PESHAWAR: Over 20 startups from diverse tech verticals officially graduated from the National Incubation Center (NIC) Peshawar this week, as part of its 12th startup cohort, during a high-energy event that also hosted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Investor Summit.
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The summit was organised as a strategic gathering aimed at connecting innovation with investment. Held at NIC Peshawar’s state-of-the-art facility, the summit brought together a powerful mix of tech entrepreneurs, angel investors, VCs, corporate executives, policy influencers, and ecosystem builders.
The graduating cohort featured startups building disruptive solutions across healthtech, agritech, edtech, e-commerce, and renewable energy. Their demos and pitches marked the culmination of months of structured incubation, including technical mentorship, business model refinement, and market readiness support.
Beyond celebrating entrepreneurial milestones, the event played a pivotal role in investor-startup matchmaking, enabling early-stage founders to connect directly with potential backers. Participating startups pitched their ventures to a curated audience of angel investors, venture capital firms, and corporate innovation teams, aiming to secure funding and strategic partnerships.
One of the highlights of the summit was the thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Beyond the Cheque – Demystifying the Journey from Pitch to Partnership.” Featuring industry leaders Rohma Labib (Accelerate Prosperity), Adnan Faisal (ScaleX), Saif Ali (Dastak Ventures), and Nayab Babar (Pakistan Startup Fund), and moderated by Maria Carolina Romero, the session focused on the importance of building long-term investor-founder relationships that go beyond funding to include mentorship, scaling support, and market access.
In a key address, Shafique ur Rehman, CEO of Rehman Medical Institute and Strategic Council member at NIC Peshawar, lauded the commitment of the graduating entrepreneurs. He also unveiled the launch of the Makers Lab at NIC Peshawar, a state-of-the-art facility that will provide startups with tools for prototyping, testing, and product development, taking innovation from concept to reality.
Asim Ishaq Khan, Project Director NIC Peshawar, addressing the event said, “This is more than just a graduation. It is a showcase of KP’s vibrant startup ecosystem. With every cohort, we’re not just launching businesses, we’re building the future of this region.”
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Delivering the keynote, Bilal Abbasi, General Manager at Ignite, reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to the startup ecosystem. He also shed light on national initiatives like the Pakistan Startup Fund and BridgeStart, which are designed to help Pakistani startups scale globally and compete internationally.
The summit also featured networking opportunities, enabling entrepreneurs and stakeholders to explore partnerships, funding opportunities, and collaborations.