Ignite has signed the contract for launching its first vertical incubator in Aerospace Technologies in collaboration with Aviation City Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.

The National Incubation Centers in Aerospace Technologies (NICAT) will be established at the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP), Rawalpindi.

The Contract for the establishment of NICAT was awarded to NETSOL Technologies Ltd. and signed by CEO Ignite, Asim Shahryar Husain, CEO ACPPL, Air Commodore Dr. Liaquat Ullah Iqbal SI(M), and CEO NETSOL, Salim Ghauri. NETSOL team, based in Lahore, participated virtually due to the prevailing situation in the twin cities.

In his welcome address, Asim Shahryar, CEO Ignite, stated, “The new incubator in Aerospace Technologies will be Ignite’s eighth incubation center with a focus on nurturing high-tech startups related to aerospace & engineering. He said that the engineering facilities available at NASTP will enable our startups to develop hardware in addition to software for aerospace systems.”

Speaking on the occasion, CEO ACPPL, Air Commodore, Dr. Liaquatullah Iqbal, SI(M), said, ACPPL is establishing NASTP to promote, form, and develop small to large-sized aviation & space related enterprises, laboratories, and R&D centers at the national level. He added that NICAT will be established at NASTP and will help in nurturing and building an aerospace-related entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan.”

CEO NETSOL Technologies Ltd., Salim Ghauri, stated, “NICAT will transform the potential of aerospace & high-tech ICT-related ideas into reality in accordance with national & global needs and trends. He said that Netsol will leverage its experience of the past 26 years as well as its international linkages to make the new incubator successful for inducted startups.”

Ignite’s existing seven NICs in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, and Faisalabad have incubated more than 1150 startups so far which have created more than 117,000 direct and indirect jobs, raised funding of Rs. 15.4 billion, and generated revenue of Rs. 9.1 billion so far.

Renovation work for NICAT is expected to be completed within 3 months followed by induction of the first cohort of startups. The signing ceremony was also attended by the executive management of Ignite, Imran Jattala, CEO Innovators Garage, and senior officers from ACPPL and NASTP.