NIC partners with leading global accelerator

The National Incubation Centre (NIC) Islamabad has taken a major step to enhance Pakistan's startup ecosystem by partnering with MassChallenge, one of the world's leading zero-equity startup accelerators.

The collaboration marks the launch of NIC Islamabad's first IGNITE-funded accelerator program, offering NIC graduates' access to global networks, top-tier mentorship, a carefully crafted curriculum and up to Rs5 million in funding for their ventures.

The programme represents a significant opportunity for Pakistani startups to position themselves on the global stage. Selected participants will gain exposure to MassChallenge's well-established framework, which has helped companies such as Ginkgo Bioworks and Desktop Metal scale rapidly, achieving multi-billion-dollar valuations.

In addition to financial support, startups will benefit from mentorship provided by leading entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts who will guide them through the challenges of building a successful, scalable business.

MassChallenge is renowned for its success in helping startups unlock their potential through its zero-equity accelerator programs. Its alumni have collectively raised over $8.6 billion in funding and created more than 186,000 jobs worldwide. With the MassChallenge collaboration, NIC aims to build on this foundation by providing its graduates with tools and connections that can help them scale more quickly and effectively in the global marketplace.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, NIC Islamabad Program Director Sayyed Ahmad Masud highlighted the immense value this partnership will bring to NIC startups. "MassChallenge has a proven track record of enabling some of the most successful startups to scale globally.

Through this partnership, we are creating a bridge for our startups to access international markets, world-class expertise and the resources they need to grow exponentially," he said.