Katalyst Labs offers several programs for people who are building for tomorrow, from founders scaling startups to women entrepreneurs stepping into leadership roles. They’re structured to turn ambition into meaningful progress by providing practical tools, access to expert mentorship and structured learning to produce the best results.
The Acceleration Program is designed to help startups scale by providing flexible, high-impact support tailored to growth-stage founders. Our program is designed for ambitious founders to provide them the support and community they need to scale with speed. It includes mentorship sessions with experienced professionals from a curated mentor network, helping founders strengthen their business strategy and execution.
Entrepreneurs connect with peers in the startup ecosystem to share experiences, exchange insights, and build a strong support network of like-minded founders on similar growth journeys.
To date, 30+ startups across 3 cohorts have graduated, with almost 20% of them having achieved their fundraising goals.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for ambitious founders who want to scale up their startup and are in the Fintech, Agritech, MCommerce, HealthTech, EduTech, and other verticals. Their business has gained early traction and revenue. They want to increase the size of their business network and are based in Pakistan.
What is the duration of the program?
3 – 6 months depending on the cohort.
Is there a fee to join the program?
No!
Apply Now
We firmly believe that the future is female – which is why we want to play our role in encouraging women leaders! We designed the WLFP for women professionals & entrepreneurs who want to accelerate their careers and become leaders in their respective fields.
The Program will be focused on goal development, entrepreneurial grit, personality, and leadership development and will help women discover their inner strength and potential. With time the WLFP aims to increase the number of women leaders in the economy.
Why should you apply?
This Program is for women professionals & entrepreneurs who want to accelerate their careers and become leaders in their respective fields. If you’re looking to hone your current skillset and excel in your professional journey then you should consider applying!
What is the duration of the Program?
3 – 4 months
Can you be a part of the Program virtually?
The Program will be virtual mostly with a couple of sessions that may require you to be present in-person.
Apply Now
The Women’s Professional Development Program by Katalyst Labs is a comprehensive initiative designed to enhance and develop professional skills for the women of your organization. The Program will be customized to help upskill them and enable more women in leadership roles through a series of workshops, training, mentorship and networking opportunities.
Participants benefit from direct interactions with senior industry leaders and peers, in a collaborative and cooperative environment. This program not only prepares women for leadership roles but also equips them with the tools, capabilities and confidence needed to excel in their professional careers.
How is WPDP different from WLFP?
WPDP is for targeted organizations to upskill their women employees, whereas, WLFP is open to all women professionals and entrepreneurs.
What is the duration of the program?
3 months
How is the program delivered?
Hybrid with virtual and in-person sessions.
How can organizations sign up for the program?
You can reach out to us at info@katalystlabs.pk
Contact Us
She’s Next Pakistan is an initiative by Visa, HBL, and Katalyst Labs that empowers women entrepreneurs by providing grants, mentorship, and a platform to grow their businesses. Across its 2024 and 2025 editions, Katalyst Labs played a key role as an execution partner, leading outreach, shortlisting applicants, managing the competition, and delivering tailored mentorship to support founders in scaling their ventures.
The program received thousands of applications each year, with top founders selected through a competitive process and prepared through coaching and pitch development. In both editions, five winners were awarded $10,000 grants each, along with structured mentorship focused on investment readiness, leadership, and business growth.
Who can apply for the competition?
The competition is exclusively for women founders with businesses based in Pakistan.
Is there a fee for the mentorship program?
No
How to apply for the competition?
When the applications are open, you may apply at:
https://pk.visamiddleeast.com/run-your-business/she-is-next-campaign.html
She’s Next Club program was launched by Visa in partnership with HBL as a follow-up to the She’s Next competition, with the aim of providing continued mentorship, resources, and support for women entrepreneurs across cities in Pakistan. Executed by Katalyst Labs, the initiative aligns with its mission to strengthen women-led businesses and help founders navigate and scale within Pakistan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Katalyst Labs identified key gaps in business and professional development support for women founders. In response, we designed a tailored 6-week, high-impact coaching program for women across Pakistan, offering structured mentorship, networking opportunities, and targeted training to help them overcome challenges and grow their businesses.
Who can apply for the She’s Next Club Program?
The competition is exclusively for women founders with businesses based in Pakistan. Women who apply for She’s Next Pakistan are eligible for She’s Next Club.
Is there a fee for the program?
