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WHAT IS KARACHI
SLUSH’D?

We’re taking one of the world’s biggest startup events and bringing it to Karachi!

Karachi Slush’D has one prerogative: to explain why building, eating, supporting, and living locally is the key to our collective futures! We’ll be covering all the tracks that the future cares about and facilitating discourse on steadying our economy, our society, and ourselves through self-sustaining models.

How? By bringing together the coolest startups, brightest founders, active investors, and global VCs. We will be giving the movers a platform to show what they do and the shakers a platform to facilitate those itching to burst through the ceiling of progress.

AUG 26TH 2023

KARACHI PAKISTAN

What to expect at khi slush’d

  • – Speaker Stage
  • – Showcase Stage
  • – Exhibition
  • – Matchmaking
  • – Networking Lounge
  • – Side Events
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THE GLOBAL STARTUP MOVEMENT FROM HELSINKI IS COMING TO KARACHI

SIDE EVENTS

RESTART

RESTART

A RECRUITMENT DRIVE BY KATALYST LABS

Date: 19 Aug 2023

Time: 11:00 - 17:00

Learn More SIGN UP

Opening Performance

10:00 am - 10:20 am

INTRODUCTION

10:20 am - 10:30 am

Introduction to Karachi Slush'D: Our Future is Homegrown

  • Jehan Ara

    Founder & CEO

Speaker Sesh + 5 min Q/A

10:30 am - 11:45 am

Case Studies on Growth

  • Madiha Latif

    Zuria Dor

  • Muhammad Owais

    Dastgyr

  • Omar Omari

    Eat Food

  • Myra Q. Jahangir

    Co-natural

  • Rafiq Malik

    Bykea

Speaker Sesh + 5 min Q/A

11:45 am - 12:00 pm

  • Ali Taiyeb

    Vector Institute

Panel discussion/ QnA sesh

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Investor AMA

  • Misbah Naqvi

    i2i

  • Faisal Aftab

    Zayn Venture Capital

  • Rabeel Warraich

    Sarmayacar

  • Kirill Kozhevnikov

    Conjunction Capital

  • Jehan Ara

    Moderator

Lunch

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Improv

2:00 pm - 2:20 pm

Improv Session

  • Cyrus Vicca Ji

  • Usman Mazhar

  • Faris Khalid

  • Yaseer Salehjee

  • Hassaan-Bin-Shaheen

Speaker Sesh + 5 min Q/A

2:20 pm - 3:35 pm

Founders' School

  • Naureen Hayat

    Zoodpay

  • Sameer Ahmed Khan

    Social Champ

  • Maha Shahzad

    Bus Caro

  • Omer Khan

    PostEx

  • Saad Jangda

    Bazaar

Panel

3:35 pm - 4:20 pm

Spotify X Coke Studio

  • Khan FM

  • Zeeshan Sikander

  • Sabah Bano Malik

    Moderator

Panel

4:20 pm - 5:05 pm

Shift to Thrift

  • Mateen Ansari

    Swag Kicks

  • Sidra Mujahid

    Closet

  • Muhammad Teli

    Karachi Thrift Store

  • Ziana Sakhia

    Moderator

Trivia

5:05 pm - 6:00 pm

Founder Feud

  • Rooshan Aziz

    Team Maqsad

  • Anusha Shahid

    OkayKer

  • Kassim Sharoff

    Krave Mart

  • Azima Dhanjee, Arhum Ishtiaq

    Team ConnectHear

  • Saif Ali

    Moderator

Product Stage

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Build locally, sell globally, stay SaaSy

