Daily Times

The grand finale and prize distribution ceremony of the NUST’s flagship international entrepreneurial programme `Finding Innovative and Creative Solutions (FICS 2023)’ was held at the university’s main campus on Friday. FICS is Pakistan’s largest startup competition being annually held at NUST since 2013 where all projects pitched in the competition are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The latest edition of the competition witnessed a remarkable collaboration between Turkiye and Pakistan.

NUST partnered with Gazi University in Ankara, and conducted the international chapter of FICS 2023 earlier this year, wherein teams from 20 universities of Turkiye competed for the top slot. The winners of this event qualified for the Grand Finale of FICS ’23. This year, there were over 700 project submissions from multiple national and international institutions. A total of 100+ finalist teams of FICS ’23 demonstrated their prototypes of technology-based innovative solutions to a panel of over 30 industry judges.

The overall National Winner of FICS ’23 was Team “Solar Panel Cleaning System” from U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E) NUST. Their project offers a simple, cost-effective, and efficient solution for cleaning of Solar PV panels. An international team’s project “Recycling of silicon based solar panels” from Gazi University Turkiye secured first position amongst the international contestants, and was awarded a Global Champion Award of USD 5000.

FICS ’23 sponsors and partners included NetSol Technologies, TetraPak Pakistan, National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), Central Asian Cellular Forum (CACF), and Alfoze Technologies Pvt. Ltd. An overwhelming number of dignitaries, particularly Ambassadors from Germany, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Malaysia, and Deputy Ambassadors from Palestine, Indonesia and Turkiye graced the occasion with their presence. Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Rector NUST, presented souvenirs to the dignitaries.