The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) have established 13 National Incubation Centers (NICs) across Pakistan under the National Expansion Plan (NEP), according to an official document.
The initiative aims to expand incubation facilities to six major regions and provide wider support for emerging entrepreneurs.
The centers have been set up in collaboration with provincial IT departments and boards, and all NICs have been established within universities. In Punjab, the centers are located in Lahore, Gujrat, Taxila, and Rawalpindi. Sindh hosts NICs in Karachi, Jamshoro, and Sukkur, while Balochistan has facilities in Quetta and Lasbela. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has centers in Kohat and Swat, with one center each in Gilgit and Muzaffarabad.
MoITT and PITB launched the National Expansion Plan in 2021 to offer nationwide opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses. The plan focuses on fostering innovation, supporting early-stage startups, and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem by expanding incubation infrastructure beyond major cities.
According to PITB, the program has received 124,000 applications from across the country and incubated 690 startups so far. Data shows that 75 percent of the founders are male, while 25 percent are female. Startups supported by the program have collectively generated over Rs 1.1 billion in revenue and created an estimated 120,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The National Expansion Plan provides a comprehensive zero-equity support package to selected startups. This includes a monthly stipend, free co-working spaces, mentorship, business development support, legal assistance, and national-level networking opportunities. The initiative continues to contribute to Pakistan’s growing startup ecosystem by empowering youth and promoting technology-driven entrepreneurship.
