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The government has allocated Rs352.5 million for the Prime Minister’s SPARK and ELEVATE technology programmes for FY2026-27, with grants of up to Rs200 million per project aimed at turning research into marketable products and accelerating technology commercialisation in Pakistan.
According to documents, the programmes will fund up to 60 research and innovation projects annually, including 30 projects under each initiative, through competitive selection.
The allocation was approved by the Board of Ignite – National Technology Fund and will be financed through the Research and Development (R&D) Fund, without any allocation from the federal budget or the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
Government Allocates Rs352.5 Million for Technology Research Programmes
Under the programme, SPARK (Strategic Program for Advanced Research and Knowledge) will finance research projects aimed at developing functional prototypes, while ELEVATE (Empowering Latest age Engineering, Validation, and Accelerated Technology) will support the validation and commercialisation of technologies that already have functional prototypes.
The Prime Minister announced the initiatives on July 22, 2026, at the Indus RAS Expo 2026. They are being implemented under the amended Research and Development Rules, 2006, through Ignite.
The first call for proposals is open until October 26, 2026, for project concepts, while full proposals are due by the end of November 2026.
Under the funding framework, SPARK offers grants of up to Rs100 million per project, while ELEVATE provides up to Rs200 million per project. Both programmes will support projects for a period of up to 18 months, with funds released in milestone-linked tranches.
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Ignite has envisaged two cohorts of grants every six months, with up to 30 projects under each programme annually.
The government has identified nine priority areas, including digital industry and advanced manufacturing, agriculture and water systems, energy efficiency, digital healthcare, smart cities, connectivity and digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and trust systems, education, and smart mobility.
However, the programmes are sector-agnostic, allowing proposals from different technology fields to compete for funding based on their merits.
The first two years will primarily cover project selection, grant awards and milestone delivery, with final outputs expected upon completion of projects.
Each SPARK-funded project will be required to deliver a functional prototype supported by verifiable real-world results, such as pilot deployment, validation in an operational environment or evidence of industry uptake.
Similarly, ELEVATE projects will be required to convert existing prototypes into market-ready products, supported by a confirmed pilot site or first customer. The programmes envisage up to 30 prototypes and 30 market-ready products per cycle, subject to the number of grants awarded.
The framework also encourages intellectual property protection, allowing funded projects to file patent applications in Pakistan or internationally through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), with patent filing costs admissible under the grants.
The minister clarified that startup incubation is not part of SPARK and ELEVATE, as this function is performed through Ignite’s National Incubation Centers, which have hosted more than 2,250 startups. Startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), however, can lead projects under the two programmes.
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Separately, the government expects the proposed $20 million Pakistan Venture Fund (PVF) to help address financing constraints faced by high-potential technology startups by mobilising private investment through professionally managed venture funds.
The fund will focus on technology-driven businesses, including artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented and virtual reality, deep technology, defence technologies, cybersecurity, financial technology, healthcare technology and agricultural technology.
The government expects the initiative to help startups expand product development, commercialise innovations, enter international markets and attract domestic and foreign capital.
No university or research centre has been designated as a primary implementation partner for SPARK and ELEVATE. The minister said eligible public and private universities, research organisations, startups and SMEs could compete through an open, nationwide selection process.
Successful applicants will be selected through Ignite’s Project Evaluation Ranking Matrix and approved by its board. ELEVATE projects will be industry-led, with universities and research centres participating as consortium partners.
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