Inter-University Business Plan Competition Organized by Business Incubation Center, MUST

In an effort to foster entrepreneurial thinking and contribute meaningfully to national economic growth, the ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐ง๐œ๐ฎ๐›๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐‚๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ (๐๐ˆ๐‚) at ๐Œ๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐”๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐’๐œ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐“๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ (๐Œ๐”๐’๐“) proudly hosted its ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ-๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ-๐”๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง on ๐‰๐ฎ๐ง๐ž ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ”, ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“, at ๐Œ๐ž๐œ๐ก๐š๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐‡๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐Œ๐š๐ข๐ง ๐‚๐š๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ. The initiative aimed to instill a culture of ๐ž๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก among students. With a strong emphasis on critical thinking and creativity, the competition served as a strategic platform to develop entrepreneurial capabilities and commercial insight in young minds.

The primary goal of this event was to enhance ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ’ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐š๐œ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง while promoting ๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ, ๐ญ๐ž๐š๐ฆ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค, ๐ž๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ฅ๐ž๐ฆ-๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ. More than ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ‘ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ž๐š๐ฆ๐ฌ from various universities showcased their innovative and commercially viable ideas. The event was graced by the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including:

๐๐ซ๐จ๐Ÿ. ๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐‰๐š๐ฏ๐ž๐, ๐’๐ˆ(๐Œ) โ€“ Vice Chancellor

๐๐ซ๐จ๐Ÿ. ๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐™๐š๐Ÿ๐š๐ซ ๐ˆ๐ช๐›๐š๐ฅ โ€“ Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences

๐๐ซ๐จ๐Ÿ. ๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐…๐š๐ข๐ฌ๐š๐ฅ ๐‘๐ข๐š๐ณ โ€“ Director ORIC

๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ก๐š๐ฆ๐ฆ๐š๐ ๐€๐ฅ๐ญ๐š๐Ÿ ๐‡๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐š๐ข๐ง โ€“ Director Student Affairs

๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐€๐ง๐ฐ๐š๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐‡๐š๐ช โ€“ Assistant Professor,

๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐’๐ž๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐’๐ก๐š๐Ÿ๐ขโ€“ Chairperson English Department

๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐Œ๐ข๐š๐ง ๐™๐ž๐ž๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ง ๐‰๐š๐ฏ๐ž๐ โ€“ Chairman, Department of Pharmacy

๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐’๐จ๐ก๐š๐ข๐› ๐Œ๐š๐ง๐ณ๐จ๐จ๐ซ โ€“ Director BIC

๐„๐ง๐ ๐ซ. ๐ˆ๐ซ๐Ÿ๐š๐ง ๐‰๐š๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ โ€“ Manager ORIC

๐Œ๐ซ. ๐€๐ซ๐ฌ๐š๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฃ๐š๐ณ โ€“ Manager Marketing & Communication

๐Œ๐ซ. ๐๐š๐ฌ๐ข๐ซ ๐Œ๐ž๐ก๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ โ€“ Business Development Officer

๐Œ๐ซ. ๐™๐š๐ก๐ข๐ ๐Œ๐ž๐ก๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ โ€“ Accounts Officer

The ceremony opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by ๐ข๐ง๐š๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐š๐ฅ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฆ๐š๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐•๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ, ๐๐ซ๐จ๐Ÿ. ๐ƒ๐ซ. ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐‰๐š๐ฏ๐ž๐, ๐’๐ˆ(๐Œ), who emphasized the crucial role of ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง in driving socio-economic development, and appreciated BICโ€™s efforts in hosting such a forward-looking initiative.

Following the inauguration, student teams delivered compelling presentations of their business concepts, each evaluated by a panel of esteemed judges:

โ€ข Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal (Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences)
โ€ข Prof. Dr. Faisal Riaz (Director ORIC)
โ€ข Dr. Sohaib Manzoor (Director BIC)
โ€ข Dr. Anwar ul Haq (AP/EED)
โ€ข Dr. Sehrish Shafi (Chairperson, Department of English)

Judges engaged participants with thought-provoking questions to assess both feasibility and impact. After detailed evaluation, the top teams were awarded as follows:

1st ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง Team Earth Nest Constructions

๐Ÿ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: (Two teams shared the prize)

๐Ÿ‘๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: (Three teams shared the prize)

Cash prizes were awarded to the winning teams, and their innovative efforts were highly praised by both the jury and the audience. The event concluded with a certificate and shield distribution ceremony, recognizing the contributions of participants, judges, and the organizing committee. The competition marked a significant milestone in MUSTโ€™s journey to becoming a regional hub of innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic excellence.

