Pakistan's national incubator for aerospace.

NICAT (National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies) is Pakistan's premier hi-tech valley — a public-private innovation ecosystem nurturing startups in aerospace, aviation, deep tech, and defense technologies. Envisioned by the Ministry of IT & Telecom, funded by Ignite National Technology Fund, and led by NETSOL in partnership with NASTP, Air University, and PAC Kamra.

NICAT is housed at NASTP Alpha, Rawalpindi — Pakistan's flagship Special Technology Zone for aerospace, cyber, IT, and computing. The location places startups next door to leading R&D facilities, top engineering universities, and key industry partners.

NICAT is built for founders working on deep-tech, aerospace, aviation, defense, AI, space technology, or hardware-driven innovation. We welcome teams with a prototype, MVP, or a ready-to-scale solution who want to take their startup to the next stage technically and commercially.

Our incubation cycle runs for one year. The first six months focus on accelerated development — training, mentorship, prototyping, and milestone-driven validation. The second six months shift to strategic growth: market entry, prospecting, partnerships, and investor readiness, culminating in Demo Day.

Selected startups gain access to:

• Structured, milestone-driven incubation
• Co-working space and office facilities at NICAT
• Maker's Lab, HPU Lab, and partner R&D and testing facilities
• One-on-one mentorship from industry veterans and domain experts
• Industry and government linkages for pilots and B2B partnerships
• Global exposure through delegations, offshore partnerships, and international pitch opportunities
• Strategic visibility at NICAT events, hackathons, and showcases

Applications open with each new cohort and are submitted through the application portal on our website (the "Apply" button on the homepage). The process typically includes a written application, screening, and multiple pitching rounds before final selection.