1/ The startup ecosystem in #Pakistan has entered the next phase.
It has moved from being nascent to more indigenous in nature. The sector is now facilitated by more than 35 incubators & accelerators, 20 formal funders & investors, and 80 co-working spaces across the country.
It has moved from being nascent to more indigenous in nature. The sector is now facilitated by more than 35 incubators & accelerators, 20 formal funders & investors, and 80 co-working spaces across the country.
2/ Over the past 5 years, #startups in Pakistan have raised over $190M - these are mostly early-stage deals signalling the still nascent & evolving ecosystem. Last 18 months in particular saw more acquisition & fundraising activities than the previous 10 years combined.
3/ During 2019 alone four major series A rounds ware completed in Pakistan raised by @airlift_tech, @bykeapk, @cheetaypk and @KPLearning with two pre-seed funding rounds raised by @joinbazaar and Tajir.
4/ Led by @Initialized, Atoms raised $8.1M Series A funding bringing the total #investment to $8.6M after it raised $560k from @aatif_awan as seed fund.
A completely home-grown startup has set an overarching way for others to acquire global exposure & rebase internationally.
A completely home-grown startup has set an overarching way for others to acquire global exposure & rebase internationally.
5/ Besides these outstanding early-stage #investments, Pk has also seen some staggering Series D funds raising. @ZameenProperty, one of the earliest & largest Pakistani startup #success stories, raised a massive $100M series D round in 2019.
6/ While local VC firms have started to emerge, intl institutional funds have also started investing heavily in Pakistani startups.
In 2018, Chinese VC fund @GobiPartners led a Series A $1.5M round in @sastaticketpk & in 2019 Gobi formed a joint $20M fund w/ Fatima Ventures.
In 2018, Chinese VC fund @GobiPartners led a Series A $1.5M round in @sastaticketpk & in 2019 Gobi formed a joint $20M fund w/ Fatima Ventures.
7/ Other foreign players like @OmidyarNetwork, @Accion, @omantechfund have made a gross investment worth more than $1.7M in a short span of < 24 months.
@SparkLabsGlobal, the world’s third-biggest early-stage investment firm, has announced its launch in Pakistan this year.
@SparkLabsGlobal, the world’s third-biggest early-stage investment firm, has announced its launch in Pakistan this year.
8/ @pid_gov is facilitating in terms of #IT infrastructure, tax exemptions & the establishment of @IgniteNTF & @NICPakistan.
The recently launched Kamyab Jawan Programme envisages a policy framework for #youth-centred matters, including #entrepreneurship.
The recently launched Kamyab Jawan Programme envisages a policy framework for #youth-centred matters, including #entrepreneurship.
9/ The future?
The next natural progression is #corporate innovation partnership with startups. As corporations seek to increase their competitiveness, the missing link is to scale & capture new markets by the virtue of innovation yet being able to 'reduce' costs.
The next natural progression is #corporate innovation partnership with startups. As corporations seek to increase their competitiveness, the missing link is to scale & capture new markets by the virtue of innovation yet being able to 'reduce' costs.
10/ Startups' innovative ways of doing things paired with companies' experiences is that ingenious, disruptive combination that will bring unmatched value addition to the economy benefiting players at all three ends - companies, startups and customers.
linkedin.com/pulse/pakistan…
linkedin.com/pulse/pakistan…
