The selection process for NIC Islamabad’s Cohort-3 will assess startups based on five key pillars:
● Founder & Team
● Problem-Solution Fit
● Market Potential & Business Viability
● Execution & Feasibility
● Alignment with NIC & Impact Potential.
Each criterion has a specific weightage to ensure a fair evaluation process, with a focus on startups beyond the idea stage:
A strong and committed founding team is critical to a startup’s success. The evaluation will consider:
● Commitment & Passion (10%) – Full-time involvement, resilience, and passion for scaling the business.
● Relevant Expertise & Skills (15%) – Industry knowledge, technical, and business expertise.
● Team Composition (10%) – Balanced skill set covering technology, business, and operations.
Startups must address a real and significant problem with an innovative solution. Evaluators will consider:
● Clear Problem Statement (5%) – Articulation of the problem, its importance, and the pain points it addresses.
● Solution Innovation & Uniqueness (10%) – The novelty of the solution compared to existing alternatives and competitive differentiation.
To encourage early-stage and growth-stage startups, market viability and traction will have a stronger emphasis. This includes:
● Target Market Clarity (10%) – Well-defined customer segments, market size, and demand.
● Business Model & Scalability (10%) – A structured revenue model with clear pathways to scalability.
● Validation, Revenue & Traction (10%) – Customer adoption, revenue streams, partnerships, or user growth for early-stage and growth-stage startups.
Beyond having a great idea, execution is key to success. Startups will be assessed on:
● MVP Readiness & Feasibility (5%) – Clarity on the development roadmap and technical feasibility.
● Go-to-Market Strategy (10%) – A robust and practical approach for acquiring customers and achieving growth.
Startups that align with NIC Islamabad’s vision and create a positive impact will receive additional consideration:
● Preferred Focus Areas (5%) – Startups operating in Health Tech and Deep Tech will be prioritized.
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