SMEDA and Alibaba to train 10,000 Pakistani SMEs, put 2,000 on Alibaba.com with up to Rs 150,000 support each

SMEDA and Alibaba.com will train 10,000 Pakistani small businesses to export and put up to 2,000 of them on Alibaba's international B2B marketplace, with SMEDA paying back up to Rs 150,000 per business for the costs, under a strategic cooperation agreement reported by Business Recorder on Saturday. Registration is through SMEDA's portal at smerp.smeda.org.

The deal turns into a working programme the memorandum of understanding signed in May 2026, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China.

What a business gets

The money is described as reimbursement-based: a selected business is paid back for eligible costs up to the limit, rather than given a grant in advance. SMEDA has not yet published the list of eligible costs.

Who it is aimed at

Four sectors get priority:

• Sports goods and sportswear
• Textiles
• Agricultural machinery
• Auto parts

Alibaba.com launched DigiSME Pakistan at its AI Export x New Supply Growth Summit 2026 in Faisalabad, where participants were shown AI-enabled tools for digital trade. SMEDA chief executive Nadia Jahangir Seth said the authority's job is to help small firms reach global markets.

How to apply

1. Register on SMEDA's portal, smerp.smeda.org, with your business details. SMEDA says selection and onboarding will be "transparent"; the eligibility rules and closing date had not been published at the time of writing.
2. Get your paperwork in order. An exporter needs NTN registration with the FBR, and most B2B buyers will ask for a company profile, product photos, prices in dollars and a minimum order quantity.
3. Work out your costs before you list. Our sales tax calculator and income tax calculator help a small firm see what it keeps from an export order, and the currency converter turns dollar quotes into rupees at today's rate.

We will add the eligibility criteria and deadline here when SMEDA publishes them.