  • Rebecka Zaveleta

    Paismo

Concept Loop

10:45 am - 10:55 am

Porter Pakistan

10:55 pm - 11:05 pm

Maqsad

11:05 pm - 11:15 am

Fortify

11:15 pm - 11:25 pm

Chikoo

11:25 pm - 11:35 pm

Break

11:35 pm - 11:40 pm

Bigger Brick

11:40 pm - 11:50 pm

Jaib

11:50 am - 12:00 pm

Farmdar

12:00 pm - 12:10 pm

TheEPO

12:10 pm - 12:20 pm

Break

12:20 pm - 12:25 pm

OkayKer

12:25 pm - 12:35 pm

Jaib Market

12:35 pm - 12:40 pm

Davaam Life

12:45 pm - 12:55 pm

Raptr Games

12:55 pm - 1:05 pm

Break

1:05 pm - 1:10 pm

Chiragh

1:10 pm - 1:20 pm

EZShifa

1:20 pm - 1:30 pm

Dastaan Tours

1:30 pm - 1:40 pm

Start

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm

Leading a discussion on Investments

  • Munim Hussain

    Fatima Gobi Ventures

  • Ailia Rizvi

    i2i Ventures

Mid

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm

Discussion Health Tech

  • Karima

    Accelerate Prosperity

End

4:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Discussion on Growth!

  • Zohair

    Postex

TRACKS

Conversations we’ll be having on stage

Product
Demo

Showcase your product breakthroughs

Preffered Verticals:
  • SUSTAINABILITY/CLEAN-TECH
  • AGRICULTURE/AGRI-TECH
  • B2B
  • TRAVEL TECH
  • AI/ML
  • BLOCKCHAIN
  • RETAIL
  • FINTECH

APPLY NOW

Exhibition

Make your business stand out by showcasing your latest innovations and connect with potential partners and clients

APPLY NOW

Founders’ School

  • Exits
  • Internal Expansion
  • Mastering challenges
  • Acquistion

Journeys

  • Founders
  • Investors

Case Studies On Growth

Community Building

SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

PARTNERS

TICKETING PARTNERS
ACCESSIBILITY PARTNERS
COMMUNITY & OUTREACH PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNER
RADIO PARTNER
GO BACK
Anusha Shahid

Anusha Shahid

Co-Founder, OkayKer

Fulbright Scholar who studied tech entrepreneurship. Was a founding member of travel tech startup “FindMyAdventure” since 2018, which was later acquired by GoZayaan. After acquisition joined OkayKer to solve the problems of the automotive industry, a highly male-dominated industry, bringing expertise of building service sector startups.

Rafiq Malik

Rafiq Malik

COO, Bykea

Rafiq is a founding member and COO at Bykea – Pakistan’s largest network of motorbikes serving ride-hailing, transport and delivery services. With extensive experience of 8 years in the Trucking and Logistics Industry within the Canadian market, he returned to Pakistan in 2012 to lead the Operations of TNT Express – the 4th largest Courier Aggregator in the world at the time; acquired by FedEx in 2016. He is an alumnus of the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is passionate about finding solutions for the constantly evolving MaaS sector. Rafiq has truly been the transforming and enabling force at Bykea.

Jehan Ara

Jehan Ara

Founder & CEO, Katalyst Labs

Jehan Ara is the Founder & CEO of Katalyst Labs, a Startup Accelerator Innovation Hub and Women Leadership Fellows program. She is the former President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA), where she spearheaded efforts for over 20 years and was responsible for developing the P@SHA brand and creating linkages between P@SHA and local and international partners.

Jehan has vast experience in Marketing, Communications and interactive New media in Hong Kong, the Far East, the UAE and Pakistan. She is a motivator, an entrepreneur, a social activist and a strong propagator of extending the power and use of Information and Communication Technologies beyond pure traditional business to empower and enable communities.

Currently Jehan serves as a Member of the PM’s Taskforce for IT & the Digital Economy, as a Member of the APAC Content Safety Advisory Board for TikTok and is on the Advisory Boards of the Punjab IT Board, the Governing Body of the Sindh Digital Advisory Board and on the Industry Advisory Board of various local universities including Habib University and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Jehan is also on the World Bank Advisory Group on Gender Diversity. She is a Board Member of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS) and an International Expert for the World Summit Awards (WSA), a nonprofit research organization established to promote, assist, support, simulate, undertake and manage policy research and advocacy. She is an Independent Director on the board of the Central Depository Company and is on the Steering Committee of the Women on Board Allies and is on the Board of Trustees of the Karachi Biennale Trust. Jehan has recently been nominated for the Tamgha e Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan.

