IGNITE PARTICIPATES IN 24th ITCN ASIA WITH PROMISING STARTUPS

Ignite National Technology Fund, a public sector company under the Ministry of IT & Telecom, continued its commitment to nurturing Pakistan’s startup ecosystem by joining this year’s ITCN Asia event with 10 dynamic startups from its National Incubation Centers (NIC). ITCN Asia is a premier gathering that unites tech enthusiasts, industry experts, and innovators to celebrate progress in information technology and telecommunications. The 24^th ITCN Asia took place at Lahore Expo Center from April 18-20, 2024. Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for IT and Telecom, was the Chief Guest and HE Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General of Digital Cooperation Organization was the Global Guest of Honor at the opening ceremony. The three-day event showcased innovative solutions, emphasizing networking, knowledge-sharing, lead generation, and a series of conferences fostering a collaborative learning environment where like-minded individuals could exchange insights and experiences.

Ignite, as a driving force behind fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Pakistan, presented a remarkable selection of 10 innovative startups that have shown significant potential across diverse industries. These startups have thrived through Ignite’s incubation and acceleration program, benefiting from crucial mentorship, resource access, and networking opportunities to accelerate their growth.

Ignite’s pavilion, showcasing 10 varied startups and their products, drew considerable attention from visitors at ITCN. The startups included Podvare (Internet of Things, NIC Hyderabad), Gojo Pakistan (Transportation, NIC Hyderabad), BreatheIO (Health Tech, NIC Islamabad), Kalam4Solutions (AgriTech, NICAT), Creeco (Pvt.) Ltd. (Agritech, NIC Faisalabad), MachVista (Farm Mechanisation, NIC Faisalabad), Pamico Technologies (AgriTech, NIC Faisalabad), RedMarker Systems (EdTech, NICAT), Scents Rush (E-Commerce, NIC Quetta) and Ziftek (Ed-Tech, NIC Quetta). HE Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General of Digital Cooperation Organization also interacted with the startups and appreciated their remarkable efforts.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of a three-day 24th ICTN Asia Conference and Exhibition at the Lahore Expo Centre, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for IT and Telecom said, “As a Minister of IT & Telecom, it is my profound honour and privilege to be standing before the vibrant business community, brilliant minds and enthusiastic workforce that is driving IT sector, not just for Pakistan, but making way for Pakistan to becoming a regional IT hub. It is our vision to digitize the ecosystem, to enhance our knowledge-based economy, and to ensure that all of this collectively spurs economic growth in the country “. The minister assured her unwavering commitment to the cause of growth of the IT sector.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ITCN Asia, Adeel Aijaz Shaikh, CEO Ignite, mentioned that “Ignite is running the largest incubation network in Pakistan with incubation centers in eight different cities of Pakistan which have incubated more than 1480 startups over the last 5 to 6 years. Ignite is participating with eight NIC startups at ITCN this year in different verticals including e-commerce, healthtech, edtech, robotics, transportation, IoT, aerospace, and artificial intelligence. Our startups embody the innovative spirit propelling Pakistan’s tech landscape forward. The goal is to showcase the entrepreneurial talent of Pakistan to both local and international visitors at the event to generate new leads and business opportunities for the startups”.

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