Financial Literacy Day at MUST โ€“ Empowering Futures Through Knowledge

The Business Incubation Center (BIC) at Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), in collaboration with Bank AL Habib Limited, successfully organized โ€œFinancial Literacy Day @ MUSTโ€ on June 25, 2025, at the NTC Video Conference Hall. The event was held as part of Pakistan Financial Literacy Week 2025, a national initiative spearheaded by the State Bank of Pakistan.

The primary objective of the event was to promote financial awareness, foster financial inclusion, and equip students with essential knowledge and skills to make sound financial decisions for a secure and sustainable future.

Distinguished Guest Speakers

  • Ms. Sidrah Osama โ€“ Business Development Manager, Jhelum
  • Mr. Talal Mir โ€“ Regional Manager, AJK Area

Special Segment
Dr. Sohaib Manzoor, Director BIC, delivered an impactful presentation highlighting the mission, facilities, and services offered by BIC MUST. He emphasized the centerโ€™s pivotal role in fostering youth empowerment through innovation, entrepreneurship, and mentorship, contributing to the development of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.

The session included an interactive Q&A, where students actively engaged with the guest speakers, raising thoughtful questions about personal finance, banking systems, startup capital, and business strategy. The dialogue offered clarity and actionable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The event marked a significant step in capacity building, aligning with BIC MUSTโ€™s vision of promoting socio-economic development through education, financial literacy, and collaborative innovation.

Business Idea Competition 2025

The Business Incubation Center (BIC) at Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST) is excited to host the Business Idea Competition 2025 โ€” a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators will present groundbreaking startup concepts and creative solutions.

Date: 26th June 2025
Venue: Mechanical Hall, Main Campus
Time: 10:00 AM sharp

This competition aims to empower students and budding entrepreneurs to showcase their entrepreneurial mindset, pitching innovative ideas that could shape the future of business and technology.

Join us to witness the power of ideas, networking opportunities, and a celebration of innovation and creativity.

Organized by: Business Incubation Center โ€“ MUST
Follow us for updates:
Facebook: @businessincubationcenter
Instagram: @bic_must

The BIC, MUST hosted a meeting with all respected judges of business idea competition

The Business Incubation Center,MUST hosted a meeting with all respected judges of business idea competition on June 4, 2025.
The meeting was initiated with recitation of some verses from Holy Quran. The Convener of the Committee welcomed and apprised the members. Dr. Sohaib Manzoor Director BIC, briefed about background and agenda of the meeting.The committee unanimously agreed to extend the submission deadline for the Business Idea Competition by two week to encourage greater student participation.A general framework for the event planning and execution was discussed.It was proposed and approved that relevant faculty members from the different departments will be formally engaged to provide mentorship and guidance to participating students. At the end all members are agreed on follow meeting for better execution of event.

BIC MUST Visits AKAB School for the Blind

On June 4, 2025, the team from the Business Incubation Center (BIC), Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), had the honor of visiting the AKAB School for the Blind.

The visit included a tour of various sections of the school, including the computer lab, playroom, library, classrooms, and printing facilities. The team received insights into the teaching methods used at the school, the challenges faced by both students and staff, and the process through which printed books are supplied to national and international platforms.

The BIC team actively engaged with the students, learning about their talents, dreams, and aspirations. Discussions were held on how BIC MUST can empower them through entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusive opportunities.

A key highlight of the visit was a meeting with the schoolโ€™s principal, Prof. Ilyas Ayub, who shared the difficulties faced by the students and the administration. Together, they explored potential collaboration opportunities with BIC MUST to address these challenges through capacity-building programs, mentorship, and innovation-driven support systems.

