14 graduating startups of Ignite funded NIC Peshawar added Rs. 120 million to national economy

Peshawar, Pakistan – 24/10/19 – National Incubation Center, Peshawar hosted the Inaugural Graduation
Ceremony to celebrate the achievements of its startups from the first and second cohort.
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom, was the guest of
honor for the ceremony, which was attended by the senior members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Government, Ignite as well as prominent leaders from Pakistan’s startup ecosystem.
Operated by LMKT in collaboration with PTCL, NIC Peshawar is an initiative funded by Ignite and Ministry
of IT and Telecom. Since its inauguration in January 2018, some 18 months ago, NIC Peshawar has played
a monumental role in the development of KP’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The center has added
significant value to the province’s economy by enhancing the growth potential of the region’s local
businesses.

14 graduating startups of Ignite funded NIC Peshawar added Rs. 120 million to national economy

Altogether the graduating startups have created more than 470 direct and 1900 indirect jobs, raised over
PKR 192 Million in investment and increased their revenue exponentially to more than PKR 120 Million.
The 14 graduating startups from the NIC truly showcased the diversity and depth of talent in KP. Belonging
to a wide array of industries including education, health, AR/VR, e-commerce, lifestyle, eco-friendly
transportation, gaming and delivery services, these startups have already made their mark through
disruptive and innovative ideas.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said, “Graduating startups of NIC Peshawar have
lived up to the standard of KP traditions that are known for their liveliness. I’m sure that KP youth will set
new standards for their peers from all across the country. It’s really heartening to see the full-blown ideas
ranging from fashion to health, AR/VR and education generating healthy revenues.
Kamran Khan Bangash, while addressing the audience, said, “KP is soon going to be the digital heart of
Pakistan and you will see a revolution of innovation. NIC Peshawar is playing the most significant role
toward this goal by transforming startup ecosystem of the region.”
Yusuf Hussain, CEO Ignite, commended the efforts of NIC Peshawar saying, “The success of NIC Peshawar
is the result of planning and execution with passion, rigor, and high ethics.”

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Atif Rais Khan, CEO LMKT, congratulated the graduating startups and said, “NIC Peshawar is the proof that
investing in human capital pays enormous dividends and if we want to be a world class tech development
destination and a top performing economy this is the area we have to develop.”
On the occasion, Syed Shahzad Shah, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Communication,
PTCL, said, “It is an honor to be part of this event, where we have seen the making of the future leaders
of Pakistan. On behalf of PTCL, I would like to congratulate the graduating startups and the management
of NIC Peshawar, LMKT and Ignite. The potential displayed by these young entrepreneurs incubated at
NIC Peshawar is truly outstanding. I believe that these local startups will take the country to the next level
of economic growth and prosperity.”
Murtaza Zaidi, Director NIC Peshawar, thanked all the esteemed guests for attending the ceremony and
encouraging the graduating startups. He added, “The success of these startups speaks volumes about the
commitment, dedication and hard work of these innovators. All of these startups have proved themselves
in the market and shown the world, the potential this land possesses. ”
NIC Peshawar continues to steadily work on its mission of Igniting the Spark of innovation and disruption
in KP. Our commitment to this goal is reflected in the ongoing success of these graduating startups.