National Science & Technology Park

24/08/2026

Are you building a startup in Defence & Dual-Use Technology?

Developing solutions in AI, Cybersecurity, IoT, Aeronautics, Drones or related technologies and looking to raise funding?

Join NSTP’s DEFTECH Incubation Program, in collaboration with THE AKD GROUP (UK). Applications are now open!

Apply now: https://lnkd.in/dzrwm_mf

11/08/2026

DEFTECH Incubation Program is launching soon at NSTP. Stay tuned!
NUST × The AKD Group

30/07/2026

The National Science and Technology Park (NSTP) at NUST and The AKD Group of Companies UK today signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement to jointly design, deliver, and fund Pakistan's first globally connected Defense Technology Incubation and early stage Investment Platform.

The agreement was signed by Engineer Amer Sheikh, Director, NSTP, and Allayar K Durrani, CEO, THE AKD GROUP (UK), in the presence of Dr Rizwan Riaz, Pro-Rector RIC NUST & VP NUST.

Under the partnership, AKD Group UK will serve as Funding and Investment Lead, connecting selected startups to its international network of OEMs, system integrators, and global investors.

NSTP will serve as an Ex*****on and Knowledge Partner, leading curriculum design, startup sourcing and selection, mentorship delivery, and Demo Day organization, drawing on NUST's research infrastructure and institutional network.

"This partnership positions NSTP at the center of Pakistan's technology innovation agenda. We are combining NUST's research infrastructure and institutional credibility with a partner that brings real capital and international market access, a combination that can turn good ideas into companies capable of competing globally." Engineer Amer Sheikh, Director, NSTP

"We believe Pakistan's youth and its defense technology sector carry potential that the world has yet to discover. Through this partnership, THE AKD GROUP (UK) aims to change that by providing the investment, mentorship, and global connections needed to help indigenous startups succeed. We are optimistic that this collaboration marks the beginning of a new era, one that brings meaningful investment and multi-billion-dollar opportunities to Pakistan's innovators." Allayar K Durrani, CEO, THE AKD GROUP (UK)

The partnership reflects NSTP's continued focus on building global linkages to accelerate innovation driven economic development and reflects The AKD Group's vision to strengthen Pakistan's position in defense, technology, and economic development.

16/07/2026

29/06/2026

Hatch 8 Cohort 6 founders have been actively engaging in workshops, with 30+ startups currently progressing through the program.

From Business Modelling and Brand Identity to Founder Dynamics and Product Thinking, startups are working through core business challenges, applying session learnings directly to their ventures, and refining their ideas as the cohort progresses. The sessions are being facilitated through structured guidance from trainers, enabling founders to apply concepts directly into practical ex*****on in real time.

12/06/2026

NUST National Science & Technology Park (NSTP) is proud to announce that its dedicated incubation center, TechOne, has been recognized as the Top Incubator in Pakistan by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). It has achieved a validated score of 94% and earned the prestigious W Category (Top Performing) distinction, outperforming Business Incubation Centers across the country.

This recognition reflects what is being built inside TechOne, a community of 70+ startups working at the frontier of emerging technologies across Artificial Intelligence, Deep Tech, Clean Energy, HealthTech, and AgriTech collectively employing 5,000+ high-tech professionals and developing solutions that are creating real impact across Pakistan's most critical sectors.

Congratulations!

15/05/2026

HEC appoints Rector NUST as National Chair to spearhead Pakistan’s AI and Robotics transformation

At a time when Artificial Intelligence and Robotics are giving major impetus to the world economies, industries, security paradigms and governance systems, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, in a landmark development, has appointed Rector NUST Dr Muhammad Zahid Latif as the National Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, entrusting NUST with spearheading a strategic national initiative in two of the world’s most transformative domains.

Based at NUST Islamabad campus, the National Chair, together with a panel of experts, will serve as a premier national platform for policy direction, strategic alignment, governance structures, and comprehensive assessment of the national AI and Robotics ecosystem, particularly in relation to HEC-supported national centres, including the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and the National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA).

The appointment reflects the confidence reposed by HEC in the Rector NUST’s visionary leadership and underscores the university’s growing stature as a leading hub of academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and technological innovation in Pakistan.

Expressing his appreciation to HEC leadership for honouring NUST with this important national mandate, the Rector said, “This initiative is not only a recognition of NUST’s academic and research contributions, but also a collective national opportunity to build long-term strategic coherence in emerging technologies. The success of Pakistan’s AI and Robotics journey hinges upon meaningful collaboration between academia, industry, government and innovators. As part of this initiative, we aspire to foster precisely that synergy.”

The National Chair will also lead efforts to identify structural gaps, systemic inefficiencies, and operational challenges impacting the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the national AI and Robotics ecosystem.

Through benchmarking against international best practices, the initiative seeks to develop an integrated national framework capable of ensuring coherence, strategic alignment, and coordinated progress across institutions and stakeholders.

The initiative is further expected to recommend transformative national pathways and implementation approaches that can accelerate Pakistan’s emergence as a competitive knowledge economy driven by innovation, intelligent systems, and advanced automation.

Higher Education Commission, Pakistan National Center of Artificial Intelligence - NCAI, Pakistan National Center of Robotics and Automation - NCRA

13/05/2026

Director NSTP, Engineer Amer Sheikh, welcomed students from the Department of Computer Science, Bahria University.

The visit included an overview of NSTP, a detailed introduction to the Hatch 8 program, its offerings, incubation facility, and the startup journey from idea to ex*****on, along with interactions with resident startups Rapidev, Orbit-Ed and LearnOBots.

A visit focused on giving students a closer look at how ideas are built, developed, and scaled within the startup ecosystem.