Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HOW TO USE THESE FAQS

These FAQs are intended to help applicants prepare and submit high-quality proposals under the Prime Minister’s SPARK and ELEVATE Program through Ignite’s official portal segms.ignite.org.pk. These FAQs summarize, in plain language, the Policy on Originality, Plagiarism, and Use of Generative AI, and the applicable Call Announcements.

1. ABOUT THE SPARK & ELEVATE PROGRAM

1.1 What is the Prime Minister’s SPARK and ELEVATE Program?

The Prime Minister’s SPARK & ELEVATE Program is a flagship research and innovation (R&I) grant funding stream, launched under the amended Research and Development Rules, 2006 (notified vide SRO 94(I)/2026). SPARK (Strategic Program for Advanced Research and Knowledge) funds collaborative, interdisciplinary research that takes an idea from concept to a functional prototype with a verifiable real-world outcome. ELEVATE (Empowering Late-stage Engineering, Validation, and Accelerated Technology) funds the maturation, validation, and commercialization of technologies that already have an existing prototype or advanced model.

1.2 What is the difference between SPARK and ELEVATE? Which one should I apply for?

If you are still establishing scientific or technical feasibility and do not yet have a functional prototype, apply to SPARK. If you have a functional prototype or advanced model and your focus is productization, certification, and market entry, apply to ELEVATE.

1.3 What qualifies as a functional prototype under SPARK program?

By functional prototype, we mean a prototype must demonstrate a measurable, verifiable outcome at the end of the project period such as a successful pilot deployment, validation in a real-world or operational environment, or evidence of initial uptake by industry (e.g., a letter of intent, pilot adoption, paid trial, or first commercial commitment from an industry partner or end-user). Project outcomes must also include adequate formal protection of the generated intellectual property (IP) and may include top-level scientific publications. For this purpose, they may include applied research, technology development and/or method/tool and integration, testing, and validation on a functional prototype.

1.4 What do we mean by “prototype to product commercialization” under ELEVATE?

By prototype to product commercialization under the ELEVATE program, we mean taking a functional prototype — a technology that has already been validated at proof-of-concept level — and maturing it into a market-ready product that can be sold, scaled, and sustained commercially. In practice, this evolution from prototype to commercialization covers activities such as refining the product, pilot testing, regulatory or quality compliance, manufacturing or deployment readiness, and go-to-market preparation, so that promising Pakistani technologies move out of the lab and into real economic use.

1.5 What are the themes under which proposals for SPARK and ELEVATE will be considered for funding?

The program is sector-agnostic and opened to the diverse range of themes. However, the following themes for SPARK and ELEVATE have been identified based on the economic needs, technological gaps, and long-term development priorities. These themes are to be considered as guidelines but not limited to these following themes.

• Digital Industry & Advanced Manufacturing
• ICT-enabled Agriculture & Water Systems
• Energy Systems & Efficiency
• Health Systems & Digital Healthcare
• Smart Cities & Urban Systems
• Connectivity & Digital Infrastructure
• Safety, Security & Trust Systems
• Education & Human Capital Systems
• Transport & Smart Mobility

1.6 How many grants are awarded each year for SPARK and ELEVATE?

IGNITE has envisaged awarding up to 60 grants per year under SPARK & ELEVATE i.e., up to 30 for SPARK & up to 30 for ELEVATE.

1.7 How can I apply for SPARK or ELEVATE?

You can apply for SPARK or ELEVATE by submitting an online application through Ignite’s dedicated online portal, SEGMS (segms.ignite.org.pk). Applications submitted through any other means or channels shall not be considered.

1.8 Can I submit an unsolicited proposal at any time?

No. Submissions are accepted only against a specific open call for SPARK or ELEVATE, published by IGNITE, before the deadline stated in the Call Announcement. Rolling or unsolicited submissions shall no longer be accepted.

2. ELIGIBILITY & CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS

2.1 What is the eligibility criteria for submission of application under SPARK?

1. An applicant must be from a legally registered entity based in Pakistan e.g., a university, research organization, startup or SME etc., working to develop an innovative solution to national challenges. Such an entity is referred to as the “Principal Investigator Organization (PIO)”.
2. The Lead Applicant may form a consortium comprising universities, industry partners, and/or other research organizations or other relevant entities (local or international) to apply. This is not mandatory; however, the involvement of industry, public entities, or other relevant organizations is viewed favorably and counts in your favor during evaluation.
3. Application must be submitted by a Principal Investigator (PI) nominated by the PIO.

