The Shahjehan Syed Karim Incubation Center (SSKIC) at the Institute of Business Management (IoBM) celebrated the graduation of Cohort 5 on Saturday, July 11, 2026, recognizing six promising startups that successfully completed its incubation program. The graduating startups included KhelKud, Courtify, Cruze Technologies Pvt. Ltd., WedX, ForestEdge, and CloudNOOE.
Among those present were Mr. Talib Karim, President, IoBM; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abbas, Dean, College of Computer Science and Information Systems (CCSIS); and Dr. Seema Ansari, Director, Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), along with industry leaders, mentors, alumni, faculty members, startup founders, and invited guests.
The ceremony celebrated innovation, entrepreneurship, and the achievements of the graduating cohort while bringing together key stakeholders from academia and industry.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Talib Karim highlighted IoBM’s longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship, tracing its journey from the Shell Tameer program, now known as Wafi Energy Pakistan. Referring to the growing impact of artificial intelligence on industries and the job market, he said it also presents new opportunities for entrepreneurs to become job creators rather than job seekers.
He encouraged startup founders to apply their knowledge and skills to generate employment opportunities and contribute to Pakistan’s economic development. He also underscored IoBM’s commitment to entrepreneurship through the introduction of a dedicated academic degree program in the field.
Mr. Talib Karim praised the success of startups emerging from SSKIC, citing Creative 3D as an example of a venture that has successfully expanded into Middle Eastern markets through innovation and perseverance. Emphasizing the importance of ethical values in entrepreneurship, he commended the efforts of Mr. Raza Abbas and the SSKIC team for earning international recognition. He noted that IoBM has been appointed as the National Chapter of the UNESCO Entrepreneurship Education Network (EE-Net), while Mr. Raza Abbas represents Pakistan within the UNESCO EE Network at international entrepreneurship education forums in countries including China, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia. He also shared that IoBM is the only private-sector university in Pakistan to receive Higher Education Commission (HEC) funding for its incubation initiatives. Reaffirming SSKIC’s inclusive approach, he said the center continues to welcome startups from universities across Pakistan on merit.
Guest of Honour Mr. Salman Tufail emphasized the importance of professional relationships, stating that the most valuable asset entrepreneurs build throughout their journey is their network.
Welcoming the audience, Mr. Raza Abbas, Head of SSKIC, described the occasion as a celebration of innovation, determination, and excellence. He said entrepreneurship begins with identifying real-world problems and developing meaningful solutions. Encouraging the graduating founders to embrace new challenges with confidence, he urged them to continue building ventures that create lasting value for society.
Reflecting on SSKIC’s journey, Mr. Raza Abbas shared that over the past five years, 30 startups from leading universities across Pakistan have graduated from the incubation center. He emphasized that SSKIC has fostered an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem that welcomes founders beyond IoBM and noted that many incubated startups are now scaling their ventures both nationally and internationally.
The event featured the presentation of graduation certificates to the startup founders, while selected startups also received seed funding to support the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
Ms. Naureen Ghaffar, CEO of Agile and an IoBM alumna, received the Outstanding Mentor Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution to mentoring the startups throughout the incubation program. Speaking on the occasion, she said it was an honour to return to her alma mater and contribute to the growth of future entrepreneurs. Referring to IoBM’s slogan, We Are Limitless, she encouraged the founders to think big, remain consistent, continue learning, and regularly evaluate their progress through self-assessment.
Sharing his entrepreneurial journey, Mr. Syed Sehal Masroor, Founder of Bioraff and Outstanding Alumnus of Cohort 4, said entrepreneurship is about solving meaningful problems, creating sustainable revenue, embracing constructive criticism, and moving forward with resilience. He advised founders to remain committed to consistency, determination, and effective execution.
Delivering the valedictory address on behalf of the graduating cohort, Mr. Zayan Ahmed, Founder of Courtify, reflected on his experience at SSKIC. He said the incubation journey introduced participants to the language, processes, and realities of entrepreneurship while fostering healthy competition that encouraged every startup to learn, improve, and grow.
The incubation program was supported by a dedicated team of mentors, including Syed Azfar Hussain, Atif Arafin, and Naureen Ghaffar, who guided the startups throughout their entrepreneurial journey.
The event was organized by the Shahjehan Syed Karim Incubation Center (SSKIC-IoBM) under the leadership of Mr. Raza Abbas, with support from Syed Rafay, Muhammad Adnan, and interns participating in IoBM’s SPARK Summer Internship Program.
The ceremony concluded with a networking session, celebrating the achievements of the graduating startups and reaffirming IoBM’s commitment to nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship, and the next generation of business leaders.
