The story of Katalyst Labs - in the words of the Founder

It is often said that when you do something for a long period of time with smooth progress, churning out great results you tend to become too comfortable in your own skin. Then suddenly something shakes you up and you are forced to take a fresh look at what you are doing and how you are doing it. Is it scary? Yes, but sometimes it ends up working in your favour and for me it did. Here is the Katalyst Labs story.

My team and I had been working on startup incubation for 6+ years (I had actually been involved with the startup and tech ecosystem in one form or another for almost two decades). When I founded The Nest I/O it was because I felt a space like The Nest was needed for aspiring founders in Karachi. Interactions and discussions with many young people had resulted in several of us feeling that there was a gap that existed and we needed to fill it. Hence The Nest I/O was born.

During the period of six years, we graduated 217 startups and created a large community of over 1,000 founders. We also started an entrepreneurship innovation conference – 021Disrupt – which resulted in helping develop and enrich the startup ecosystem across Pakistan. Over a four year period we  brought many foreign entrepreneurs, speakers and investors in contact with energetic and talented young founders and local investors.

On May 1, 2021 I decided to part ways with the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) after a 20 year period to focus on providing strategic support to the growing number of startups that have emerged over the past few years.

Katalyst Labs is a Startup Accelerator and Innovation Hub and has dual focus – to assist founders in scaling up their startup businesses; and to help more women to become business leaders. We endeavor to help both male and female founders to scale and achieve their true potential. Our Women Leaders Program aims to increase women leaders in the economy by honing their current skill set.

At Katalyst Labs we will also put our prior experience to work in creating startup events and conferences and will continue to work with corporates to help them innovate and transform.

We have wonderful and supportive partners who have enabled us to embark on this amazing new journey. Both our programs have started and the energy and passion is absolutely phenomenal. If the first few months is anything to go by, we are well on our way.

Thanks to our partners who helped
us start something special!

Primary Partner

Primary Partner

We are also a part of the global network

MS Startup

Our Fellowship is supported by

Fellowship Program
Co-Partner

Our support partners

Startup Partner

Startup Partner

Interested in partnering with us?
Get in touch at info@katalystlabs.pk

The bigger the dream, more important the team
Jehan Ara

Jehan Ara

Founder & CEO

Aamna Khaqan

Aamna Khaqan

Program Manager

Irzum Salim

Irzum Salim

Program Associate

Rida Shammas

Rida Shammas

Events & Partnerships Manager

Osama Khalid

Osama Khalid

Program Associate

Stacie D’souza

Stacie D’souza

Senior Creative Associate

Shahzaib Mughal

Shahzaib Mughal

Finance & Admin Associate

Shahbaz Ullah

Shahbaz Ullah

Graphic Designer - Part time

Humra Tahir

Humra Tahir

Digital Marketing & Content Associate

Our advisors bring experience, expertise, energy and make Katalyst Labs what it is
Maheen Rahman

Maheen Rahman

CEO | InfraZamin Pakistan

Jawwad Ahmed Farid

Jawwad Ahmed Farid

CEO Alchemy Technologies

Fawzia Naqvi

Fawzia Naqvi

Independent Consultant

Raza Matin

Raza Matin

Founder and CEO | Brandverse

Ameena Saiyid

Ameena Saiyid

Managing Director | Lightstone Publishers

Sidra Iqbal

Sidra Iqbal

Award winning broadcast journalist

Sami Kizilbash

Sami Kizilbash

Global Head, Accelerators and Experts, Google

Our advisors bring experience, expertise, energy and make Katalyst Labs what it is
Dr. Ayesha Khanna

Dr. Ayesha Khanna

Co-Founder & CEO, Addo AI

Umair Khan

Umair Khan

Founder & Director, EdPrograms

Abrar Bajwa

Abrar Bajwa

Co-Founder, Tazah Technologies

Mohammad Hadi

Mohammad Hadi

Co-Founder, ezbike

Rabii Malik

Rabii Malik

Founder, Notes on Pakistan

Ali Akhai

Ali Akhai

Senior Manager, Global Distribution, Delivery Hero

Naeem Zamindar

Naeem Zamindar

Founder & Managing Partner, Neem Exponential

Danish Nazir

Danish Nazir

VP, Enterprise Partnerships & Sales, Ailaaj

Jawwad Ahmed Farid

Jawwad Ahmed Farid

CEO Alchemy Technologies

Fatima Asad-Said

Fatima Asad-Said

CEO Abacus Consulting

Yasser Bashir

Yasser Bashir

Co-Founder and CEO, Arbisoft

Sheba Najmi

Sheba Najmi

Founder & Executive Director, Tech for Change

Naz Khan

Naz Khan

Chief Strategy Officer, K-electric

Habibullah Khan

Habibullah Khan

Founder, Penumbra

Aatif Awan

Aatif Awan

Founder and Managing Partner, Indus Valley Capital

Sadia Dada

Sadia Dada

Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, K-electric

Muneeb Maayr

Muneeb Maayr

Founder, Bykea

Raza Matin

Raza Matin

Founder and CEO, Brandverse

Atif Azim

Atif Azim

Co-founder & Executive Board Member, VentureDive

Sana Farooq

Sana Farooq

Director, ELN the e-learning network

Abbas Shahid

Abbas Shahid

VP Growth | Bykea

Sahar Habib Ghazi

Sahar Habib Ghazi

South Asia editor, VICE World News

Munir Usman

Munir Usman

Founder and CEO, CodeInterview

Farrukh Omer

Farrukh Omer

COO, ValueLink Software

Myra Jehangir

Myra Jehangir

CEO, Conatural Beauty

Talha Izhar

Talha Izhar

Head of Web & Mobility, Hamad International Airport

Faiza Yousuf

Faiza Yousuf

Senior Product Manager, Genetech Solutions

Imran Moinuddin

Imran Moinuddin

Founder & CEO, NextDegree

Mustafa Baris Karaman

Mustafa Baris Karaman

VP Growth SWVL

Faraz Khan

Faraz Khan

Founder, SEED Ventures