2.2 What is the eligibility criteria for ELEVATE?

1. An applicant must be from a legally registered entity based in Pakistan e.g., a startup, SME, or large enterprise, undertaking an innovation and commercialization project. Such an entity is referred to as the “Project Director’s Organization” (PDO). ELEVATE is industry-led, so the application must be led by an industry (a startup, SME, or large enterprise) acting as the industry lead responsible for commercialization and deployment.
2. The PDO may form a consortium comprising other startups, SMEs, large companies, universities, and/or research organizations. Participation by researchers and academic institutions is welcomed where relevant, and national and international collaborations are encouraged, particularly where partners contribute to technology maturity, market access, or scaling capabilities.
3. The application must be submitted by a Project Director (PD) nominated by the PDO. The Commercial Lead must be nominated from within PDO who would be responsible for commercialization and market entry.
4. The PDO is also required to provide details of pilot deployment site/first customer where the product/service will be tested and validated.

2.3 Are International partners allowed?

Yes. National and/or international collaborations are encouraged for both SPARK and ELEVATE where the partner brings unique added value to the project; for example, technology maturity, market access, or scaling capability. However, the proposal must be submitted by, and the grant administered through, a Pakistan-based legally registered entity (the PIO/PDO).

2.4 Can an individual apply without an institution?

Individuals without a legally registered entity can’t apply for both SPARK and ELEVATE. Applications must be submitted on behalf of Pakistan-based legally registered entities.

2.5 Do I need consortium partners, and what evidence is required?

For SPARK, forming a consortium is encouraged. You may apply as an eligible registered legal entity and may form a consortium of universities, industry partners, and/or research organizations, and national or international collaboration is welcomed where a partner brings unique added value. Whatever your structure, list every consortium member and collaborating organization in the application, describe each partner’s role and contribution, and attach a signed letter of support or consortium agreement for each.

ELEVATE is industry-led, so while a formal consortium is highly encouraged, a clear industry lead (the PDO) responsible for commercialization is required, and several themes of ELEVATE make a named partner or signed commitment compulsory. As with SPARK, list all members, describe each partner’s role and contribution, and attach a signed letter of support or consortium agreement for each.

2.6 Is co-financing mandatory?

For SPARK, co-financing including both in-kind and cash contributions by industry partners is encouraged and is regarded as an indicator of industry support. It is not a condition of eligibility, but demonstrating it strengthens your proposal. Separately, note that SPARK releases part of the grant only against evidence of progress beyond the prototype stage (such as a signed pilot agreement, letter of intent, or first purchase commitment from an industry partner), so tangible industry backing is valuable at evaluation stage.

For ELEVATE, likewise, co-financing through in-kind and cash contributions by industry partners is highly encouraged and will be considered and is treated as an indicator of industry support. Because ELEVATE is industry-led and focused on commercialization, meaningful industry contribution naturally strengthens a proposal.

2.7 In case of co-financing, is there a minimum percentage contribution required from the counterpart?

No fixed threshold has been defined. However, counterpart contribution may demonstrate stronger partner commitment and genuine interest in the project, which can strengthen the proposal during evaluation.

2.8 Can I submit more than one proposal, or the same proposal to both programs?

For SPARK, two different proposals can be submitted by the same PI. For ELEVATE, only one proposal can be submitted by PD. It is recommended that the same proposal from one applicant not be submitted for both SPARK and ELEVATE. Please read carefully the Eligibility Criteria for both SPARK and ELEVATE before submitting your applications.

2.9 How do I know that my proposal has been submitted successfully?

All applicants for both SPARK and ELEVATE can view the status of their proposal in the SEGMS portal by logging into their accounts. A submitted proposal will show a status of “Submitted” in the list of “My Proposals” section. A system-generated email will also be sent to the applicant about submission of the proposal. In case of any technical issue in submission of proposal, please drop an email at [email protected].

