This story has been produced in association with Ignite. The investment numbers have been provided by Ignite for all the startups incubated across five National Incubation Centers (NICs).
Ignite, formerly known as National ICT R&D Fund, collaborated with Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom (MoITT) to establish five National Incubation Centers (NICs) across the country. The first NIC was launched in Islamabad in 2016 with Jazz as a key player. The following year in 2017, LUMS Centre of Entrepreneurship was relaunched as NIC Lahore.
In 2018, Ignite wrapped up its mission by establishing three more NICs in a duration of 6 months! In January this year, NIC Peshawar was launched with PTCL as the lead partner. In May, Ignite launched the final two NICs in Karachi at NED University with LMKT as the lead partner and in Quetta at BUITEMS with LUMS partnership.
34 startups incubated across these five incubation centres have raised over $23 million ($1 = PKR 138) in investments to scale their operations and refined their products. Here is the breakdown of all the NIC-incubated startups and other startups that secured investments through Ignite:
Integry is a widget that provides native in-app integration. Designed for non-developers, it enables integration of apps and customization for a tailored look with CSS, HTML and JS. The integrations built are complex enough for all automation needs.
Integry has been a part of the second cohort of NIC Islamabad and closed $682, 409 in investments.
RadarView360 is a field service platform that can be integrated into existing ERP, CRM, and accounting systems. The startup’s API can communicate with web-based and locally hosted products to enable two-way data transfer, automating the service chain.
The startup raised over $289,000 in funding this year.
Kazolla is an application that allows users to chat and share images, forms and tasks with groups. The Islamabad Capital Police are currently using Kazolla app allowing citizens to report crimes and file complaints.
Kazolla has raised more than $228,400 in 2018.
CricFlex offers wearable technology for cricketers to improve their performance. Their patented technology comprises of an arm sleeve that is embedded with sensors. It can detect illegal bowling action, tracking arm force, action time, and spin factor. It displays the results on the users’ smartphone, helping them in bowler training.
This year, CricFlex raised over $158,000 in funding.
Mauqa.online is an impact based startup providing an on-demand service that matches temporary workers to household help in Islamabad. Mauqa provides nannies, maids and home cooks and has completed over 6000 hours of service in six months and increased from six helpers to seventeen.
The startup raised over $117,000 in funding this year.
Fabricare is a smartphone app that provides dry cleaning and laundry services to its users in an affordable and efficient manner. They provide a doorstep service by offering free laundry pickup and delivery service, the smartphone app provides added convenience.
Fabricare raised over PKR 10 million in funding through Ignite.
Rasai is an inter-city car pooling platform that enables commuters to offer an empty seat for a shared car ride over a fixed route and timing. It allows the users to save on fuel costs and make extra cash through making their vehicle available for car pooling. The startup also offers Shuttle Service with premium vans, vetted drivers and a tracking system. This service can be availed by schools, offices, and airport.
Through Ignite, Rasai raised over PKR 13.7 million in funding.
Naseem is a R&D ed-tech startup that is integrating artificial intelligence with education. The startup is developing a digital tutor that teaches primary school students by implementing the latest trends in neuroscience, cognitive science, and learning science.
The startup raised over PKR 7.8 million in startup funding this year.
Roamer is an app based vehicle renting service that offers chauffeur driven vehicles on demand. The users can book a trip ranging from one hour to 12 hours, up to a 90-day booking. The service offers flat hourly rates without any additional charges, also offering free mileage allowance.
The startup raised PKR 5.4 million in investments this year.
OVue Tech is a digital service startup that offers client solutions across three key areas: web development, CAD designing, and graphic designing. They offer design services for interior and exterior elevation.
The startup raised over PKR 1.2 million in funding.
PANWifi is a marketing tool that works with clients like restaurants, cafes and other establishments to offer Wifi to their customers, first directing them to sign on using Facebook, email or phone numbers. This list of customers can be used to send targeted coupons, offers and other advertisements.
PANWifi raised over PKR 1 million in funding in 2018.
The Konnectin platform tries to redefine social networks by developing deeper and more meaning interactions through physical meetups. Konnectin raised PKR 1 million in funding.
WolfOut is a food tech startup that empowers home-based chefs to earn a livelihood. With its e-commerce platform, WolfOut provides fresh and healthy food from certified home chefs.
The startup raised PKR 500,000 in investments.
Mechanic On The Go is a technology based startup that offers on-demand mechanic service to the doorstep. The startup is a part of the third cohort of NIC Islamabad.
The startup raised PKR 500,000 in funding this year.
PakVitae develops products that have the capability of purifying water and cleaning up to 99.99 percent of contamination. Their products PakStraw and Pak Community use microbiological water purifier that removes viruses, bacteria, and parasites to protect consumers against waterborne diseases, filtering up to 40,000 litres of water.
In 2018, PakVitae was the regional winner for Hult Prize 2018 and closed a funding of $18 million.
