Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 Hosts Over 100 Startups and 400 Participants

The Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 – Summer Edition, hosted at NIC Karachi, concluded after five dynamic days that brought together over 100 startups, 400 participants, venture capitalists, angels, regulators, industry leaders, and international experts. Through pitch sessions, expert panels, investor workshops, and international collaborations, the summit created an unparalleled platform for startups to access capital, mentorship, and strategic partnerships. The five-day marathon proved to be a defining moment for Pakistani startups, offering unprecedented opportunities for growth and visibility. Day-by-Day Highlights Day 1: Pitch Fest & Alumni Impact The summit kicked off with an electric Pitch Fest featuring a diverse range of startups across sectors. What made the opening truly special was the participation of NIC Karachi alumni as judges—founders who have built, scaled, and now returned to give back. The judging panel included Muhammad Ghayas Ahmedani (Zaaviaa Solutions), Anusha Shahid (autocore.io), Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai (ASF Tech Partners), Aurangzaib Alamgir (Porter Pakistan), Sidra Shakeel (Fortify), and Mirza Saad Baig (RAWTS). These experienced entrepreneurs provided strategic feedback and mentorship to a new generation of founders. The focus shifted to investor education with an exclusive workshop on “Building Better Investment Strategies” led by Muhammad Humair (COO, YB Holdings). Farhan Bashir Khan (CEO, Alpha Beta Core) spoke on “Understanding Investor Risk Appetite & Return Expectations,” followed by the power-packed panel “The 3x Equation: Risk, Reward & Strategy,” moderated by Harris Jamali (Managing Partner, H.M. Associates). The Founders’ Panel featured startup leaders like Kassim Shroff (Krave Mart), Abdul Mannan (Bykea), Sharmeen Khan (BeMe.global), and Laiba Amir (Closet), who shared real stories of fundraising, resilience, and navigating scale. The Investor Insights Panel, led by Sarwat Khan of Alpha Beta Core, featured prominent investors offering valuable insights into founder readiness, data-led pitches, and impact investing. Early-stage startups took center stage as they pitched live to investors, showcasing strong product-market fit and traction across verticals including FinTech, edtech, AI, SaaS, sustainability, and consumer tech. Top capital leaders and angel investors from Pakistan’s most active investment firms were in attendance, including Abdul Sattar Jumani (Lucky Landmark Pvt. Ltd.), Muhammad Ali Taufeeq (Gobi Partners), Kashaf Jamal (Fatima Gobi Ventures), and more. Startups like Atfaal, Biomic, Blinq, Chaajao, Haprow, and She6 had high-impact interactions with investors, with many scheduling follow-up meetings immediately after presentations. Day 4 brought global expertise into the local ecosystem. With a strong focus on data, AI, and cloud scalability, the day featured top international speakers including Esna Ong (Regional Startup Success Manager, Google Cloud), Fannie Soubiele (Head of VC Business Development, Southeast Asia, Google Cloud), Kathleen Chiu (Data & AI Specialist, Google Cloud), and Osman Ahmed (Venture Partner, Accelerating Asia Ventures). Salik Khan, Head of Incubation at NIC Karachi, led a session on using data storytelling to drive investor confidence, while Kathleen Chiu walked founders through Google Cloud’s Gemini platform and practical AI use cases. The final day closed with major national announcements that reinforced NIC Karachi’s leadership role. Syed Azfar Hussain opened by welcoming the regional launch of the Pakistan Startup Fund (PSF) and BridgeStart Pakistan, a momentous initiative led by Ignite. Dr. Rabia Enam, Board Member at Ignite, and Mr. Nayab Babar, CIO and Project Director of the PSF, shared detailed roadmaps and answered critical questions from founders. Throughout the week, NIC Karachi proved itself not only as a launchpad for ambitious ventures but also as a convener of ideas, a connector of capital, and a catalyst for national innovation. With representation from SECP, FPCCI, leading corporates, top investors, and international leaders, the Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 – Summer Edition offered unmatched value to founders. As Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director of NIC Karachi, remarked: “This summit is a movement and a bridge between founders and capital that’s shaping our economic future.” Asim Ishaq Khan, VP at LMKT, reiterated NIC Karachi’s mission: “We don’t just incubate startups—we co-create ecosystems.” This landmark event showcased Pakistan’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem and cemented NIC Karachi’s position as the country’s premier hub for venture development and startup growth.