Pakistan has allocated Rs352.5 million for two technology innovation programmes, SPARK and ELEVATE, for the fiscal year 2026 to 2027, with the funding aimed at supporting technology-driven projects and strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem.
What happened?
The allocation was disclosed in a reply submitted by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to the National Assembly. The ministry said the funding would come through the Research and Development Fund, and would not form part of the federal budget or the Public Sector Development Programme.
Key details
- SPARK offers grants of up to Rs100 million for an individual project.
- ELEVATE offers funding of up to Rs200 million per project, for initiatives with larger financial requirements.
- Each programme can award up to 30 grants annually.
- Projects supported under the initiatives are expected to run for 18 months.
- The two programmes are designed to provide grants to eligible applicants pursuing innovative projects, with funding limits set by the scale and requirements of each initiative.
- The ministry’s reply also referred to the Pakistan Venture Fund, a separate initiative with a funding size of $20 million, which is distinct from this Rs352.5 million allocation.
What it means for people in Pakistan
For university teams, startups and small firms building technology products, the two tracks offer a clear route to public grant funding without giving up equity, with SPARK suited to earlier-stage ideas and ELEVATE to larger, more mature projects. For the wider economy, the bet is that funded prototypes and products turn into companies and jobs rather than research that never leaves the lab.
Source: https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/28/pakistan-allocates-rs-352-5-million-for-tech-innovation-programs/
