A total of 256 applicants were shortlisted out of 13,000 applications received for the first phase of the Prime Minister’s National Innovation Award (PMNIA) where students pitched their creative businesses ideas to get a chance to get funding for their start-ups.

The shortlisting was done by a scrutiny committee comprising industry experts/entrepreneurs from relevant fields. The applicants were selected purely on merit and will undergo an extensive, regional 5-day Boot camp on idea pitching by five partner universities.

Applications for this program were received in the month of October and November 2022 from aspiring youth aged 15 to 30 years. The applications were open to all kinds of innovative ideas including but not limited to information technology, sustainable energy, food security, water management, etc.

The selection of awards will be made through an open, rigorous, transparent, competitive, and merit-based process. The objective of PMNIA is to improve Pakistan’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index, foster entrepreneurial culture among youth, and transform ideas into successful businesses.

It is an open opportunity for Pakistani youth to propose innovative ideas; get funding, and technical support from mentors with a 6-month incubation facility to augment their ideas into a flourishing business.

The process of pitching training for these shortlisted applicants will be followed by the national-level pitching competition which will start tentatively in February/ March. In this process, 50 ideas will be finalised for the award.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2023.