National Science & Technology Park

HEC appoints Rector NUST as National Chair to spearhead Pakistan’s AI and Robotics transformation

At a time when Artificial Intelligence and Robotics are giving major impetus to the world economies, industries, security paradigms and governance systems, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, in a landmark development, has appointed Rector NUST Dr Muhammad Zahid Latif as the National Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, entrusting NUST with spearheading a strategic national initiative in two of the world’s most transformative domains.

Based at NUST Islamabad campus, the National Chair, together with a panel of experts, will serve as a premier national platform for policy direction, strategic alignment, governance structures, and comprehensive assessment of the national AI and Robotics ecosystem, particularly in relation to HEC-supported national centres, including the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and the National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA).

The appointment reflects the confidence reposed by HEC in the Rector NUST’s visionary leadership and underscores the university’s growing stature as a leading hub of academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and technological innovation in Pakistan.

Expressing his appreciation to HEC leadership for honouring NUST with this important national mandate, the Rector said, “This initiative is not only a recognition of NUST’s academic and research contributions, but also a collective national opportunity to build long-term strategic coherence in emerging technologies. The success of Pakistan’s AI and Robotics journey hinges upon meaningful collaboration between academia, industry, government and innovators. As part of this initiative, we aspire to foster precisely that synergy.”

The National Chair will also lead efforts to identify structural gaps, systemic inefficiencies, and operational challenges impacting the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the national AI and Robotics ecosystem.

Through benchmarking against international best practices, the initiative seeks to develop an integrated national framework capable of ensuring coherence, strategic alignment, and coordinated progress across institutions and stakeholders.

The initiative is further expected to recommend transformative national pathways and implementation approaches that can accelerate Pakistan’s emergence as a competitive knowledge economy driven by innovation, intelligent systems, and advanced automation.

Higher Education Commission, Pakistan National Center of Artificial Intelligence - NCAI, Pakistan National Center of Robotics and Automation - NCRA

Director NSTP, Engineer Amer Sheikh, welcomed students from the Department of Computer Science, Bahria University.

The visit included an overview of NSTP, a detailed introduction to the Hatch 8 program, its offerings, incubation facility, and the startup journey from idea to ex*****on, along with interactions with resident startups Rapidev, Orbit-Ed and LearnOBots.

A visit focused on giving students a closer look at how ideas are built, developed, and scaled within the startup ecosystem.

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Hatch 8 | Cohort 6 | Orientation Day
Yesterday we welcomed 30+ startups from diverse sectors to the Cohort 6 orientation of Hatch 8.

In his opening remarks, Director NSTP, Engineer Amer Sheikh, PMP, emphasized a hard truth for founders: success isn’t about ideas—it’s about persistence and consistency when things stop working.

The session also featured ice-breaking activities and speed networking, pushing founders to connect, communicate, and think beyond their own silos from day one.

With $400K+ in early-stage funding raised, 1,000+ jobs created, 100+ startup ventures built, a 68% survival rate, and 30% female-led startups, the program has built a track record grounded in real outcomes, not claims.

Stay tuned for introductions of the startups!

Hatch 8 | Cohort 6 | Selection Board

NSTP has concluded the three-day Selection Board for Hatch 8 Cohort 6.

More than 600 startups applied, of which 100 were shortlisted to present before a panel comprising representatives from academia, industry, , and NSTP. The startups were evaluated on technical capability, growth potential, team strength, and overall feasibility.

The Selection Board was chaired by Director NSTP, Engineer Amer Sheikh, PMP, with participation from 34 judges across different sectors.

Results will be announced following the completion of the evaluation process.

Stay tuned!

Hatch 8 Selection Board will take place on 14–16 April | Full Day.

Following 600+ applications, shortlisted candidates will pitch before an expert judges’ panel to secure their place in our flagship program Hatch 8 Cohort 6.