2.10 When can I submit my proposal for SPARK or/and ELEVATE?

The potential applicants are required to submit their proposals well before the deadline as mentioned in the Call Announcement. We encourage submitting the proposals when the Call Announcement is made and not later than the last two days before the deadline. In case a proposal is being submitted just 24 hours or earlier before the deadline, and if the applicant is facing any technical issues in submitting their proposals, then please note that Ignite does not guarantee to resolve the technical issue before 24 hours. As the time to manage technical issues is 24 hours, we strongly suggest submitting the proposals well before the deadline.

2.11 My project was previously funded or is an extension of an earlier project. Can I still apply?

Yes, you can apply. The application form asks you to declare Project Status as New, Modification of a previous project, or Extension of an existing project. You must clearly identify the prior work, what is new in the proposed project, and avoid any misleading impression of originality (uncredited reuse of your own previously submitted work is treated as self-plagiarism under the Originality Policy).

3. APPLYING THROUGH THE SEGMS PORTAL (segms.ignite.org.pk)

3.1 How do I apply for SPARK & ELEVATE?

All applications for SPARK and ELEVATE must be submitted online through the SEGMS portal (accessible via https://segms.ignite.org.pk) before the deadline stated in the relevant Call Announcement. Applications must be complete in all respects and follow the prescribed proposal template. Submissions by email, post, or hand shall not be accepted.

3.2 How do I create an account?

Click “Create an account” on the portal login page and provide your First Name, Last Name, Valid Email, Phone and Password. Read and accept the Terms and Conditions of the SEGMS portal. Click the “Register Now” button. You will get a confirmation email containing a link for account activation. Check this email in your inbox or junk folder. Click on the activation link and you will be routed to your login page. If you have registered, the portal will indicate that you are already registered; if you have registered and have forgotten your password, use “Forgot Password” instead of creating a new account.

3.3 What happens after I register and how do I apply for SPARK or ELEVATE?

After you have successfully registered and logged in, you will see your home page, giving you options for submitting an application for SPARK or ELEVATE. Read carefully the eligibility criteria under these FAQs for SPARK and ELEVATE and select the appropriate link i.e., “Apply to SPARK” or “Apply to ELEVATE”. On the home page of your account, you will also be able to see the status of your application(s) being submitted for SPARK and/or ELEVATE.

3.4 What is the Application Submission Process for proposals?

The Application Submission Process is a two-stage process.

Stage 1: Submission of Project Concept
Stage 2: Submission of Detailed Project

Stage 1: Submission of Project Concept
In this stage, the applicant is required to submit a Project Concept (PC), a concise description of the idea, screened by IGNITE for fit, eligibility, and quality etc. This is a 6-step process with minimum but important details of your proposal. You will see that each step in the forms is explained with tag lines.

Stage 2: Submission of Detailed Proposal
Only upon approval of Project Concept in Stage 1, the applicant would be required to submit the Detailed Proposal in Stage 2 i.e., complete technical proposal, budget, and annexures etc. The forms in Stage 2 are self-explanatory and every step has been clarified with tag lines.

Please note that “Stage 2: Submission of Detailed Proposal” will only be enabled upon approval of the application submitted in Stage 1.

3.5 How do I know the status of my application after I submit it in Stage 1 i.e., Submission of Project Concept?

The application status for both SPARK & ELEVATE under Stage 1 can be seen after the applicant is logged in. One of the following statuses would be visible to the applicant.

• Submitted — application has been successfully submitted
• Under review — application is under scrutiny
• Approved — application has been approved for next stage
• Not Shortlisted — application has not been shortlisted for the next stage and shall not be further processed

3.6 How long usually does it take to know that my application has been approved or otherwise in Stage 1?

It will take about 30 days after the last date of application submission as mentioned in the Call Announcement, to know the exact status of approval or otherwise of your application during Stage 1.

3.7 What happens if my application is “Approved” during Stage 1?

An email will be sent to you about approval of your application. You will be asked to submit the detailed proposal with required documentation within a specified time.

3.8 What happens if my application is “Not Shortlisted” during Stage 1?

You will be informed via an email that your application has not been shortlisted for the next stage.