The visit was led by:
โ€ข Dr. Sohaib Manzoor โ€“ Director, BIC
โ€ข Mr. Nasir Mehmood โ€“ Business Development Officer
โ€ข Mr. Zahid Mehmood โ€“ Accounts Officer
โ€ข Mr. Arsalan Ijaz โ€“ Manager, Marketing and Communication

This inspiring visit reaffirmed BIC MUSTโ€™s commitment to vision, compassion, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Bussiness Idea Competition

Empowering Innovation at BIC, MUST โ€“ Cohort 2, 2025

The Business Incubation Center (BIC), Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), proudly hosted a dynamic startup selection activity for Cohort 2, 2025, bringing together faculty mentors, visionary students, and aspiring entrepreneurs to ignite innovation and fuel entrepreneurial growth.

The event commenced with welcoming remarks and reflections from faculty members, setting the tone for a day of creativity and forward-thinking. Participants then delivered 5-minute startup pitches, followed by 5 minutes of interactive Q&A, impressing the jury with their clarity, innovation, and business potential.

A total of 25 startup ideas were initially registered with BIC, out of which 15 promising ventures were shortlisted to present before the esteemed Selection Committee. These startups encompassed diverse domains including healthcare, game design, handicrafts, clean tech, and environmental solutions, and drew participation from departments across MUST: Home Economics, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, MUST Business School, and Islamic Studies.

The Selection Committee meticulously evaluated each startup on its viability, market relevance, and innovation, and provided constructive feedback to help shape these ideas into market-ready solutions.

A key highlight of the jury panel was the insightful participation of Engr. Tahir Iqbal, Assistant Director / Regional Incharge, Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (PITAC) Mirpur, Ministry of Industries and Production, Government of Pakistan, whose valuable input helped identify and prioritize projects aligned with the current needs of Pakistanโ€™s market.

Dr. Sohaib Manzoor, Director BIC-MUST, engaged with jury members for a strategic discussion on strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university. He emphasized the importance of nurturing innovation and supporting startups that aim to solve real-world problems.

The event concluded with the presentation of shields to all committee members, honoring their time, expertise, and unwavering support for the entrepreneurial spirit at MUST.

Together, we continue to pave the way for a brighter, innovation-driven future.

Business Idea Competition

Call for Startup Proposals โ€“ BIC Cohort-2

The Business Incubation Center (BIC), MUST, is pleased to launch Cohort-2 of our Startup Incubation Program. This is a unique opportunity for students and faculty to transform their innovative ideas into successful businesses.
Selected teams will join a 12-month incubation program offering:
Mentorship from industry experts
20+ training sessions and workshops
Support for company registration and legal matters
Co-working space at BIC MUST
Access to prototype development funds (faculty-led student teams only)
Exposure to top incubation centers and investor networks


Eligibility:
โœ” For Ideas:
โ€ข Must address a local/national problem
โ€ข Should have potential to grow and scale
โœ” For Teams:
โ€ข 2โ€“4 members
โ€ข MUST students and faculty
โœ” For Prototype Funds:
โ€ข Available only for startups led by MUST faculty with student teams


How to Apply:

  1. Identify a problem worth solving
  2. Form a committed team (2โ€“4 members)
  3. Submit your idea via this online form:
    https://forms.gle/gM1FsAb7EMzFctjH8
    Deadline: 11th May 2025
    We request you to kindly share this announcement with your department and encourage participation.
    Best regards,

Engr. Dr. Sohaib Manzoor
Director, Business Incubation Center (BIC)
MUST, Mirpur AJK

Workshop Highlight | BIC Awareness Session

Workshop Highlight | BIC Awareness Session
Venue: Allied Health Science Department, University of Science and Technology
Organized by: Business Incubation Center (BIC), MUST
Speaker: Mr. Nasir Mehmood (Business Development Officer, BIC MUST)

We conducted an insightful Awareness Session where Mr. Nasir Mehmood introduced students to the opportunities, startup support, and resources available through the Business Incubation Center.
The session aimed to inspire students to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and explore their startup potential with the help of BIC.

Key Topics Covered:

Introduction to Business Incubation Center

Startup opportunities for students

Free trainings, workshops, and networking

How to join BIC and start your journey

Letโ€™s turn ideas into reality!
Follow us for more updates and upcoming events