MCIT opens Ibtikaar First Technology Startup Incubator in Kabul

Ministry of communications & Information Technology inaugurated the first Technology Startup Incubator titled Ibtikaar (initiative) during a press conference held at Information Communication Technology Center (ICTI) on November 23, 2014.

The press conference was attended by acting Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) H. E. AmirzaiSangin, including leadership body of MCIT, start-ups at the Ibtikaar Incubator, Incubator management personnel, Ibtikaar Executive Board members and mass media representatives.

H. E. Amirzai Sangin spoke at the conference said: “it is my pleasure to witness another step towards the development of our country taken by the MCIT”. He added that: “we came together for the reason to open new incubator initiative called Ibtikaar”. H.E Amirzai Sangin also unveiled the commemorative plate located at the entrance of the Ibtikaar compound.

One Start-up Company – Codezone, team at Ibtikaar interacting with H.E. Minister AmirzaiSangin

He said that: the goal of this Ibtikaar incubator project is to support innovative entrepreneurs in the ICT sector by providing them with physical office space, training, business advisory, and support with market, funding access and networking opportunity to technology startups in Afghanistan. The Ibtikaar is a two years long program by Ministry of Communications and IT in collaboration by the World Bank under its ICT sector development project, and is implemented by TechNation, an Afghan incubator management, technology and consulting firm. TechNation is responsible for leading and managing the establishment and growth of the business incubator ensuring it a self-sustaining operations and financially viable service and operations. The goal is to create at least twenty four successful businesses by the end of the project.

H. E. Sangin mentioned that MCIT has done productive and effective work within a decade in the field of information and communication infrastructures, these infrastructures provide support and are utilized in health care, education, security, good governance and creation employment opportunities.

Ibtikaar is currently hosting 4 companies dealing with game development,robotics /security, hospital management system and education management system. Ibtikaar’s goal is to create successful and sustainable companies following a 6 to 9 months incubation period and benefitting from the business development services, mentoring and coaching sessions.

This program aims to create a culture of entrepreneurship amongst the youth and contributing to private sector development though the creations of jobs, wealth and income.