In January 2015, Jehan set up The Nest IO – a technology incubator, accelerator and innovation community hub in Karachi with the support of Google for Entrepreneurs to help provide a platform for aspiring technology businesses in the buzzing city of Karachi. The Nest IO incubated 217+ startup businesses and created a strong community of young people. Under her leadership The Nest I/O also organized the flagship innovation and entrepreneurship conference 021Disrupt/+92Disrupt which has become the go-to premier event that brings together startups, innovators professionals, investors and students on a platform to engage, learn and collaborate. She has been identified by Rest of World (ROW) as amongst the top global 100 Changemakers in Tech outside Silicon Valley.

Rabeel Warraich

Rabeel Warraich

Founder and CEO, Sarmayacar

Rabeel is the Founder and CEO of Sarmayacar, an early stage VC firm focused on Pakistan. He serves on the boards of a number of Sarmayacar investee companies including Bykea, OneLoad, Revolving Games amongst others. He is also the first Pakistan focused Kauffman Fellow. After graduating from MIT, Rabeel gained his professional experience in London where he initially worked in Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley and then followed it up with Private Equity experience at GIC, Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Sidra Mujahid

Sidra Mujahid

Director, Closet Official

Sidra is one of the co-founder of Closet, a Fashion Rental Marketplace disrupting the wedding industry with her passion for clothes, embellishments and all things sparkly. With her dress rentability algorithm, Closet has been able to impact the lives of of 20,000+ women and empowered them to save and earn simultaneously.

Muhammad Teli

Muhammad Teli

Founder, Karachi Thrift Store

Muhammad Teli is a travel agent by profession. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started several digital communities, including Karachi Thrift Store, Voice of DHA, and Rentlou.
Karachi Thrift Store is a community that aims to encourage eco-friendly living and sustainable consumption. The platform brings together people of all socio-economic backgrounds from all over Pakistan to promote the idea of thrift shopping and reusing. KTS takes pride in normalizing thrift shopping in a highly consumption-oriented Pakistani society.
Muhammad Teli is passionate about using technology to make a positive impact on the world. He believes that digital communities can be a powerful force for good, and he is committed to using his skills to create platforms that connect people and make a difference.

Rebecka Zavaleta

Rebecka Zavaleta

CEO & Co-Founder, Paismo

Rebecka Zavaleta, a UPenn alum, has been active in the startup ecosystem since 2011. She started her career in Silicon Beach and has led fintech/adtech/AI-based data products globally. She has been featured in the Time Magazine, values knowledge sharing, and often gives talks with UPenn, Public, NextAdvisor, General Assembly, Lean In chapters such as USC, etc. Rebecka’s focus on startups has always been through ‘product’ as the long term investment to hitting hockey-stick growth. She has a background in building early-stage companies and products from the ground up. Rebecka has helped guide startups through growth, acquisitions, rebranding, and pivoting.
She leads SumaWealth as the Interim Head of Product, a US based fintech company aiming to improve the financial wellness of Latino communities. Currently, she is in Pakistan focusing on a fintech startup with a global vision. Rebecka is Mexican American from Los Angeles, USA and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese and beginner Urdu.

