Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST)

What Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST) does

The Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST) is a provincial government directorate under the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, established in December 2006 following the creation of the S&T and IT department in October 2003, which made KP the first province in Pakistan to establish a dedicated science and technology directorate. DoST operates the KP Science Agenda 2022, a strategic framework targeting 8 key natural resources (Gemstones, Bees & Honey, Fruits & Vegetables, Fisheries, Herbs & Medicinal Plants, Micro Hydro Power, Archaeology, Urban Environment) and 3 future areas (Advanced Materials, Biomedicine, Space Sciences). The directorate disburses competitive research grants ranging from PKR 150,000 for undergraduate support up to PKR 40 million per consortium under the Frontiers Research Grants Programme, alongside fellowships (Postdoctoral Innovation Fellowships, Masters Studentships), STEAM Outreach grants, and patenting/prototyping support.

DoST's core digital infrastructure is the Data Exchange Hub, founded in 2020 as a centralized platform to digitize, centralize, and streamline research-related data across universities and R&D institutions in KP. The platform provides 24/7 lab appointment booking, equipment tracking with predictive maintenance, a researcher Idea Bank, and analytics dashboards. It connects 9 partner institutes (including University of Peshawar, Pak Austria Fachhochschule, Hazara University, University of Agriculture DI Khan, and FATA University), 500+ labs globally, 10,000+ registered scientists, and has facilitated 50,000+ appointments and 100+ research publications.

The business model is non-commercial: DoST receives public budget allocations from the KP government (with funding described as having increased twelve-fold versus the prior decade's annual average) and redistributes these funds as grants, fellowships, and operating support to researchers, students, startups, and institutions. All services are provided free of charge. The directorate operates with a small leadership team (16 employees including Director General Sajid Hussain Shah) from its headquarters on Shami Road, Peshawar Cantt, and markets its programmes through the KP Science Agenda website, social media channels, annual roadshows, and STEAM outreach events. The Data Exchange Hub is technically operated in coordination with KPITB (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board).

Name

Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST)

Legal name

Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST)

Website

https://dost.kp.gov.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DoST is the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial science and technology directorate, funding research grants (up to PKR 40M per consortium), fellowships, and STEAM outreach across 8 natural resources and 3 future areas, and operating the Data Exchange Hub digital platform connecting 500+ labs and 10,000+ scientists across KP universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Science & Technology Research Funding

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAI

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

Keywords

• Research grant programs
• Science policy administration
• Research fellowship funding
• Laboratory network services
• Technology transfer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Peshawar

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding Allocation: DoST operates as a government directorate receiving public funding allocations. It does not generate commercial revenue. Its primary function is to allocate grants and funding to researchers, students, and institutions rather than sell products or services. Funding increased twelve times the annual average over the past ten years with the launch of the KP Science Agenda 2022.
2. Research Grants Distribution: DoST distributes competitive research grants to universities, research consortia, startups, and individual researchers across the 8+3 strategic areas. Grants range from PKR 150,000 (undergraduate) to PKR 40 million (Frontiers consortia). These are disbursements, not revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DoST is the operational arm of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that administers the KP Science Agenda 2022 by distributing competitive research grants, postdoctoral fellowships, masters and undergraduate studentships, prototyping/patenting support, international technology transfer and travel awards across 8 natural-resource and 3 future-technology priority areas. It also operates the Data Exchange Hub, a centralized digital platform connecting 500+ labs, 10,000+ scientists and 9 partner institutes for lab booking, equipment tracking and inter-institutional research collaboration.

Product overview

The Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST) operates a portfolio of science and technology programs and platforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The core offering centers on the KP Science Agenda 2022, a strategic framework targeting 8 natural resources (Gemstones, Bees & Honey, Fruits & Vegetables, Fisheries, Herbs & Medicinal Plants, Micro Hydro Plants, Archaeology, Urban Environment) and 3 future areas (Advanced Materials, Biomedicine, Space Sciences). The digital infrastructure includes the Data Exchange Hub platform for lab management and research collaboration. Supporting programs include grant initiatives (Frontiers in Science, Local Challenges, Patents & Prototypes, Technology Transfer, Tools for Science, Travel Grants), fellowship programs (Postdoctoral, Masters, Undergraduate), and STEAM outreach activities. The portfolio functions as interconnected programs rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KP Science Agenda: The science agenda for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa focusing on 8 key natural resources and 3 areas of the future
• Data Exchange Hub
• Frontiers in Science Research Grants Programme
• IRTC (Interdisciplinary Research Training Centre)
• Made in KP
• Science for All

