Ignite – NICAT Pakistan hosts Asia-Pacific’s first Meta Llama Pitchathon

A proud moment for Pakistan ???? as the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies #NICAT, in partnership with Meta , the Ministry of IT and Telecom Pakistan , and Ignite - National Technology Fund , hosted the first-ever Meta Llama Pitchathon in the Asia-Pacific region. This groundbreaking event highlighted the tremendous potential of artificial intelligence (AI) through the application of Meta’s cutting-edge Llama 2 and Llama 3 models.

The competition, which opened on July 19, 2024, attracted 112 submissions, out of which seven teams were shortlisted by the e27 and Meta officials for the final pitch. On August 13, 2024, these finalists presented their innovative solutions to a distinguished panel of judges, including Muhammad Rashid Mukhtar , Dr. Muhammad Usman, Zeeshan Qedwaee , Ammar Jaffri , Barira Hanif , and Dr. Adnan Ul-Hasan . The judges, with their diverse expertise, meticulously evaluated each project based on technical feasibility, potential impact, and the responsible use of AI.

The top three companies were selected for the final round, which was graced by the presence of the honorable Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication, as the Chief Guest. Her participation underscored the government's strong commitment to fostering technological advancement and innovation in Pakistan.

In her address, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja stated, "This Pitchathon is a testament to Pakistan's growing capabilities in AI and technological innovation. The government is dedicated to creating an environment that nurtures talent and encourages the development of cutting-edge solutions that address both local and global challenges. Events like these are crucial in our journey to position Pakistan as a leader in the global digital economy."

Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for IT & Telecommunication and Mr. Simon Milner , Meta’s Vice President of Public Policy for the Asia-Pacific region, presented certificates to the top three winners. Traversaal.ai , the winning team, which proposed UrduLLama, a large language model (LLM) tailored for the Urdu language, aimed at addressing educational inequality and illiteracy in Pakistan. Answer AI and Qazi AI were runner ups. Traversaal.ai will be proceeding to Singapore in October 2024 to compete for prize pool of up to $100,000.

Mr. Simon Milner, in his closing remarks, said, “Meta is committed to supporting the AI ecosystem in this region, and I’m thrilled to see such diverse and impactful ideas emerging from Pakistan's developer community. This first APAC Accelerator event sets a new precedent for innovation, and we believe it will pave the way for the next wave of technological breakthroughs in both Pakistan and the broader region. We extend our gratitude to NICAT for their collaboration and look forward to continuing our work with local partners to build better, safer, and faster products that benefit society by addressing real-world issues.”

Mr. Adeel Aijaz Shaikh, CEO of Ignite National Technology Fund, shared his excitement: “We are thrilled to host an event that pushes the frontiers of AI innovation! The Meta Llama Pitchathon offers creators a unique chance to develop solutions with real business and community benefits. We look forward to seeing the remarkable projects that will come to life as a result of this initiative.”

Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-founder of e27, added: “The APAC AI Accelerator program is an exciting platform for AI companies and developers to leverage the open-source power of Llama to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. We are honored to be Meta’s regional program partners across 10 countries in APAC and are looking forward to an exciting line-up of initiatives in Pakistan, including educational resources for developers and community-building activities.”

Imran Jattala, Project Director at NICAT, expressed his enthusiasm: “This Pitchathon is a transformative event for the region, providing a unique platform for innovators to push the boundaries of AI. The Meta Llama Pitchathon is an unparalleled opportunity to create solutions with significant economic and social impact. We eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking projects that will emerge from this competition.”

A heartfelt thank you Team Meta for the invaluable partnership in hosting the first-ever Meta Llama Pitchathon in the Asia-Pacific region. Meta Team's support and the cutting-edge Llama models have truly empowered Pakistani innovators and showcased the tremendous potential of AI. We at NICAT, Ignite & MoIT&T, look forward to continued collaboration and making strides together in advancing technology and innovation in Pakistan.

The success of the Meta Llama Pitchathon is a testament to Pakistan’s vibrant tech ecosystem and its potential to lead AI innovation. The winning team will compete in the regional finals in Singapore in October 2024, vying for a prize pool of up to $100,000. This includes travel and accommodation, offering the winners a global platform to showcase their innovations, connect with international industry leaders, and gain invaluable exposure.

NICAT: A Beacon of Innovation and Growth

As Pakistan’s leading Aerospace and DeepTech incubation center, NICAT is at the forefront of technological innovation. This event underscores NICAT's commitment to advancing AI technologies that have the potential to revolutionize industries and drive economic growth. By bringing together the brightest minds from across the region, NICAT continues to foster AI-driven solutions that address pressing global challenges. NICAT is located within the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), Pakistan’s premier nationwide network of Science and Technology Parks.

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About the Author: Imran Jattala is Project Director, National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies (NICAT). He is a Co-Founder of IGI Digital . He tweets at: ImJattala

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