The Patriot

News: Competitiveness Support Fund to establish business incubators
Name of the Newspaper: The Patriot
Date of publication: Friday, 31 August, 2007

ISLAMABAD, August 30: The Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF), under its Business Incubators and Venture Capital window, would establish business incubators and promote venture capital to boost the knowledge-driven economy in Pakistan.

The business incubators would be established in the leading research institutions in Pakistan, said a CSF press release. "CSF will also promote venture capital and encourage a number of relevant institutions to establish Business Incubators," it added. In the long term, the Business Incubators will be expected to meet their operational expenses through returns from their equity investments.

The Venture Capital window, among other things, will be used to promote the creation of Business Incubators and provide funding for their incubator programs, it added.

However, Business Incubators will then make funds available to incubator companies and earn profits on the funds they receive for making loans and venture investments in incubates and incubator graduates. The CSF has three operational windows, including the Technical Assistance, Matching Grants and Business Incubators/Venture Capital.APP