3.9 Do I have to complete the application in one sitting?

No. The application form supports save-and-continue. Each form has “Save Draft” buttons, so you can save your progress at any stage and return later to continue from where you left off. We strongly advise saving frequently and completing your submission well before the deadline.

3.10 What documents and attachments will I need during Stage 1 of Application Submission Process?

For SPARK, you will need the following documents during Stage 1:

• CV of PI in PDF format
• A letter of intent from PIO

For ELEVATE, you will need the following documents during Stage 1:

• CV of PD
• CV of Industry Lead
• CV of Commercial Lead
• Letters of intent from Industry Lead and other collaborators

3.11 What documents and attachments will I need during Stage 2 of Application Submission Process?

For both SPARK and ELEVATE, the following documents may be required for online submission before you start your application. So, to save time, keep these documents ready after your application qualifies for Stage 1 of SPARK & ELEVATE.

• Signed letters of support / consortium agreements from every participating organization
• CVs of the PI, Co-PI(s), PD, Industry Lead, Commercial Lead and any other key personnel
• Detailed budget on the official budget template, per the Master Budget Structure and Financial Rules
• Project schedule / milestone chart (MS-Project or similar) with deliverables and payment schedule
• AI Use Disclosure Statement (mandatory, maximum 150 words)
• Signed Applicant Declaration of Originality from the PI and every listed team member
• Conflict of Interest declaration
• Documentary proof of the Competent Authority of the lead organization (VC / Rector / CEO) as authorised signatory
• Co-financing letter of support/commitment, where co-financing is offered
• Any other document as may be required

3.12 Can I edit or withdraw my proposal after submission?

Once submitted in Stage 1 of the Application Submission Process, the application can’t be edited or withdrawn. However, in Stage 2 of the Application Submission Process, one revision would be allowed for PI or PD (for SPARK & ELEVATE) at the time of the evaluation process subject to recommendations by the evaluators.

3.13 What if I face a technical problem with the portal near the deadline?

Contact Ignite immediately at [email protected] with your account email, CNIC, screenshots, and a description of the issue. We strongly recommend submitting the application well before the deadline.

4. PREPARING A COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL

4.1 In what language and format should the proposal be prepared?

Proposals are prepared in English, in the prescribed online form, respecting the stated word limits for each section. Attachments should be uploaded in the formats specified on the portal upload screens.

4.2 What costs can the grant finance and what limits apply?

The grant finances costs that are directly required to deliver the approved project, budgeted under the heads defined but not limited to the following. Note that these financial heads are indicative and may be refined or adjusted by Ignite management, within the overall approved budget and in compliance with applicable regulations.

• Project Personnel
• Equipment and consumables
• Institutional overhead
• Contingency
• Travel
• Other relevant cost e.g., Audit cost.

ELEVATE — additional commercialisation costs.
Because ELEVATE funds prototype-to-market work, it additionally allows commercialisation costs: patent filing, legal and financial advisory, branding/marketing, and investor roadshows, plus commercialisation, QA, and regulatory/compliance personnel.

4.3 How are personnel costs calculated?

Personnel is billed on a time-cost basis i.e., gross salary multiplied by the percentage of time committed to the project (not as honoraria). Each person’s role, time commitment, and unit cost must be stated and justified. Only technical staff may be billed to the project; administrative and secretarial staff (including the project coordinator) are covered under institutional overheads. The institution must confirm in writing that committed time does not conflict with other projects, and each project appointee must receive a formal contract.

4.4 What will the grant not finance?

Administrative or secretarial staff including the project coordinator cannot be charged to the personnel line; they are covered by the institutional overhead. The overhead itself may not be used for normal administrative expenses such as administrative salaries, TA/DA, honorariums, bonuses, or stipends. Personnel paid as flat honoraria (rather than on a time-cost basis) are not admissible, and projects involving Ignite employees, directors, or their immediate family are ineligible altogether.