No!
How to apply?
If you are eligible, you will be contacted by our team.
Katalyst Labs, in collaboration with AKEPB, designed a month-long entrepreneurial empowerment program for budding entrepreneurs aged 16-35 interested in launching or growing both traditional and tech-based startups. The program featured weekly expert-led training sessions that provided participants with the knowledge, skills, and networks essential for building successful ventures.
Delivered by industry leaders and subject-matter experts, the sessions combined practical insights with interactive learning, ensuring participants gained hands-on experience and exposure to the startup ecosystem. The program concluded with a pitch competition, for which Katalyst Labs trained and prepared the participants, enabling them to showcase their ideas confidently and competitively.
Irzum is a Business and Entrepreneurship graduate with a heart full of optimism and a mind always eager to learn. He is always on the lookout for new challenges and opportunities to grow, both professionally and personally.
Whether it’s diving deep into the latest technology trends or binge-watching his favorite anime series, Irzum has a never-ending thirst for knowledge and is always striving to improve. With a passion for startups and a positive, can-do attitude, he hopes to be a force for good in the business world.
Azka Zia has degrees in European Studies alongside Foreign Service and International Relations. Her career consists of responsibilities in media, education, and the development sector, and presently, she works in artificial intelligence.
She is a published writer and believes every person in the world has the right to knowledge, which is evident through her work with Scribe Audio where she heads the Productions department. This is key to the AI speech synthesis work that the company does.
An internationally published researcher, Farah Naz Ata has an M.Phil in Economics from the Applied Economics Research Center (AERC) and a Gold Medal as a Master of Economics from the University of Karachi.
With 6 years of experience working in research, education, administration, and writing in institutions like the Aga Khan University Examination Board, Aga Khan University, Dow College of Biotechnology, and Collective for Social Science Research, Farah is constantly striving to improve her skills to advance in her career along with maintaining a work-life balance.
Presently, her work at the Pakistan Business Council involves policy advocacy through data analysis and thorough research.
With extensive experience as a digital marketing manager and specialist, Aziza has worked with various national and international companies throughout her career.
She now serves as the Founder and CEO of Mountainshop.pk, a platform empowering the women of Gilgit-Baltistan to sell their products in Pakistan and beyond.
A musical comedian with the renowned female comedy troupe Auratnaak, Sarah’s content sheds light on the pertinent social issues plaguing the country, especially those that promote the creation of regressive norms against women.
A Project Manager and Marymount University graduate, (MU) Sarah Afreen Malik is a business owner who created her own personal training fitness program, Hitit.
With Auratnaak, Sarah has performed in 2 fundraising events for the Aurat Azadi March. She also recently published her documentary on ‘Women in Public Spaces’ in collaboration with MAATI TV.
Maha completed her bachelors in December 2020 from Mount Holyoke College, with a degree in Economics and International Relations. Since then, she has worked in Digital Communications and Project Management roles, with a keen interest in Pakistan’s startup ecosystem.
Asghar graduated from Habib University in Communication and Design. He is focused on improving his design skills while also taking a human centric approach on projects. As a Creative Associate, he aims to learn from others and bring new ideas to the table for projects by Katalyst Labs and those meant to benefit from them.
“Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.”-Paul Rand
Talha is the Head of Web & Mobility at Hamad International Airport. He is an entrepreneur trained as a programmer and product manager with a track record of setting up nascent teams and delivering top quality digital products ranging from e-commerce, fintech, mobile apps to mobile games.
Hira Saeed is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CaterpillHERs, a social enterprise that works for women-led startups, and helps build their business acumen through the curriculum, 1:1 mentorship, leadership coaching, support network, and investment-readiness training. She also works as a Freelance personal branding consultant and copywriter for clients worldwide and has been featured on multiple tech blogs and publications with her byline.
Faraz is the Founder of Social, Entrepreneurship & Equity Development (SEED) Ventures which is an investment and impact development organisation in Pakistan. He is a multi-stakeholder investment and impact specialist, author, and public speaker with over 25 years of experience.
Mubariz Siddiqui is a legal practitioner with extensive experience working with startups, venture capital funds, and angel investors in Pakistan. He frequently works with regulators on policy initiatives to facilitate foreign investment and innovative early-stage businesses in Pakistan. Recently he was the General Counsel at Sarmayacar, a Pakistan-focused venture capital fund.
