National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) and the United States Department of State have joined hands to take the Pakistani entrepreneurship ecosystem to the next level by launching the country's first Global Acceleration Program.
The number of startups that become successful annually in Pakistan remains low and the technology entrepreneurship ecosystem has not been able to scale. This is primarily because:
The startup ecosystem of Pakistan is still in its nascent stages, so there is a lack of sophisticated investors, mentors and advisors. Thus, our startups need to leverage more advanced ecosystems with structured paths for scaling up.
The Global Acceleration Program will select 12 post-revenue startups, provide them office space at Technology Incubation Centre NUST for 12 months, and accelerate them in Silicon Valley for 3 months. The startups will be connected with relevant mentors and domain experts, investors, and international clients. The objective will be to immerse Pakistan’s finest startups in the high tech clusters of Silicon Valley, validate their products in the US market and then seek seed/venture funding for them.
For one founder per selected startup, the program will provide:
Lodging and co-working space in the heart of Silicon Valley for 3 months;
Business development opportunities with international clients & partners;
Linkages with globally renowned mentors and domain specialists;
Workshops & training on Go-To-Market;
Access to the Silicon Valley investor network;
Access to demo days and events in relevant thematic verticals;
Sponsored office space for 12 months at NUST Technology Incubation Centre.
Conditions:
Founder(s) of each selected startup shall work out of Technology Incubation Centre NUST for the duration of the program. All program expenses, including travel and lodging, will be covered. Support in the form of trainings, program management, and introductions to investors and potential customers will be provided by Technology Incubation Centre NUST.
