IBA CED Partners Sapphire for Sindh Startup Accelerator

IBA’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Development and SCS have partnered with SEDF to establish Sindh’s first government-backed startup accelerator. The program offers an eight-month structured support system featuring business advisory, industry mentorship, and investor connections for Sindh-registered entrepreneurs.

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The Institute of Business Administration’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Development and Sapphire Consulting Services have launched Sindh’s first government-supported startup accelerator program. The initiative marks a groundbreaking collaboration between the public sector, private industry, and academia to foster innovation across the province. The eight-month accelerator program will support entrepreneurs registered in Sindh with comprehensive business advisory services, mentorship from industry experts, and direct access to potential investors.

Selected startups will refine their business models, build market traction, and prepare for fundraising opportunities, culminating in a Demo Day at IBA Karachi. The signing ceremony at SEDF headquarters in Karachi was formalized by Khizar Pervaiz, CEO of SEDF, Dr. Lalarukh Ejaz, Director of IBA-CED, and Faizan Gul Shaikh from Sapphire Consulting Services.

Government of Sindh representatives Syed Qassim Naveed Qamar, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Investment and PPP Projects, and Raja Khurrum Shahzad Umar, Secretary of the Investment Department, attended the ceremony. This represents one of the first instances of Sindh government funding supporting a structured academic-industry accelerator focused on building a sustainable innovation ecosystem.