Imran is the Founder & CEO NextDegree. NextDegree is a firm focused on providing data analytics & scalability services to customers around the globe. Prior to founding his own startup Imran has had an extensive career in the corporate sector.
Sadia Dada is the Chief Marketing and Communication Officer at K-electric. She has almost 15 years of work experience working in recognized and renowned organizations. She previously gained extensive experience working at PMI driving their corporate communication strategy and sustainability.
Sheba is the Founder & Executive Director at Tech for Change. She has over 18 years of experience creating and leading teams, strategy, and highly functional and usable web and mobile products. She is the Director of UX and Product Design at FreeWill. She has also Founded & serves as an Executive Director at Code for Pakistan.
Atif is the Co-founder & Executive Board Member at VentureDive. VentureDive is a technology solutions company that creates and invests in high-end technology products. He is a Board of Director at Meezan Bank Limited. Prior to this he has also served as Board of Director at Al Meezan Investment Management.
Myra is the CEO at Conatural Beauty. Conatural is committed to providing the highest quality Organic solutions for luxurious and affordable skin and hair care. She has completed her Masters of Business Administration at Esade.
Muhammad Waqas is an entrepreneur and the CEO and Co-founder of WonderTree, an Augmented Reality based company working for the therapy and education of children with special needs.
Farrukh Omer is the COO of ValueLink Software. He is responsible for overseeing the product development and strategy for the company, setting it up on a path of sustained growth.
Muneeb is Founder at Bykea, Pakistan’s largest network of motorbikes serving transport, logistics and payment services. He moved on to head operations in Pakistan for a 700 person back office for US-based SNL Financial for 7 years, a business acquired by Standard & Poors and then served as Co-Founder and CEO at Daraz.pk for 4 years, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce platform acquired by the Alibaba Group.
Sahar Habib Ghazi is a design thinking trainer, journalist, and comedian. She has led trainings for the Centre for Excellence in Journalism at IBA, International Red Cross Committee, Punjab Police, and UNICEF. Currently, Sahar is the South Asia editor for VICE World News and Board Member for Media Matters for Democracy. She experiments with comedy with her all-women troupe Auratnaak and on her Instagram account @2030Mama.
Munir Usman is Founder and CEO at CodeInterview. CodeInterview lets you conduct hassle-free technical interviews in a real-time shared coding environment. He is a seasoned entrepreneur who Founded Pi Labs which was an app development company.
Sana Farooq is Director at ELN The E-learning Network. She is dedicated to her goal of making quality, accredited education to everyone, everywhere. She has worked as a Business Developer & Educations Quality Consultant. She has used her acquired skills in building ELN up from the grass root level.
Faiza Yousuf is a seasoned entrepreneur. She founded WomenInTechPK in 2016 and co-founded CodeGirls in 2018. Prior to this she has an extensive corporate career where she’s worked as a Project Manager and Project Management Consultant. She has also been imparting her wisdom and acquired knowledge whilst teaching at Iqra University & FAST.
Saba Khalid is an enterprising female leader who founded Aurat Raaj. She is a FemTech innovator and aims to make reproductive health accessible, affordable and sustainable. Prior to this she has had a career working in organisations as a social media analyst & project manager.
Naz Khan is the Chief Strategy Officer at K-electric. She has had a career in the corporate sector for over a decade and has worked within organizations like Engro Corp as their Chief Financial Officer.
Habibullah Khan is the Founder of Penumbra. Penumbra is a digital marketing agency focused on companies that are digital challengers or are digitally disrupting themselves. Before founding Penumbra he gained extensive corporate experience at Cisco handling strategic accounts for the company. Prior to that he worked at Levi’s & co and worked on company’s technical services and was responsible for Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh region.
Fatima is an integral member of the top leadership at Abacus Consulting, a leading international professional services firm. Her leadership journey includes serving on various Boards as an independent director such as Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Faysal Bank, Kashf Foundation, Bata Pakistan and Kaarvan Crafts Foundation. She holds a Corporate Director Certification from Harvard Business School, and a member of the Harvard Corporate Directors, Diversity and Inclusion Hub Leadership Council, and Women Executives on Boards forums.
