RAWALPINDI, Sep 16 : Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday inaugurated NICAT investment ecosystem aimed at fostering technological innovation and entrepreneurship in the country, providing a platform for transformative collaboration across the aerospace and technology sectors.
The National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies (NICAT) has launched the investment startups ecosystem in collaboration with the Ignite National Technology Fund and the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), a news releases said.
The initiatives brought together prominent industry leaders, government officials, investors and innovative startups.
Addressing the launching ceremony, the minister highlighted the significant steps taken by the government in the fields of science and technology, reaffirming the commitment to transforming Pakistan into a modern, technology-driven economy.
He said the incubation centers like NICAT contributed to the development of an innovative ecosystem in which tech entrepreneurship could thrive, and emphasized “a country with bustling tech ecosystems can fast track its growth by attracting investment.”
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan’s biggest strength was its youth, who needed to be passionate and devoted in succeeding with their startup ideas.
Highlighting the fact that Pakistan’s tech entrepreneurs have won laurels all over the world, he assured that the government remained fully committed to developing the technology landscape for the growing businesses.
Citing examples of world class universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Stanford and MIT, the minister said, “One peculiar thing you will find in these universities is that their laboratories and libraries remain open round the clock. There’s no concept of off-duty hours in the world’s best universities because innovators have no deadline.”
He emphasized on the need to create an environment that fostered critical thinking and problem solving skills in Pakistan’s universities, eventually establishing stronger links between universities and industries.
He shed light on the government’s major scientific and technological initiatives at the national level, including the establishment of National Centre for Artificial Intelligence, National Centre for Cyber Security, National Centre for Robotics and Automation, National Centre for Big Data and Cloud Computing and National Centre for Genomics.
Ahsan Iqbal noted that the centers were playing a crucial role in fostering a robust scientific environment within the country.
He said Pakistan held a unique history and strategic geographic importance, adding despite facing various challenges, the country had learned from its hardships and emerged stronger.
“Pakistan, though faced with numerous difficulties in its early days, is now the world’s seventh nuclear power. Our industrial and defence sectors have made remarkable advancements, exemplified by the development of state-of-the-art aircraft like the JF-17 Thunder,” he remarked
The minister also stressed the urgent need to equip Pakistan’s youth with digital skills, stating that future progress would belong to nations that adopted modern technologies.
He announced the launch of a new programme in collaboration with Google, aimed at providing digital skills training to the young people.
In his concluding remarks, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan was now being promoted as an “Investment Destination” and that the global community viewed it as one of the most attractive countries for investment opportunities.
Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Asad Ikram, Principal Advisor at NICAT, emphasized the critical role of technology in transforming nations.
“The difference between developed and developing countries lies in technology. Our vision is to ignite passion and transform Pakistan into a superpower. We are reshaping minds and hearts, which is at the core of our mission,” Asad Ikram said.
Adding to the strategic narrative, AVM Dr Liaquat Ullah Iqbal, CEO of NASTP, highlighted the significance of aligning resources to drive the nation’s technological future.
He stated, “We are now integrating our resources after building a strong foundation, with five technology parks established and further collaborations with Turkey and 20 other countries. Our dream is to elevate NASTP into a world-class technology center.”
The event commenced with the minister’s tour of the NICAT facility, followed by a showcase of cutting-edge startups at the forefront of technological advancement in the aerospace, AI, and IoT domains.
Attendees included representatives from NAVTTC, the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bank Alfalah, and international partners from over 20 countries, reinforcing the commitment to strengthen Pakistan’s technological ecosystem.
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