Promoting innovation, entrepreneurship: French government willing to enhance collaboration: Ambassador

Pakistan has talented people particularly youth and the number of start-ups in the country is rapidly growing while the French government is willing to enhance collaboration with Pakistan to foster the innovation and entrepreneurship. Martine Dorance, Ambassador of France to Pakistan, said this on Thursday while speaking at a Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship organised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) at its premises in collaboration with the Embassy of France and Hello Tomorrow.
In her address, Dorance said that Hello Tomorrow is a French initiative promoting connectivity among young entrepreneurs from across the world and bringing experts closer to discuss future technological challenges. She said it aims at developing links between academia and start-ups.
Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed shed light on how rapidly the technological innovations are changing the trends prevailing in different sectors and how they require masses to prepare themselves to welcome the future. "We need to work together with our friendly countries to make our future brighter," he stressed. He informed the audience that Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) has been established in universities to make research work innovative and help researchers commercialise their work to increase its impact.
Technology Incubation Centres established by the HEC at different universities, over 225 companies have been incubated that have generated around Rs 480 million in annual revenue and have generated 940 direct employment opportunities. Only NUST has incubated 53 companies that have generated annual revenue of Rs 300 million generating employment of over 150 people. Similarly, COMSATS Institute has incubated 43 companies with annual revenue of Rs 60 million and creating 160 jobs. University of Agriculture Faisalabad has incubated 21 companies with annual revenue of Rs 40 million and generating an employment for 215 people.
IBA Sukkur has incubated 15 companies with annual revenue of Rs 15 million and job openings for 54 people. Other Incubators at UET Peshawar, Veterinary University Lahore, Quaid-e-Azam University, BUITEMS, NED Karachi, Institute of Space Technology, University of Gujrat and AJK University have also performed well during the last couple of years.
Dr Mukhtar said the government has recently approved Technology Transfer project worth Rs 3 billion under which institutions will be extended technical and financial support in bringing new technologies. He added the HEC and the Korean Government have agreed to establish six to eight Technology Transfer Centres in Pakistan.
Referring to the collaboration of the government and Embassy of France, Dr Mukhtar said the HEC and the French government are working together on collaborative research activities. Dr Ismail Shah, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, said that access to basic telephony as well as cellular usage has increased multifold over the years. He said the PTA is working on enhancing broadband connectivity and access to internet, adding that it is enabling the private sector to increase connectivity.
Dr Zia-ul-Qayyum, Vice Chancellor University of Gujrat, emphasised on joint efforts to enhance utility of technological developments as, he said, the use of technology has increased and turned the world into a global village. He highlighted various initiatives taken by his university to promote innovation and encourage entrepreneurs and start-ups.