Yasser Bashir is a seasoned engineer and entrepreneur with a deep passion for revolutionary technology development. He is the Co-Founder and CEO for Arbisoft. Arbisoft is an award-winning software development company with over 10 years of making softwares for clients such as edX. Prior to co-founding Arbisoft Yasser has extensive experience in software development. He has directly contributed to and led the development of 3D/CADD systems, enterprise software including ERPs and CRMs, web, cloud and mobile applications.
Dr. Ayesha Khanna is Co-Founder & CEO of Addo AI. She co-founded Addo AI with the premise to help corporations, governments and startups build data-driven platforms that radically improve services. She finished her education from renowned institutions like Harvard University, Columbia and London School of Economics. Prior to founding her startup she gained extensive experience in the AI field.
Abbas Shahid is Vice President Growth at Bykea. Bykea is a technology company that provides instant transport and courier services to save customers time & money. Abbas has extensive prior experience in operations & product management with organisations like UberMoto & OMD USA. His work at Bykea centers around strategies to grow and expand Bykea into different markets.
Nabeel Siddiqui is the Co-Founder & CEO of ModulusTech. ModulusTech is focused towards Housing Technology for Social & Environmental Impact. Nabeel founded ModulusTech right after completing his undergraduate degree in civil and construction engineering!
Mustafa Barış Karaman is Vice President Growth at Swvl. Swvl markets itself as an affordable & convenient transportation service. It is currently operating in 22 cities across 10 countries with plans of expanding further. Mustafa has extensive prior experience in marketing, product development & growth with vast organizations like Vodafone & Careem.
Aatif Awan is the Founder and Managing Partner at Indus Valley Capital. He led the first investment round for Atoms, Airlift, Bazaar, AimFit and is a Board of Director for all of them. Aatif is also a member of First Round Capital’s Angel Track and OnDeck’s Angel Fellowship. Prior to this Aatif was VP Growth & International at LinkedIn and built the team that grew the network by half a billion members.
Misbah is an OBGYN and Public Health Specialist. She is currently Deputy Director MNCH at PPHI Sindh. She previously was the Program Manager at Poverty Eradication Initiative. She has extensive work experience related to public health and has a special interest in improving the lives of women. With a special interest in integrating technology in the health systems to enhance efficiency she is keen to learn and take up opportunities which will strengthen her skills in order to deliver the desired results.
Laraib has more than six years of experience in the field of Quality Assurance and test automation. She is currently working as the lead quality assurance engineer at Folio3. She has also started her own clothing brand by the name of “Simplic”.
Abroo did her Bachelors of Engineering in Computer & Information Systems from NEDUET. After graduating she started her career as a software developer. She is currently working as a Senior Software Developer at folio3 and overall has a four year work experience in her field.
Zulqarnain completed her MCS from Karachi University in 2007 and then pursued MSCS from Muhammad Ali Jinnah University. She has twelve years worth of work experience out of which six have been at Folio3 as a Lead Software Engineer. Her area of expertise is in Microsoft Dynamics ERP and ASP. She has worked on PHP and Magento 2 development as well.
Fatima is a computer science professional with three years of experience with various technologies including mobile apps, big data and no-code. She has worked in various industry domains to help organisations understand the impact technology could make in these sectors through pre-sales and business development roles.
Zohra Ahmed is the Founder and Editor of The Feminist Witch, which is a digital resource platform for women and girls in Pakistan. She is a social entrepreneur with a background in journalism. She works to create a socioeconomic ecosystem for women in which they can become self-sustainable, and are simultaneously encouraged to thrive to their fullest potential.
Aliya Sultan is currently working as Senior Executive Human Capital in 10Pearls. She completed her undergraduate degree of Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA Honors) from the Institute of Business Management in December 2016 with a major in different aspects of Human Resources. She has gained work experience from different organizations like Habib University, The Aga Khan University, IBEX, and 10Pearls. Having 4+ years of experience in the HR field, she aspires to be in a leadership position in the next five years and wants to create an impact on people’s lives in one way or the other.
Zara Bhatti is the Co-Founder and Principal Architect of a female-led architectural practice called Zara and Zara Design Studio in Islamabad. She completed her undergraduate from NUST, Islamabad and pursued her Masters from University of Pennsylvania after acquiring the Fulbright Scholarship. As a designer, she is a firm believer of contextual influences on her creations and the need for a more socially responsible architectural approach. Zara is an advocate for more female representation in the Design Field and believes her venture provides opportunities to young women to express themselves through their work. She is also an Assistant Professor at the Architecture Department of NUST.
