KARACHI: The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi launched I-INCUBATE, an incubation programme supported by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The launch event was organised by IBA’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Development (IBA-CED). This initiative formally establishes IBA’s incubation programme following a highly competitive process, further strengthening the Institution’s commitment towards start up innovation. The HEC-funded I-INCUBATE is a 13-month programme offering structured training, dedicated mentoring, goal setting, accountability, networking, and co-working space amongst many other resources and facilities. The programme aims to increase the sustainability of the selected student startups, empowering them to create positive societal impact through innovation, job creation, income generation and economic growth, while strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event commenced with a welcome address by Dr Lalarukh Ejaz, director IBA-CED, while a programme overview was given by Kanza Sohail, lead incubation programme, followed by an introduction to the selected startups. Shortlisted startups from universities including IBA Karachi, Uni­versity of Karachi, DHA Suffa University, Denning Law School, NED University, Jinnah Uni­versity for Women, FAST-NUCES Karachi, and Iqra University will be participating in the I-Incubate programme. These startups span industries including Edtech, Marketplace, Online Earning, Lifestyle, Tourism, Agritech, Elec­tric Bikes, Legal, Eng­ineering, Circular Eco­nomy, Energy, Phar­macy, Fintech, Healthtech, B2B Commerce, and Employability. The event concluded with a networking hi-tea, providing a platform for HEC representatives, IBA leadership, and key industry figures to engage and collaborate.