F.P. Report
SWABI: Speakers in a ceremony said that no one could deny the importance of incubation in universities and that was the reason that the graduates who successfully completed one year training at “The Incubator” of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology have successfully launched their entrepreneurial journey.
They were speaking in the ‘Graduation Ceremony’ at GIK Institute on Wednesday. Muhammad Fakhr Alam, Provincial Additional Secretary Science and Technology and Information Technology was Chief Guest of the event. The ceremony was also attended by officials of Directorate of Science and Technology (Dost), Engr. Jehangir Bashar, Rector GIK Institute, Ahsan Baseer Sheikh, Pro-Rector (Admin and Finance), faculty members of GIK Institute and various other universities and entrepreneurs.
Founders of Mussawir, Sahara iO, and DastiSawari were present on the occasion. They said that the training and mentorship given to them at The Incubator GIK Institute allowed them to execute their business ideas in practical forms in a safe, stable, supportive and creative environment. Some of the startups are at stability stage while others are at testing phase and passing through technical certifications. The graduates, now working as entrepreneurs, presented the progress of their startups and shared their learning experiences at “Graduation Ceremony.
FakhrAlam said that the provincial government is focused on promoting and developing entrepreneurship which is prerequisite for socio-economic development of the province, and providing working environment to fresh graduates who are motivated not only to become an entrepreneur but also providing new opportunities to the unemployed by creating new jobs.
The GIK incubation Centre has worked according to the provincial government vision according to which graduates were assisted in transferring their ideas into practical shape instead of wasting their precious time in job hunt, he said. Engr. Jehangir Bashar, Rector GIK Institute said that the startups journey of the young graduates and the different business models adopted by them is the achievement of GIK Incubation Centre. This is a unique way in which GIK Institute is serving society by creating awareness and promoting entrepreneurial spirit.
Various difficulties have been faced by GIK Institute at the initial developmental stages of the incubation center but today we can proudly share our successful startup stories. Now, we are confident to deliver much more in the future. These achievements were made possible through the generous financial and technical support of KP Government, especially Directorate of Science and Technology (DoST), and the competent team of GIK Institute lead by Prof. Dr. Wasim and Dr. Cedric Aimal Edwin.
Earlier Dr. Cedric Aimal Edwin, Head of Incubation Centre briefed the audience about the ongoing activities and the methodology of The Incubator and highlighted how The Incubator provides topnotch mentorship to fresh graduates of different disciplines in the field of entrepreneurship. Dr. Cedric added, “Our program [at the Incubator] transforms the innovative social and economic solutions of fresh graduates into operational self-sufficient enterprises”. The audience lauded the presentations of the young graduates and their entrepreneurship journey.