Faiza is by profession an architect. She is presently working as a principal source for design projects at Arif Shah Private Limited. She is also pursuing her postgraduate degree from University of York in MSc. Innovation, Leadership and Management. Faiza operates a travel blog by the name of “Qasas-ul-Safar” and through this blog endeavours to increase the number of people from Pakistan in the digital world. In the future, Faiza hopes to launch another venture “Hastkaar” which will be focused on women in art.
Zarfishar is a senior at Duke Kunshan University in China/Duke University in the USA. She’s a passionate entrepreneur at heart and has been involved with several startups in both China and Pakistan. She’s worked in the education consulting field focusing on empowering students to find themselves and what they enjoy while training them to succeed in college, in the healthcare/medical equipment industry in Pakistan delivering top quality lasers, as well as educating doctors on the non-medical part of their field by integrating academia with business.She hopes to build Pakistan’s startup ecosystem with scalable, sustainable businesses which are socially responsible.
Ghania has completed her Bachelors in Economics and Social sciences and MPhil in Development studies from LSE on a full merit scholarship. She has 6+ years of unique work experience across Multinationals, Public sector corporations, Government and multilaterals. She is currently working at Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi as a Program Manager for Children’s Literature Festival with a vision to expand the culture of reading for creativity, imagination, and multi-sensory stimulation in Pakistan. She also has a keen interest in the state of education in Pakistan and is working on initiatives to create new and innovative learning experiences beyond textbooks for our children and our community.
Ramsha is currently the head of Digital Talking Point and Lead Trainer for Facebook “She Means Business” and “We Think Digital”. Her strength lies in devising specialized campaign strategies with out of the box concepts. She has an 8 year experience in digital communication and in the process has worked with top notch multinationals as a Community Developer and Reputation Manager.
A Public Administration graduate, Amna started her professional journey at an Islamabad based think-tank with a strong focus on Pakistan-China bilateral relations and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Working at the intersection of design, technology, and partnerships, Amna is currently spearheading all things digital at Kamayi – a Lahore-based recruitment start-up working towards making hiring faster, easier and reliable. Driven by her passion for designing, developing and managing products/projects for low-resource populations (particularly girls and women), she has a solid history of accomplishments in devising and implementing channels to integrate women and youth in Pakistan’s growth trajectory. Her prior work experience revolved around creating digital ecosystems for multiple stakeholders, including government, political parties, private enterprises, start-ups, NGOs and INGOs.
Sidra graduated in Social Development and Policy from Habib University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration, from Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Sidra has prior experience in Project Management and has worked on projects pertaining to women empowerment, healthcare and education.
Aliya Ahmed has worked in leading Multinational and local organizations as Head of Marketing for 20+ years. Currently. She is the Head of Digital Communications & Customer Analytics at United Bank Limited. Before joining UBL she was based out of Dubai – leading MESA region for Western Union Financial Services. Aliya has attended several management programs and trainings in USA, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Bangkok, Singapore which has kept her knowledge updated about the recent marketing trends and concepts.
Hailing from Balochistan, Yumna Iftikhar has been working as a Manager at NIC Quetta. Her professional achievements include raising a grant of Rs. 600 million to establish National Incubation Center (NIC) Quetta, graduated 68 startups creating 800+ jobs, raising a grant of Rs. 14 million from Karandaaz to support women-led businesses in Balochistan and raising Rs. 19.7 million of investment for 14 businesses led by women in Balochistan. Besides that, she has been serving as Sub Editor at Youth Times Pakistan and has written articles for different forums, online magazines and community blogs.
Shanza Khan holds a Masters of Arts in Public Policy from Harvard University. She was one of only two students to receive a fully funded Dean’s Fellowship and was the recipient of the Jane Mansbridge Award and Roy Scholarship. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in Economics from Emory University at the age of nineteen and Magna Cum Laude in Business Administration from Mount Marty College at the age of seventeen. She has over 20 years of experience working with top development organizations including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank, the Aga Khan Development Network, MicroFinance Opportunities, Overseas Development Institute, DFID, USAID, GIZ, UNICEF, UNDP and was one of the founding members of Strategic and Policy Research Pvt. Ltd in Islamabad. She has started Eye on Ivy, which is a college counseling firm that focuses on the three intertwined areas of college admissions, profile building and international competitions.