4.5 How much of their time can the PI and students commit?

• PI / Co-PIs: up to 50% of their time; beyond 50% requires written institutional certification that other duties (and the corresponding salary) have been reduced proportionately
• PhD students (thesis stage): up to 80%
• MS / MPhil students: up to 30%
• Undergraduate students: up to 20% (only the university’s own students; a tuition waiver may be offered at the university’s discretion)

Rates for other research staff follow the equivalence scales in the Financial Rules (e.g., Research Associate ≈ Assistant Professor) and, for industry participants, experience-based caps benchmarked to the prevailing IT-industry salary survey. All scales are indicative and subject to periodic revision by Ignite.

4.6 What are the travel rules?

Travel must be justified by purpose, destination, number of travellers, and estimated cost per visit. Economy class only. Local air travel is capped per return ticket with a daily allowance cap for local travel (inclusive of DA). Foreign travel is admissible where the technical evaluation justifies it, subject to the return-ticket cap in the Financial Rules; any enhancement requires IGNITE’s prior permission. Conference travel support is tiered by the venue’s standing: top-tier peer-reviewed conferences of leading professional bodies (IEEE, ACM, etc., acceptance ratio below 25%) are fully sponsored; second-tier (25–40%) at 75%; and 40–60% acceptance-ratio venues at 50%.

4.7 How is the grant disbursed?

Grants are awarded and administered through the lead partner institution i.e. PIO or PDO. The first tranche is released upon execution of the grant agreement, completion of legal formalities, and submission of an approved work plan. A phased disbursement plan will be prepared for release of grant. All subsequent tranches are milestone-linked and these are released only on satisfactory achievement of the preceding milestone as assessed by IGNITE.

4.8 What procurement rules apply to equipment purchases?

All PIs must comply with applicable procurement rules. Equipment and consumables must be itemized separately with name, specification, unit cost, quantity, and purpose, and the institution must certify in writing that it does not otherwise have access to the said equipment, consumables, or services. LC opening for permanent equipment purchases is allowed.

5. EVALUATION & SELECTION OF PROPOSALS

5.1 How will my proposal be evaluated?

Selection follows an open, rigorous, transparent, competitive, and merit-based process using the Project Evaluation Ranking Matrix (PERM), consistent with international standards. The steps are:

• Screening/Scrutiny of the Project Concept Note (During Stage-1 of the Application Submission Process)
• Submission of the Full Proposal (on invitation, after approval from Stage 1)
• Desk evaluation of the written full proposal by Ignite
• External evaluation by two/three independent external evaluators
• Proposal ranking by cross-sectional external evaluators
• Monitoring and financial review of recommended proposals
• Presentation to Board for approval

5.2 How long does evaluation take?

The evaluation (screening) of Project Concept may take one month after close of call announcement and evaluation of full proposal may take 1 month after the last date to submit the full proposal. You can track your proposal’s stage on your SEGMS dashboard throughout.

5.3 Who evaluates the proposals?

Each full proposal is reviewed by three independent external evaluators drawn from Ignite’s External Evaluators Pool comprising leading experts from academia (including HEC-recognized PhD supervisors and PIs/Co-PIs of approved R&D projects) and industry, in addition to Ignite’s internal desk evaluation. Evaluators are matched to proposals by expertise, and strict conflict-of-interest rules apply: no evaluator may review a proposal from an organization with which they are affiliated or from applicants with whom they have personal, supervisory, or business relationships. The evaluators would not be able to see the personal details of the PI/PIO and PD/PDO etc.

5.4 What criteria are used?

Evaluators assess, with guiding questions for each section: the strength of the background and value-chain analysis; the clarity and measurability of objectives; the soundness of the research methodology and risk analysis; the credibility of the verifiable success outcome; the IP and commercialization strategy; the team’s and institution’s capability; and the realism and compliance of the budget. Each proposal is assessed on its own absolute merit against defined thresholds. Detailed criteria, scoring mechanisms, and weightages are set out in the evaluation guidelines and may be revised from time to time with the approval from relevant forum of Ignite.

5.5 Will I receive feedback? Can I revise and resubmit?

At the time of submission of proposal during Stage 1 i.e., Project Concept, there are no revisions allowed. So, be careful that you submit the Project Concept at once only.

For Stage 2 i.e., at the time of submitting detailed proposal, only one revision would be allowed by PI or PD, based on the judgement made by evaluators.