Zeeshan Haider Sikander

Zeeshan Haider Sikander

Coke Studio Manager - Middle East and Eurasia, The Coca-Cola Company

Zeeshan Haider Sikander is the Coke Studio Manager for Eurasia and Middle East [EPICS] at The Coca-Cola Company, a position he has held since 2021. He is responsible for overseeing the entire project, from production to marketing and distribution of Coke Studio in various countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
An asset marketing specialist, Zeeshan has over 10 years of experience working as part of the EPICS team at Coca-Cola and managing music and sports assets in the Eurasia and Middle East Region.
As the Coke Studio Manager for Eurasia and the Middle East, Zeeshan has orchestrated transformative strategies that have yielded outstanding outcomes. He conceptualized and executed a visionary 5-year plan for Coke Studio (2023-2028), which includes the remarkable success of Coke Studio 14, achieving over 1 billion streams, 4 million new subscribers, and crafting the globally chart-topping Pasoori, a record-breaking Pakistani hit on Spotify and Google. He also pioneered the inaugural Coke Studio x FIFA World Cup Collaboration, replicated regionally, and spearheaded the groundbreaking Coke Studio LIVE in the UAE, showcasing Pakistani musical talent with fiscal prudence, while strategic partnerships amplified the reach of Coke Studio 14.
In his previous roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Zeeshan has showcased adaptability and innovation in various aspects of brand management and digital strategy. He launched the inaugural online Coke Fest, captivating 2 million digital viewers across 40 countries. He introduced the first-ever Coke Studio Ramadan Single, generating widespread interest in over 150 countries. He was also the brainchild behind the 2021 ICC Cricket World Cup anthem, which garnered over 65 million views and is widely acclaimed as the anthem of cricket this decade.
With a skill set encompassing IMC design, business strategy, passion point marketing, PR strategy, communication strategy, and asset management, Zeeshan has held diverse roles and earned prestigious accolades. Holding degrees from Warwick Business School, Zeeshan has also won various awards and accolades including the Donald R Keough Award in 2023, Ovation Awards in 2023 for his work with Coke Studio Season 14, 7 awards at Red Jolbors and most recently the Effie Grand Prix 2023 for Youth Marketing with Coke Studio Season 14.
He is currently at the helm leading the Coke Studio Season 15 campaign.

Saba Bano Malik

Saba Bano Malik

Journalist and Radio Show Host

Sabah Bano Malik is a journalist, content strategist, & radio show host, with a knack for stand up comedy.
She has been in the radio industry for 5 years & has her own show ‘Full Disclosure’, where no topics are off limits

Khan FM

Khan FM

Artist & Label Partnerships, Spotify

Khan FM leads Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships across Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh. He played a key role in the expansion of Spotify into these emerging markets ensuring that stakeholders in the music communities are involved & would be able to benefit from Spotify’s tools & future plans in these countries.
In previous roles, Khan served as a Culture Marketing Manager at Red Bull FZE, whereby he was instrumental in introducing Red Bull’s music programs in the UAE, working very closely with artists & event organizations throughout 2012-2015.
Other than holding key positions in the UAE events & media sector, Khan was a significant figure in promoting Pakistani arts & entertainment during 2003-09 whereby his role as a TV presenter/producer on ARY Musik provided a platform for several now-prominent Pakistani artists.
Khan is an avid music producer & musician holding a certification from Berklee College of Music with various albums crediting his work.

Muhammad Owais Qureshi

Muhammad Owais Qureshi

Co-Founder, Dastgyr

Owais is a serial startup enthusiast with a decade-long career covering multiple mass-market verticals, ranging from mobility to consumer goods. He has served as an early teammate at Rocket Internet’s Daraz (acquired by Alibaba), Careem (acquired by Uber), and Airlift in roles that have cut across strategy, analytics, operations, and market launches. As the co-founder of Dastgyr, he has spearheaded the company’s growth into an international operation with a 250+ strong team and millions of dollars in monthly revenue. Owais, along with his co-founder Zohaib Ali, was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Retail & E-commerce entrepreneurs in 2021.