Anam Mansuri is the CEO of Limu Content Studio, a boutique digital agency that specializes in creative disruptive content. She is also the founder of Womanistan, an Instagram page with a following of over 229,000. Anam has worked in media houses around the world, from Details Magazine at Condé Nast Publications to Black Book Magazine during her time in New York. With Coke Studio Season Four she started focusing on digital content creation and went on to join Creative Chaos and then The Brand Crew as Content Director. With Limu Content Studio she has worked with almost 50 brands and organizations in a span of three years, including Habitt, Interwood L’Oreal and The Heritage Foundation.
Shirin holds a Masters degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Babson College and an undergraduate degree in Economics & Finance from SUNY Plattsburgh. Shirin has worked in the areas of gender, entrepreneurship education and community development, both in Pakistan and the UAE. In her previous role at the Pakistan Business Council, she led initiatives designed to foster family-friendly workplaces in the private sector through collaboration with various NGOs and business leaders. She is now excited to enhance student experiences at Habib University in the Office of Undergraduate Education. She also serves as a member of the Managing Committee for the World Zoroastrian Organization, and is a Salamti Fellow under the Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness.
Sami leads Google’s Accelerator and Experts teams, running global programs that support tech ecosystems and help startups and nonprofits solve the world’s biggest problems. Sami also oversees Google’s developer community programs across Asia Pacific.Prior to Google, Sami founded a GreenTech startup, led product management at software and music companies, and co-produced tech and startup media productions in Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.A passionate nature advocate and photographer, Sami supports conservation efforts and is currently focused on advancing wildlife field research technology. Sami majored in Management Information Systems at McGill University and received an MBA from INSEAD where he received the Social Entrepreneurship Award and a certificate in Blue Ocean Strategy.
Sidra Iqbal is a celebrated broadcast journalist, media communication expert and policy influencer from Pakistan. She is one of the most powerful youth icons who champions causes of substance and highlights the real issues through her media work. Sidra presently hosts a signature daily news morning show; “Aaj Pakistan with SidraIqbal” on Aaj News. For the past 12 years, Sidra has been a mainstream television journalist with core focus on politics, global affairs & socio-economic issues of Pakistan. With several hundred hours of Live television clocked in, she has interviewed heads of states & visiting foreign diginitaries, moderated policy debates, hosted and produced TV shows and marathon transmissions on special national and international events. She is the first Pakistani to be presented the GR8 Women Award for Journalism 2014 by the Government of UAE. She is the first Pakistani to be invited to the esteemed International Leadership Program, a fellowship initiative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Government of UK, that seeks to connect to future leaders from emerging powers.
Ameena Saiyid. OBE, S.I. Knight of Arts and Letters (France) founded a women-owned start-up, Lightstone Publishers, of which she is the Managing Director. She was MD of Oxford University Press for 30 years and is the first woman in Pakistan to become the head of a multinational company and President of the Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She began the movement of literature festivals in Pakistan with the Karachi Literature Festival in 2010. She founded the Adab Festival and is co-founder of Children’s Literature Festival. She is on the boards of IBL Healthcare, Kashf Foundation, Nasra Schools, Jinnah Museum, Habib University, Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Sindh Madrassatul Islam University and Pakistan International Film Festival. She is a member of the federal education minister’s Search Committee for the selection of scholars on Pakistan Chairs abroad, a member of the foreign ministry’s committee of Arts and Culture and Trustee of the Vicky Noon Education Foundation, UK, which gives scholarships to Pakistani students to study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Raza Matin is the founder and CEO of Brandverse, an e-commerce enablement startup seeking to bring millions of small businesses online. He is also the Digital Payments Lead for the Better Than Cash Alliance for Pakistan. An expert generalist (yes it’s a thing), with experience across product, marketing, management and design. Raza’s passion for all things digital has seen him previously hold leadership roles at Google & PayPro (formerly THK Solutions) in Pakistan. An unapologetic serial entrepreneur, Raza has been previously involved in startups in healthcare, retail and technology space. He also despises voice notes on WhatsApp, slow drivers and warm sushi.
