The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) has issued an invitation to young aspiring entrepreneurs in Punjab to apply their startup ideas for incubation with the Regional Plan9 launchpad. However, only startups from Bahawalpur, Lahore, and Sargodha are eligible to apply. Those interested in applying should use the PITB’s given links to send their ideas:
Lahore: https://t.co/2ZPyMcAbPr?amp=1
Bahawalpur and Sargodha: https://t.co/flxFR34xhj?amp=1
Here are some of the key benefits offered by the Plan9 incubator program, which has introduced 9 incubators housed in public sector universities:
- Zero Equity
- Monthly stipends
- Free office space
- Networking Opportunities
- Business development initiatives
- Mentorship and guidance
The PITB’s Regional Plan9, a key initiative, aims to cultivate a technology-driven entrepreneurial mentality among Punjab’s youth. Plan9 was previously launched in Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad, with the aim of “focusing on the problems our nation is facing during the global pandemic and finding creative solutions for the new normal.”
Plan9 has previously established collaborations with US startup incubators to support Pakistani startups, as well as launching a summer entrepreneurship bootcamp for young children called “Whizkids & Summer Entrepreneurship Bootcamp.”
It is worth noting that, despite significant efforts to promote the startup culture in Pakistan, the government’s inability to persuade PayPal to open an office in Pakistan has become a bottleneck for further IT export development. Furthermore, recent initiatives to issue notices to freelancers may have a negative effect on IT exports and remittances.
The government’s attempts to tax the IT sector while treating it as a cash cow have also raised concerns among Pakistan’s major tech stakeholders.