DPL CEO Syed Ahmed has joined the Board of Management of COMSATS’s Cubator 1ne, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. The Cubator 1ne programme aims to provide resources, training, mentorship and networking opportunities to entrepreneurial startups in Pakistan, from fields as diverse as IT, ITC and security to energy, agriculture and food technologies.

In the 2015-2016 operating year, COMSATS’s Cubator 1ne has achieved some impressive milestones, including creating nearly 200 permanent jobs and successfully ‘incubating’ 16 startups, with many more innovators joining the programme. With facilities like fully set up office spaces, robotics and prototype labs, legal, marketing and managerial support, the programme is giving start ups the support and access to critical tools they need to help them grow into stable, viable companies. These companies then have the potential to revitalise and strengthen their industries and local and national economies.

With DPL’s history of innovation and entrepreneurship as well as its strong social conscience, CEO Syed Ahmad’s appointment to the Cubator 1ne Board is a perfect fit. Alongside the six other board members, Syed will be responsible for ensuring the strategic goals and vision of the Cubator 1ne programme are maintained, providing strategic and business guidance for the overall management of the programme and approving all seed money, venture capital and other budgetary aspects for Cubator 1ne. Further to this, he will be involved in the quarterly review of the programme in line with defined KPIs and generally lending his expertise and extensive experience in the fields of IT and entrepreneurship to the Cubator 1ne programme and its participants.