NIC Karachi picks 35 startups for Cohort 16 from over 700 applications

NIC Karachi, the National Incubation Center in Karachi, has taken 35 startups into Cohort 16 of its incubation programme, picked from more than 700 applications from across Pakistan, Business Recorder reported on Saturday 17 October 2026. That is roughly one place for every 20 applicants.

Who runs it and what the startups get

• Funded by Ignite, the National Technology Fund under the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication.
• Managed by LMKT in partnership with Lucky Landmark (Pvt) Ltd.
• International partner: Orbit Ventures, which will give Cohort 16 extra mentorship, acceleration and introductions to foreign investors.
• Support: structured incubation, mentoring, training and access to industry networks.

Project Director Syed Azfar Hussain said the quality and range of ideas this year showed the country's growing entrepreneurial ambition.

The track record

Startups incubated at NIC Karachi have together generated more than Rs 13 billion in revenue and raised more than Rs 13 billion in investment, according to the centre. At today's dollar rate of about Rs 277, each figure is roughly $47 million.

What it means for founders

If you missed this round, the numbers tell you what to expect next time: hundreds of applicants for a few dozen places. Founders who get in usually show:

1. A working product or pilot, not just an idea.
2. Early customers or revenue, even small.
3. A team with the skills to build it, rather than a solo founder.

Pakistani startups are also going abroad for exposure: 20 Pakistani firms pitched at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this week (our report). Founders taking a salary from their startup can work out their tax with our income tax calculator, and freelancers moving into a company can compare with the freelancer tax calculator.