventures (one of the leading international venture capital firms) operating in Pakistan, Cohort 15 will benefit from enhanced mentorship, structured capacity-building programmes, and increased access to global networks and capital. This partnership is designed to equip founders with the knowledge, resources, and connections needed to scale both locally and internationally.
Muhammad Bilal Abbasi, General Manager Projects at Ignite, shared his insights on the rapid expansion of Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and its growing recognition on the global stage. He highlighted that Ignite’s National Incubation Centers (NICs), established across major cities, had evolved into dynamic hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering the development of product-driven startups with a strong emphasis on deep-tech and advanced technological solutions. He noted that these centers were
not only enabling innovation but also playing a critical role in strengthening Pakistan’s export potential by supporting scalable, technology-focused ventures. Abbasi further emphasized that through targeted mentorship, access to funding, and market linkages, NICs were equipping startups to build globally competitive products, drive digital transformation, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s knowledge-based economy.
Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director of NIC Karachi, stated, “The launch of Cohort 15 marks another important milestone in our journey to strengthen Pakistan’s startup ecosystem. The quality and diversity of ideas we have seen this year reflect the growing maturity of entrepreneurship in the country. At NIC Karachi, we are committed to providing founders with not just resources, but the right mentorship, networks, and global exposure needed to build scalable and impactful ventures.”
NIC Karachi remains committed to fostering innovation, enabling entrepreneurship, and driving economic growth by supporting startups that have the potential to create lasting impact across industries.
