Pakistan has allocated Rs. 352.5 million for two technology innovation programs, SPARK and ELEVATE, for fiscal year 2026 to 2027, with funding aimed at supporting technology-driven projects and strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem.
The allocation was disclosed in a reply submitted by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to the National Assembly.
The ministry said the funding would come through the Research and Development Fund and would not be part of the federal budget or the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
SPARK and ELEVATE Offer Grants for Innovation
The two programmes are designed to provide grants to eligible applicants pursuing innovative projects, with funding limits based on the scale and requirements of each initiative.
Under SPARK, individual projects can receive grants of up to Rs. 100 million. ELEVATE offers funding of up to Rs. 200 million per project, allowing applicants to pursue initiatives with larger financial requirements.
Programmes Can Support 30 Grants Annually
According to the ministry, each programme can award up to 30 grants annually. Projects supported under the initiatives are expected to have an implementation period of 18 months.
The programmes aim to provide financial support for innovation and encourage the development of technology based solutions in Pakistan. The ministry’s reply also referred to the Pakistan Venture Fund, a separate initiative with a funding size of $20 million.
The Rs. 352.5 million allocation for SPARK and ELEVATE is specifically linked to the Research and Development Fund for fiscal year 2026 to 2027 and is separate from the Pakistan Venture Fund.
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