UET VC proposes Entrepreneurship Bank to boost startups and jobs

LAHORE – Vice Chancellor University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir TI, has proposed to the Government of Punjab the establishment of a dedicated“Bank of Entrepreneurship” to promote entrepreneurship, startups and self-employment among young people.

Speaking at an Entrepreneurship Expo organized by See Pakistan at Expo Centre Lahore, Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir said the proposed bank should provide aspiring entrepreneurs with easy and affordable financing, low markup rates, business guidance and institutional support, enabling talented youth to transform innovative ideas into successful and sustainable businesses.

He said Pakistan has a large pool of young people with innovative and creative business ideas, but many potentially viable projects fail to materialize due to limited access to capital and appropriate financial support. The establishment of a Bank of Entrepreneurship, he added, could provide an effective platform for young entrepreneurs to launch and expand their businesses.

Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir proposed that the bank should go beyond the conventional lending model. It should evaluate business plans through professional experts, identify viable projects and, where appropriate, adopt a **business partnership model** alongside financing. In this way, the bank could support entrepreneurs not only with capital but also with business guidance, mentorship, monitoring and growth support.

The UET Vice Chancellor emphasized that promoting entrepreneurship is not merely about establishing new businesses; it is also an effective means of creating employment opportunities, empowering youth, attracting investment, promoting innovation and expanding economic activity. He said it was imperative to transform young people from job seekers into job creators.

He urged the Government of Punjab and relevant institutions to seriously consider the proposal and convert it into a formal policy initiative. He said that providing young entrepreneurs with affordable financing, business training, mentorship and institutional support could help establish a strong and sustainable startup ecosystem in Pakistan.

Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir further proposed that the Bank of Entrepreneurship should work in close coordination with universities, incubation centres, industry, the private sector and investors. Such collaboration, he said, would create an effective mechanism for transforming research-based and innovative ideas emerging from universities into commercially viable businesses.

He observed that universities should not remain limited to producing degree holders but should also serve as centres of entrepreneurship, employment generation, innovation and economic development. Stronger linkages between academia and industry could play a vital role in achieving this objective.

Describing the proposed Bank of Entrepreneurship as a potentially revolutionary initiative for Pakistan’s startup and business ecosystem, Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir said that affordable financing and business partnerships could encourage the establishment of new enterprises and create thousands of employment opportunities for the country’s youth.

He called upon the government and relevant institutions to move beyond merely discussing the proposal and develop a practical framework, financial model and institutional mechanism for its implementation. This, he said, would enable Pakistan’s young entrepreneurs to transform their creative and innovative ideas into successful and sustainable businesses.

The Entrepreneurship Expo was attended by environmentalist and entrepreneur Owais Rauf, Vice Chancellor University of the Punjab Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali, Mian Imran Masood, representatives of the University of Sialkot and Riphah International University, as well as representatives of various universities, businesses, industry and the entrepreneurship sector.

The participants stressed the need to strengthen entrepreneurial skills among young people, enhance university-industry linkages and develop a robust startup culture in Pakistan.