Faizan Ali Siddiqi is the COO & Head of Digital Transformation at TCS Holdings. Most recently he served as the MD responsible for digital growth, platform modernization & monetization at the Jang Media Group.Formerly the MD at Digital Globe Services and a Board Member of its Asian Subsidiary; building and growing its global technology & service delivery center to a 1,000 resources in Pakistan, leading to a successful IPO on the LSE:AIM. Prior to that he was the Associate Director at KPMG Middle East in the Performance Advisory space. Before KPMG, he was the Global Head of Client Services at Afiniti.com, where he led the global delivery teams for a specialized Artificial Intelligence Platform.Faizan has a BS from Purdue University and an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science.Faizan is also a Global Mentor at the Google for Startups program.
Ms. Naqvi is a former Vice President of Soros Economic Development Fund of Open Society Foundations where she had prime shareholder responsibility for SEDF’s investment portfolio in India as well as fund investments in Mexico and a Micro-Insurance fund which invests in Africa and Asia. In addition Ms. Naqvi co-founded Open Society Foundations Economic Policy think tank in Pakistan called Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), and serves as a member of its Board. Prior to leaving OSF in December 2016, Ms. Naqvi worked with a team to build Open Society Foundation’s new Economic Advancement Program. Ms. Naqvi worked for Women’s World Banking for five years as a microfinance expert with responsibility for Asia. Prior to joining WWB, she spent ten years with Citibank in New York, where she worked for the Financial Institutions Group for Emerging Markets, Central Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Fawzia is currently an independent consultant advising several Foundations on using impact investments as a tool in service of their mission. She is also a member of the investment committee for i2i Venture Fund as well as a mentor to several start-up entrepreneurs and investors evaluating the entrepreneurial eco- system in Pakistan. Ms. Naqvi has a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and a master’s degree from The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.
Jawwad Ahmed Farid is a Fellow Society of Actuaries (Chicago), a MBA from Columbia Business School and a computer science graduate. During the last 20 years, he has worked as an advisor and a consultant in North America, Pakistan, Middle East and the United Kingdom.Jawwad’s core areas of expertise include Asset/Risk Management, Investments, Product Development, Risk Models & the Financial Services Back Office. He is the author of four books on Entrepreneurship (Reboot), Commodity Markets (Understanding Commodities Risk), Delta Hedging (Decoding Greeks) and Risk Management (Risk Application and Frameworks).In addition to being a PASHA CEC member and Treasurer he has also served as a judge and a mentor at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Pattaya & Brunei Darussalam, as well as the chief mentor and judge for the PASHA ICT Award from 2006 – 2012. He currently serves as member of the oversight board for the PASHA Social Innovation Fund and the EduEnrich Education foundation.Jawwad has worked directly as a founder, mentor and advisor at multiple startups including two green field life insurance companies, multiple technology product businesses, financial services consulting operations, risk and investment advisory businesses, product focused distribution as well as micro insurance, micro pensions and micro finance startups.Jawwad is an adjunct Faculty member at the SP Jain Campus in Dubai and Singapore where he teaches courses on Entrepreneurship, Risk Management, Derivative Pricing and Project Finance. As part of the Alchemy Training practice he has delivered over 125 courses in the last 11 years to treasury, risk, corporate and investment banking customers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Kula Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Manama, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. He has been a featured speaker on campus at Columbia Business School, University of Virginia’s Darden Business School, SP Jain, LUMS, IBA and CBM.
Maheen Rahman was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of InfraZamin Pakistan in 2020 and has played a crucial part in setting up IZP’s base operations and its initial structure. Maheen has over twenty years of experience in investment banking, research and asset management. In her previous appointment, Maheen Rahman served as the Chief Executive of Alfalah GHP Investment Management where, under her leadership, Alfalah Investments has grown to be one of the largest asset management companies in Pakistan. Prior to that, Ms Rahman was the Chief Executive of IGI Funds, during her tenure, IGI Funds turned into a profitable entity from a loss incurring fund. Her other roles include, Head of Research at BMA Capital Management, Associate at ABN AMRO Bank and a financial analyst at Merrill Lynch. She has the experience of working across multiple geographies during her career. Maheen has been featured on Fortune’s “40 Under 40’s women to watch” list, in 2015, as the youngest head of Alfalah GHP Investment Management and the only female CEO in an industry where her rivals were all men. After becoming the CEO of IGI Funds, she turned around the fund’s financial performance and made it into a profitable entity. Maheen doubled the assets under management in her first year at the helm of IGI and led the firm to a 15% ROE. The gains came even as industry assets shrank 7% in the year ending in June 2010, according to the Mutual Funds Association of Pakistan. Investors who bet on Ms Rahman were rewarded with a 443% return from her IGI Stock Fund since its inception, 117% points more than the benchmark index and the biggest gain among 34 peers tracked by Bloomberg. In 2013, Alfalah acquired IGI Funds and Maheen Rahman was appointed the CEO of the newly merged entity. In addition to her extensive work experience and professional achievements, Maheen holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Economics from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and a Master of Science in Finance and Economics from Warwick Business School in the UK.
