ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Ms Anusha Rahman Monday said that the National Innovation Centers (NICs) would serve as harbingers of growth for digital services.
The preliminary work for formulation of RFPs (request for proposals) to create NICs in emerging technologies of TechFin, IoT and Robotics has been started.
It was informed in a meeting of National ICT R&D Board of Directors held here with Anusha Rahman in the chair, that the centers would be a tremendous addition to Pakistan’s thriving ICT (information communication technology) landscape.
Each of these centers will become enabling hubs to transform ideas into commercially viable products by providing access to state-of-the art infrastructure, equipment and resources to startups, students and industry seeking to devise innovative products and solutions.
These centers will also facilitate the commercialization of developed products and solutions through national and international collaborations.
On the occasion, Anusha Rahman opined that “Pakistan has a huge potential for growth of Digital Economy on heels of phenomenal penetration of Internet coupled with enabling eco-system for Digital Entrepreneurship.”
She said it was a driver of innovation, competition and growth and posited immense potential for entrepreneurship. Integrating digital technologies in key fabric of economy would be key determinant of future growth, she added. The minister said evolving digital trends such as IoT, TechFin, and Robotics were radically transforming the business landscape, re-drawing nature of work, and re-shaping the boundaries of enterprises.
She said Pakistan’s digital landscape was ripe to tap into that sea of opportunities.
“Our government is fully determined to provide an enabling environment through these centers of excellence to spur innovation in business models, business networking and transfer of knowledge, and access to international markets for job creation through Digital Entrepreneurship as realization of our vision for a Digital Pakistan,” Anusha added.
She said the centers would be yet another milestone for companies under auspices of the Ministry of Information Technology, which was committed to significantly enhancing ICT research, development and commercialization in the country. APP
