The National Incubation Center (NIC) Islamabad, Pakistan’s premiere technology hub, on Tuesday held an open house session for all those who aspire to be part of its fourth cohort The open house was an open to all. Speakers from Ignite- National Technology Fund, Jazz and Teamup, informed the participants about the vision, mission and the future of NICs in Pakistan. The teams also discussed the benefits of the programmes offered at the NIC. Jazz xlr8 and Teamup have been at the forefront in promoting all tech enabled startups on national and international platforms. Students, corporates and executives from across industries attended the session, gaining insights on the programme and toured the state-of-the-art facility. The session also included presentations from start-ups, where they showcased their journey at NIC Islamabad and how it had helped them scale their businesses. Chief Digital Officer Jazz, Aamer Ejaz, said, “Jazz takes pride in setting up the NIC that provides state-of-the-art facilities to startups and entrepreneurs from across Pakistan. Jazz xlr8 has played an integral role in helping many young entrepreneurs and startups take their business to the next level by leveraging Jazz digital platforms, payment gateway, global mentors and Jazz user base. Moving forward, we hope to continue our support to build a sustainable technology eco-system in Pakistan and look forward to working with the most creative and innovative entrepreneurs of this country.” The top startups at the NIC out of the selected startups will be chosen for the Jazz xlr8 programme. The Jazz xlr8 programme at the NIC offer startups access to Jazz’s user base, a global network of mentors, and its digital platforms. Jazz wants to play its part in laying the foundation for a sustainable technology ecosystem and will provide resources and expertise to help young entrepreneurs fulfil their potential. Jazz xlr8 works in-line with VEON’s ‘Make Your Mark’ initiative, which aims to help shape the future generation through exposure and seed funding. Expressing his views on the occasion, Parvez Abbasi commented, “The open house is a great opportunity for all stakeholders and participants to come together and interact with those who aspire to become the next generation entrepreneurs.” He continued, “At the same time, it enables young people to connect with industry veterans, helping them understand how businesses like Jazz and Teamup are providing support to the evolving entrepreneurial landscape of Pakistan.” The event concluded with a jamming session organised and performed by founders from two of the startups. Easyinsurance Co-founder Maliha Javed Khan remarked, “I think it’s a great learning opportunity for all of us here at the NIC, also for those who are applying for the fourth cohort. She added, “Interacting with young aspiring entrepreneurs is helping us to learn that there is a lot of potential out there, and we definitely want them to be a part of this ecosystem.” Published in Daily Times, July 11th 2018.