PakStraw Family is a point-of-use microbiological water purifier capable of removing viruses, bacteria and parasites to protect against waterborne diseases. It filters up to 40,000 litres of water, enough to supply clean drinking water for a family of five for up to three years.
Fine Living is a microfinance startup that targets the daily wage earners and hawkers, selling them essentials like blankets, monthly food rations, cooking utensils, clothing and other essential items of need for as low as PKR 30 per day. The previous year, the startup achieved the sales of PKR 15 million and the profits exceeded PKR 3.2 million.
Aero Craft Engine designs add-on devices for aircraft engines to make them contrail free. Water emissions can be collected, stored and evacuated as rain before landing. It has the potential to reduce global warming and put water emissions to good use.
Aero Craft Engine raised over $166,600 in 2018.
Zari Faisal Designs is an e-commerce website manufacturing high end clothing and accessories. The website offers a fashion and content influencer platform. It raised $86,500 in funding this year.
StoryKit is a popular program of Kitab which publishes children’s literature, Urdu language resources, and runs storytelling programs. StoryKit turns classical texts through interactive storytelling and board-games into a community building exercise for children. The startup generates a monthly revenue of over $5000.
StoryKit raised PKR 3 million in investments.
Vceela is a fair trade startup that focuses on the revival of dying arts and crafts through supporting artists by guiding them to develop sustainable businesses. The startup offers skill development, design consultation, partnerships, and market access to local artisans.
The startup raised over PKR 2.6 million in funding.
Bera offers indigenous craft of Peshawari shoemaking with a mix o3. Sf century-old skills and modern fashion. Offering luxurious Peshawari chappals, Bera develops its products with quality materials offering comfort and market dominant design.
Bera has raised PKR 5 million in funding.
This Peshawar-based startup has an app that picks up food, medicine and clothes for you. They partner with local businesses to pick up orders and deliver them directly to customers’ homes.
DarEwro has raised PKR 3.9 million in funding.
Franchise Pakistan is a market place of franchises in Pakistan. The startup enables different kinds of business to potentially become a franchise business. The businesses can range from education to digital services, restaurants to retail and various others.
Franchise.pk raised over PKR 2.4 million in investments.
Smart Tube Well is an IoT based Clean Water Management System to monitor the flow, water level, electricity consumption and water pressure. The device is installed to a clean water pump and the data is analyzed remotely through a mobile device. The device has been piloted in three different water stations of Mardan with. The startup has also fostered a partnership with Water Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP).
Smart Tube Well secured a funding of PKR 500,000.
Aprus is an electrosurgical instrument that has been developed to remove tumours, cut tissues, and seal blood vessels with increased hygiene and precision. 80 units of this device have been deployed across clinics and hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and have been utilized in over 10,000 surgeries.
Aprus secured funding of PKR 500,000 through NIC.
Bykea is a logistics startup that has two offerings. It provides on-demand ride-hailing service through which users can travel around the city by taking a bike ride. The second service provides parcel delivery on either Cash on Delivery (COD) or non-COD.
Bykea raised over $253,000 this year to scale its operations.
Dot manufactures wearable devices that use a data-driven approach to diagnose mental health and suggest treatments. The device is driven by analytics to determine the individual needs of patients.
Dot raised PKR 9.8 million in investments.
Bogo offers buy-one-get-one-free vouchers through its Bogo book. Currently operating in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, the Bogo book has offers from an array of restaurants, salons, gyms, and brands across the cities. They also offer discount offers for photography and travel services.
The startup raised PKR 9.2 million this year.
Sukoon is an online service that offers home repair and maintenance solutions. It connects users looking for household repair services with skilled and pre-vetted blue collar labour. The startup has electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and painters to provide affordable and quality service to its users.
In 2016, Sukoon closed its seed investment round. This year, the startup has raised PKR 2.5 million.
Gul Technology has developed an IoT enabled Smart Helmet to protect miners from catastrophic incidents. The helmet detects poisonous gases, monitors body biorhythms and location, and helps guide uneducated and semi-educated miners to safety.
The startup raised PKR 500,000 in funding this year.
DealSmash is a smart shopping discount and rewards application that uses business and social analytics to provide value to shoppers through personalized offers based on their interests and buying patterns. The central component of the application is the DealSmash Recommender System is an intelligent, adaptive software-based system that can learn, both offline and online, the preferences, shopping behaviour, geographic attributes and demographics of the customer base.
Previously the startup raised funding of PKR 8.8 million from Ignite. This year, the startup raised another seed funding round of over $132,000 for its DealSmash Recommender System.
Knowledge Platform is a Singapore-based learning startup that develops e-learning and blended learning training programs on a wide range of subjects for the educational, corporate and government sectors. This year, their Pakistani extension launched Learn Smart Pakistan (LSP) to create a personalized learning experience for students in Grade 6 to Grade 12.
Their innovative learning solution raised over $1.2 million in seed funding through Ignite.
The startup raised a seed funding of over $250,000 from Ignite.
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