5.6 Can I contact the evaluators about my proposal?

No. Applicant cannot contact the external evaluators regarding the application review, during or after the process. All communication between applicants and Ignite concerning the review must go through the responsible Ignite personnel.

5.7 What if I believe someone involved in the evaluation has a conflict of interest?

Ignite operates a formal Conflict of Interest (COI) Management framework: any person with a disqualifying conflict must not take part in handling or deciding the matter, and all COI situations (whether confirmed or examined and excluded) are documented. If you believe a conflict exists, raise it in writing with Ignite. Applicants must likewise declare, in the application, any relationship with Ignite directors, managers, members, or stakeholders that could bias decision-making.

6. ORIGINALITY, PLAGIARISM & USE OF GENERATIVE AI

6.1 Is my proposal screened for plagiarism?

Yes. Every proposal may be screened through an industry-standard text-similarity tool (such as iThenticate) at submission. The thresholds are: overall similarity index not exceeding 19% (excluding references, standard terminology, and properly quoted, attributed material); similarity to any single source not exceeding 3%; and no verbatim reproduction of more than 15 consecutive words from a single source without quotation marks and a citation. Proposals breaching any threshold are returned without evaluation, and the Evaluation Committee may also disqualify proposals that pass the numeric thresholds but show qualitative patterns of intellectual appropriation.

6.2 Can I use ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI tools to write my proposal?

Only in a narrow, auxiliary way. Prohibited: proposals substantially developed by generative AI will not be accepted for evaluation. The problem statement, statement of novelty, methodology, technical approach, work plan/timeline, commercialization and impact strategy, and team description must be the applicant’s original work. Permitted (with disclosure): grammar and style editing of text you authored; translation into English of content you authored; formatting and reference management; and literature-search assistance, provided you independently retrieve, read, and verify every cited source.

6.3 Do I have to disclose AI use even if it was only for grammar checking?

Yes. Every proposal must include an AI Use Disclosure Statement (maximum 150 words) stating whether any generative AI tool was used, naming the tool(s), specifying the permitted purposes, and confirming that no prohibited use occurred, or declaring that no AI was used. Undisclosed use of AI, even for otherwise-permitted purposes, is itself a breach of policy. Proposals may also be screened with an AI-content-detection tool; its output triggers closer human review by the Evaluation Committee rather than automatic disqualification.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AWARD & POST-AWARD MANAGEMENT

7.1 Who owns the intellectual property created under the grant?

Under the amended Research and Development Rules, 2006 (SRO 94(I)/2026), IP rights arising from a successful project vest with the Principal Investigator (PI) and/or the Principal Investigator’s Organization (PIO), PD (Project Director) and/or Project Director’s Organization (PDO); subject to the terms of the grant agreement. This reform was made specifically to motivate PIs/PDs to commercialize their research.

7.2 What happens after my proposal is approved?

Approved proposals proceed through financial review and disbursement planning, contract generation, and signing of the grant agreement (including the agreed milestone schedule). Payments are released in accordance with the phased disbursement plan. The first tranche is released after legal formalities are completed and the approved work plan is submitted.

7.4 How is my project monitored?

Ignite will track each funded project’s performance, efficiency, milestone delivery, and financial position. You will submit periodic progress reports and milestone verification evidence; disbursements beyond the first tranche follow satisfactory milestone assessment by Ignite.

7.5 What happens if my project misses a milestone?

If a milestone is not met within 60 days of its scheduled date without an approved extension, Ignite issues a formal notice, and the PI/PD has 30 days to submit a remediation plan. If the plan is not accepted, or a second milestone is subsequently missed, Ignite may suspend disbursements.

7.6 Can the project team or budget change after award?

Changes to the PI/PD are subject to Ignite’s approval. Budget adjustments must remain within the approved envelope and comply with the Financial Rules; uncovered or under-covered costs may be met from the contingency provision. Any fare enhancements for travel and material changes to the workplan require Ignite’s prior permission.

7.7 Are there audit requirements?

Yes. Project accounts must be audited by an A-rated audit firm.

8. CONTACT & FURTHER INFORMATION

8.1 Who do I contact for help?

For all queries regarding the programs, Calls, applications, or the SEGMS portal, contact [email protected].