Products and services

• KP Science Agenda 2022
• Data Exchange Hub (DEH)
• Frontiers in Science Research Grants Programme
• Local Challenges Grants Programme
• Interdisciplinary Masters Studentship Programme
• Postdoctoral Innovation Fellowships Programme
• Undergraduate Research Support Programme
• Patents and Prototypes Support Programme
• International Technology Transfer Programme
• Tools for Science Programme
• Travel Grants for Science Programme
• STEAM Outreach Support Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Rs. 498.00 Million disbursed to 159 research proposals across universities and organisations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record.

• University of PeshawarOthersUniversity of Peshawar is listed as a partner institute in the Data Exchange Hub lab registration system. It participates in the IRTC (Interdisciplinary Research Training Centre) fellowship and studentship programmes, hosting primary supervisors for postgraduate and postdoctoral research across the 8+3 strategic areas.
• Pak Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences and TechnologyOthersPak Austria Fachhochschule is a partner institute in the Data Exchange Hub network, contributing lab facilities and research expertise to the platform for equipment sharing and collaborative research across disciplines.
• Hazara University MansehraOthersHazara University Mansehra is listed as a partner institute in the Data Exchange Hub platform, participating in lab registration and providing research infrastructure for the network of 500+ connected labs.
• University of Agriculture DI KhanOthersUniversity of Agriculture DI Khan is a partner institute contributing to the Data Exchange Hub ecosystem, with registered labs providing agricultural and related research equipment access to researchers across KP.
• FATA UniversityOthersFATA University is listed as a partner institute in the Data Exchange Hub network, participating in lab registration and providing research infrastructure for the broader research community in the region.
• International Science and Technology Advisory CouncilOthersThe Science and Technology Advisory Council comprises an eclectic group of international experts engaged to chart out a 10-year plan for KP's science and technology development. The council provides strategic guidance on the KP Science Agenda's implementation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF): National agency supporting scientific research, science popularization, and S&T policy. Comparable to DoST in mandate around research funding and science outreach, but federally scoped.
• National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), Pakistan: Policy-level federal body coordinating science and technology across ministries. Conceptually comparable to DoST's strategic and coordination role in setting the provincial S&T agenda.
• Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST): Federal body advising the government on science policy, R&D prioritisation, and S&T indicators. Conceptually comparable to DoST's strategic planning and 8+3 agenda-setting role.
• Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan: Federal body funding university research, scholarships, and labs across Pakistan. Directly comparable as a public R&D and higher education funding agency, though operating at the national rather than provincial level.

Regional players

• Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC): Sindh's provincial higher education and research funding body. Comparable to DoST in scope (university research funding, scholarships) but operates in a different geographic and political context.
• Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC): Provincial higher education and research funding body for Punjab. Comparable to DoST's role in funding university research and fellowships, but serving a different province with a larger budget base.

Direct peers

• Ignite (formerly National ICT R&D Fund): Federal fund providing grants, loans, and equity to tech startups, R&D projects, and innovators. Directly comparable as a public R&D grant allocator, particularly overlapping with DoST's technology transfer and innovation mandates.
• Pakistan Research Repository (by HEC): National aggregator of Pakistani research publications and outputs. Conceptually comparable to the Data Exchange Hub's research analytics and publication tracking features, though at a national scale.
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB): Provincial body that operates the Data Exchange Hub platform alongside DoST. Comparable as the technology execution arm of KP's digital and innovation agenda, with overlapping leadership and project teams.

Others

• National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST): Federally chartered university with its own R&D funding and technology transfer operations. Comparable as a potential beneficiary and partner of DoST grant programmes, and a benchmark for R&D intensity in Pakistan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KPScienceAgenda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBlMrV5eRYdywLEXSVoUQmQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/KPScienceAgenda
• Instagraminstagram.com/kpscienceagenda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dostkpgovt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Directorate General of Science & Technology (DoST)