Lamiya works as a Communication & Graphics Designer/ Illustrator. She graduated from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture.Inspired to work for a cause, she designed “SignUp” for her thesis which is an inclusive card game that aims to bridge the communication gap between mainstream society and the Deaf community. Lamiya may seem quiet and reserved but she lives in her own world, one filled with imagination and creativity.If you think you know a foodie, think again. Lamiya is the biggest foodie we know and has supplies for days! Her favorite topic is food, and it’s what’s always on her mind.
Mohsin Raza Khatri is a multidisciplinary artist, animator, and Augmented Reality enthusiast. Currently pursuing a bachelors in Media Sciences, he aims to disrupt the technology industry with his imagination and creative skills. Apart from work, he is an athlete and plays multiple sports. His advantage is his 6ft height, which makes him a natural sprinter!
Harris has a master’s degree in International Relations from City, University of London, and has experience in journalism, B2B and B2C content, and SEO. Alongside content, he has worked on bringing international comedy to Karachi, observed elections for the government of Pakistan, led a project based on deradicalization, and fought countless internet arguments on football! After eight years of creating content for local and international consumption, Harris aims to document Katalyst’s role in Pakistan’s burgeoning start-up landscape.
Kashaf Jamal is a seasoned Business Advisory & Investment Finance professional. An ex-investment banker transformed into a startup enthusiast, she has over 6 years of experience working with United Bank Limited, International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), Australian Aid and more! During the past couple of years, she co-founded a startup and had been involved in shaping K-Electric’s diversification strategy. She was also amongst the founding team members of K-Solar, KE’s first fully owned operational subsidiary.She is a Master’s in Finance from Sabanci University, Turkey and specializes in investment analysis, financial modeling, transaction advisory and forming strategic alliances between organizations.
Sobia, a creative storyteller and a communication specialist with several years of experience delivering creative solutions to the top brands in the country, firmly believes that design and technology can save the world. At Katalyst Labs, Sobia is our Creative Specialist and also works closely with startups in helping them build their communication and brand image
A fresh graduate from the Lahore University of Management Sciences, with a Bachelors in English, Urooj is a keen learner, an avid reader, and a published poet. Her strengths lie in her creativity and passion. Urooj believes in the radical power of storytelling and enjoys writing compelling narratives, be it in a personal or professional capacity. When not at her desk, chugging copious amounts of coffee Urooj can be found planning her next camping trip, baking strawberry tarts, annoying her cat and watching a lot of reality TV.
As a creative who has worked in the Pakistani development sector and startup ecosystem for almost 2 years, Rubab enjoys introducing innovative and creative solutions to projects she’s working on. With previous experience as a copywriter, art trainer, project coordinator, and communications lead, Rubab motivates project production, approval, and launch. Being a film student, she has various achievements under her belt, including writing an award winning script, a short film feature on BBC Urdu, and directing educational content on entrepreneurship.
Jehan personifies what Katalyst Labs is all about – energy, passion, talent and spirit. After a 20 year stint as President of P@SHA and 6 1/2 years as Founder & CEO of The Nest I/O, this is the culmination of a dream for Jehan. She is so passionate about the cause and idea behind Katalyst Labs that the energy immediately grips you the minute you walk in! Having been an entrepreneur herself, with a strong belief in the need for growing the ecosystem and the number of Women Leaders, Jehan is forever ready to mentor and guide all those who step inside Katalyst Labs. Drop by anytime, and she will always greet you with a warm, huge smile from behind her MacBook! Jehan is also an Independent Director on the Board of the Central Depository Council, the Punjab IT Board, IDEAS, and the Boards of several Universities. She is also on the Gender Advisory Council of the World Bank and a Member of the Prime Minister’s Taskforce on IT & Telecom. More recently she has been appointed as a Member of the Tik Tok APAC Safety Advisory Council.
