Pakistan’s National Science & Technology Park launches a new Hatch 8 Cohort

IASP member the National Science & Technology Park (NSTP) from Pakistan officially launched Cohort 6 of its flagship incubation programme, Hatch 8. The programme welcomed more than 30 early-stage startups during Orientation Day.  

The new cohort spans a diverse range of industries and reflects NSTP’s continued efforts to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem through structured support. The orientation session marked the formal onboarding of participating founders in the programme, which is designed to support early-stage ventures through mentorship, investor readiness, and structured development pathways. 

Across its previous cohorts, Hatch 8 has supported more than 100 startups and contributed to the facilitation of over 400,000USD in early-stage funding. The programme has also helped generate jobs and reports a startup survival rate of 68%. In addition, 30% of participating and graduating startups have been female led, reflecting NSTP’s emphasis on inclusive entrepreneurship. 

"Success isn't about ideas - it's about persistence and consistency when things stop working", states Amer Sheikh, Director of NSTP. His remarks underscore the programme’s philosophy, highlighting the importance of being disciplined in the entrepreneurial journey. 

The orientation day also included networking activities, such as ice-breaker sessions and speed networking, aimed at encouraging collaboration among founders across different sectors. These elements are intended to foster early cross-sector relationships, recognising the importance of diverse networks in supporting startup growth.