YES Pakistan 2026 Closes in Islamabad With Youth Startup Push

The three-day YES Pakistan: Young CEOs, Entrepreneurs and Innovators Summit, Expo and Awards 2026 concluded Thursday at Bahria University Islamabad, capping an event designed to channel Pakistani youth into startup creation.

Federal Minister for Investment and Chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh attended the concluding ceremony as chief guest. He emphasised the need to empower young people through entrepreneurship, innovation and opportunities to establish their own businesses, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Sheikh appreciated the initiative for bringing government, academia, industry and aspiring entrepreneurs onto a common platform. He also stressed the need to organise such events more frequently to nurture entrepreneurial talent and contribute to economic growth.

Who spoke and what they said

Former Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Prof. Dr. Javaid Laghari, who convenes the HEC Task Force on Business Incubation Centres, delivered the keynote titled "The CEO Mindset: Think, Lead & Win Like a Founder." His address highlighted strategic thinking, leadership and an entrepreneurial approach to identifying opportunities and building successful ventures.

YES Pakistan Founder Murtaza Noor reviewed the three-day programme, which included entrepreneurial workshops, pitching sessions, leadership dialogues, panel discussions, an innovation expo and the YES Pakistan Awards. He underscored university-industry collaboration, business incubation and connecting startups with investors and business leaders as core objectives.

What did the panels cover?

A panel titled "Bridging Generations: An Intergenerational Dialogue on Entrepreneurial Challenges & Opportunities" brought together Taha Sawar, Dr. Awais Mahmood, Wasim Irshad — CEO of Tangent Tech and President of the Bahria Alumni Association — and Ibrahim Saeed, CEO of Techma Labs. The participants discussed emerging business opportunities, entrepreneurial challenges, mentorship and collaboration between experienced business leaders and young entrepreneurs.

A second session, "Bridging Academia, Finance and Industry: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Pakistan," featured a heavyweight lineup:

• Sardar Masood Khan, former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
• Rizwan Shamsi, Chief Manager of the State Bank of Pakistan Rawalpindi
• Prof. Dr. Habib Bokhari, HEC Member Research and Development
• Dr. Afsheen Zeeshan, social entrepreneur and educationist
• Dr. Hafiz Aziz ur Rehman, Chairman of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan
• Air Marshal (Retd.) Abdul Moeed Khan, HI(M), Vice Chancellor of Air University

That discussion flagged four structural gaps: improved access to finance, commercialisation of research, protection of intellectual property, and stronger partnerships among universities, industry and financial institutions. The panel framed those fixes as prerequisites for entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development.

How big was the expo?

The innovation expo served as a major draw, with more than 30 stalls showcasing innovative ideas, projects, products and entrepreneurial ventures. Universities and institutions from across Pakistan — including Gilgit-Baltistan — participated. Air University, Riphah International University and Aror University were among the contributors, using the platform for networking, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The summit also gave students and aspiring entrepreneurs room to present their ideas, sharpen business skills and interact with industry professionals and experienced leaders. The YES Pakistan Awards capped the programme, recognising entrepreneurial achievements and highlighting the role of innovation in enterprise development. The concluding ceremony featured prize distribution, presentation of souvenirs and closing remarks.

For Pakistan's startup ecosystem, the takeaway from Islamabad is direct: the country's policy conversation now links youth employment to incubation, IP protection and research commercialisation — and ministers want more of these gatherings, not fewer.