UPTECH Editorial Team
UK–Pakistan Tech Forum
Pakistan's first National AI Hub has opened in Islamabad's technology zone, with three British AI companies anchoring the founding cohort of innovation partners.
Pakistan's Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication formally launched the National AI Hub at the Islamabad Technology Zone in January 2025, with three British artificial intelligence companies, specialising in natural language processing, computer vision, and AI-driven logistics, anchoring the founding partner cohort. The hub, spanning 45,000 square feet of co-working, lab, and accelerator space, aims to host 200 AI-focused startups and scale-ups within its first two years of operation.
The UK–Pakistan Tech Forum facilitated introductions between the hub's management team and the British AI companies, part of a broader initiative to create tangible commercial anchors for bilateral technology investment. The Forum's AI Working Group has been instrumental in identifying complementary strengths: Pakistan's deep pool of mathematics and computer science graduates provides research capacity, while UK firms bring product-market experience, international client networks, and access to UK government AI procurement frameworks.
For Pakistani AI startups, the hub offers a structured pathway to UK market entry through the Forum's trade facilitation programme. Qualifying startups will receive support on UK regulatory compliance, introductions to UK-based venture capital, and participation in delegation visits to London. The Forum will host a dedicated AI innovation showcase at its Q3 forum, providing hub startups with direct access to UK enterprise buyers and investors.
