Orbit Startups partners with National Incubation Centre Karachi for Acceleration Program
In a significant move signaling Pakistan’s evolving role in the global tech landscape, the National Incubation Centre (NIC) Karachi has officially launched its first-ever structured Acceleration Program.
This isn’t just another incubator; it’s a strategic partnership with Orbit Startups, a prominent investor in emerging markets, designed to propel high-potential Pakistani ventures onto the international stage.
For years, NIC Karachi has served as a launchpad, fostering nascent tech companies. But as Ali Sohail Tabba, Chairperson Governance Committee NIC Karachi and Director at Yunus Brothers Group, puts it, this program marks a “powerful shift…from incubation to growth acceleration”.
The goal is clear: fast-track companies ready to scale, raise capital, and make a significant market impact, both locally and globally.
Orbit Startups’ Managing General Partner, William Bao Bean, isn’t shy about his optimism, asserting that Pakistan, with its “young, digital-first population,” is on the cusp of a “technology-driven economic transformation”.
He believes Pakistan is “one of the most overlooked startup markets in the world, and that’s about to change”. Coming from a firm with almost two decades of investment experience in high-growth markets like China and India, and having backed over 300 startups, that’s a statement that carries weight.
This isn’t merely about capital, though selected startups stand to receive up to PKR 5 million in milestone-based grants. It’s about transformation. The three-month accelerator will provide rigorous training from global experts, hands-on support, and a focus on critical areas like investor readiness, strategic and operational refinement, global expansion, and financial maturity.
The program specifically targets startups that already demonstrate traction, possess established revenue models, and have a product in the market. Sectors of particular interest include Fintech, CyberSecurity, Industrial Automation, AgriTech, Climate Tech, Logistics, and MarTech.
Asim Ishaq Khan, Vice President at LMKT, a funding partner, emphasized the long-term commitment embedded in the program, aiming to equip founders with the “tools, connections, and capital they need to break growth barriers, drive tangible economic transformation, and build global companies from Pakistan”.
The program’s structure underscores a commitment to accountability, with grant disbursements tied to verified deliverables across business, product, and investor readiness metrics.
“The future of Pakistan’s economy rests on scalable, tech-driven companies,” said Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director NIC Karachi. “This acceleration program is our investment in that future and in the fearless founders building it.”
For a nation often seeking its footing on the global economic stage, this partnership could be a significant step forward, cultivating a new generation of companies ready to compete beyond its borders.
