Keywords: networking

Main users: Resident companies or institutions

An online portal to enable mutual collaboration and coordination between residents of National Science and Technology Park (NSTP) and the knowledge base; NUST. Users are able to connect and communicate in a simple, quick and convenient manner which leads to collaborative research projects, publications, job opportunities and other partnerships.

The main purpose of portal is to enable and encourage collaboration while bridging the gap between NUST (university) and NSTP (industry). It aims to capitalize on NUST-NSTP relationship to produce outcomes that are beneficial individually for both, and mutually towards the ultimate aim of contributing towards the knowledge economy of Pakistan by catalysing innovation across various sectors including AgriTech, AutoTech, EdTech, EnergyTech, DefTech, FinTech, HealthTech and SmartTech. Technology companies at NSTP are able to benefit from intellectual resources available in the form of students and faculty, comprehensive research base across different areas, and extensive labs where experimental work and prototyping can be facilitated. Whereas, NUST students, faculty and staff are able to benefit from the innovation taking place in companies at NSTP, opening up many avenues of synergy and value creation between the two setups. Moreover, the portal also enables companies to connect and collaborate among themselves on products, services and R&D. The portal also creates opportunities for students and graduates in the form of jobs, internships and industry sponsored final year projects, while NSTP based companies are able to get access to students and graduates that can be groomed and hired for job positions, all in the same vicinity.

The portal, although in its infancy stage with many features to be launched soon, has already facilitated 2 faculty placements and more than 15 internships for students in different companies. Portal has also been used by companies to offer final year projects to students and to apply for registration of intellectual property rights and collaborative projects. The most prominent impact of the portal however has been the facilitation in the partnership between two NSTP companies for the COVID-19 prevention programme. As a result of this collaboration, one of the partners has produced hand sanitizer as per World Health Organization (WHO) specifications whereas the other has created contact-less dispensers to be placed in hospitals. Going forward, the portal is expected to create tremendous impact with higher number of final year projects, internships and jobs for students / graduates, industry placements and research projects for faculty members, facilitation in employees"" management, intellectual property registration, technology transfer, lab booking, collaboration and interaction for the NSTP resident companies. In the long run, the portal will establish a virtual network where NSTP partners and other innovation centres will able to interact with NSTP companies and establish international linkages and partnerships.

The portal is a first of its kind initiative in Pakistan to bridge the gap between stakeholders, that are normally disconnected, in a simple, convenient and efficient manner and to promote and encourage better collaboration in research, innovation and commercialization. The portal is designed in a modular way therefore, more universities and industries can be easily added. Moreover, partners and associate STPs and innovation centres can also be plugged-in in the future to enhance the reach and to encourage international collaboration and knowledge sharing. The portal will also create a virtual network involving companies, academia and individuals. This will make sharing of knowledge and expertise secure and easy. Some of the key features offered through this two-way portal are: Research projects and joint publications, sponsored projects, industry backed final year projects for students, intellectual property and technology transfer facilitation, internships and jobs for students, lab usage and combined testing booking, faulty placements, employee registration and management, facility booking at NSTP, resident collaboration / interaction (to be launched) and Virtual network (including partner STP and Innovation centres) (Planned).

NSTP Resident Companies, NSTP Startups, NSTP Management, NUST Faculty members, NUST Students, NUST Departments (Research, Innovation & Commercialisation, Corporate Advisory Council, Placement Office, Industry Liaison Officer etc.), Future Users (Faculty members and students from other universities, NSTP partners, other innovation centres, other local and international companies)

The portal is hosted, managed and maintained by NSTP management team. It was also designed and developed by NSTP. In the future, expansions and modifications will be managed by dedicated teams, under the supervision of NSTP management.