Ziana Sakhia

Ziana Sakhia

CEO & Co-founder, Bechlo.pk

Hi! Im Ziana, CEO and Co-founder of Bechlo.pk, an educator and a mom! I’ve worked as a teacher, and e-commerce entrepreneur, and I’m passionate about empowering women to become financially independent, giving them the ability to uplift their families and communities, both financially and socially.
Completed my BBA(H) in marketing in 2008 from IoBM, and initially worked in advertising, before starting my first ecommerce business in 2010. Ziana has spent her career so far as an Educator and Entrepreneur. She has over 10 years of experience in Ecommerce. She launched her first business in 2010 ecommerce platform Fashioneastas.com in 2010,
In 2017, Ziana founded a not for profit social initiative, along with her mother and 8 year The Green Bag Project bags are currently sold in 4 countries, and provides a source of income for 15 women, and funds are also used to support organizations working towards SDG of Good Health and Wellbeing, Zero Hunger and Quality Education.
While running the green bag project, Ziana went back to university to pursue a masters in Education, which was completed in earlier this year.
Working with women from marginalized communities, both as an ESL instructor and the artisans from Green Bag Project brought to light the need ,on a macroeconomic level for increased options to provide women a sustained source of income from home, and the training to be able to be confident and financially independent which was in turn was a driving force to setting up our women-centered social marketplace at Bechlo.pk in 2021.
At Bechlo.pk, Ziana’s experience as an entrepreneur and education enables her to works closely with our seller community, to train and upskill them to grow their business, give them financial and digital literacy guidance, as well as overseeing the day to day operations of the company, from order management and fulfillment, customer service as well as forming and maintaining key partnerships

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai

Co-Founder & CCO, Krave Mart

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai is a seasoned General Management, eCommerce, Sales and Shopper Marketing Professional, having a decade worth of experience with leading organizations such as Daraz (Alibaba Group), Swvl, Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and more! He has a Masters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Warwick and a Bachelors in Business Studies & Economics from the University of Manchester. Having led teams on a country level, as well as Commercial and Trade Marketing functions in his previous roles, Ahsan is currently a Co-Founder & CCO at Krave Mart; a Q-Commerce grocery startup working towards disrupting the landscape.

Laiba Amir

Laiba Amir

Co-Founder & COO, Closet

Laiba, the visionary co-founder of Closet – a revolutionary Fashion Rental Marketplace – disrupts the wedding industry with her passion for positive impacts. Her dedication to sustainability and innovation has touched the lives of 20,000+ women, empowering them to save and earn simultaneously. As she scales her business, Laiba remains committed to transforming the lives of millions through her game-changing platform.

Saad Jangda

Saad Jangda

Co-Founder, Bazaar

Saad Jangda is the Co-Founder of Bazaar Technologies. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he worked with some of the most globally recognized tech companies, such as Snapchat & Careem. In 2019, he moved back home, with a desire to follow through on his dream to make change and in 2020, he and his best friend, Hamza Jawaid, launched Bazaar.
Bazaar is now Pakistan’s leading B2B platform providing commerce and financial services for businesses across 50+ cities and towns. The startup’s case study is being taught at Harvard Business School as part of their yearly curriculum. In 2022, Saad and Hamza were also selected by Endeavor, a leading global community of high-impact entrepreneurs, as the first Pakistani entrepreneurs to join their community.

Entertainment Segment:The Improverts

Entertainment Segment:The Improverts

Myra Q. Jahangir

Myra Q. Jahangir

CEO, Conatural

Myra started her career in the investment banking and financial services industry in London where she worked at Citigroup, ING and Deloitte for over a decade. She then returned to Pakistan and set up Conatural, Pakistan’s first natural and organic skin and hair care company in 2016. Conatural is the leading local natural skin and hair care manufacturer, that now also exports to the UK and UAE.

In 2018, Myra was selected as one of two women from Pakistan for “Australia Awards” by the GTPA and Australian Government, for a two week certification programme in potential global Women in Trade. In 2018, she also received the “Laurels of Honor” award by Lahore Chamber of Commerce for service to environment and women empowerment in the Women Entrepreneurship Category. In 2019, Myra won the “Trailblazer” LADIESFUND 2019 Award for services to Organic Beauty.

She has been interviewed by the World Bank for the “World Bank Pakistan Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study” where her company, Conatural, was used as a case study for the report. Myra has been a speaker and influencer at various local and international platforms in Pakistan including the Lean In Conference, SKOLL, International Women’s Leadership Summit, Circle Women, and Educate a Girl.

Hamza Jawaid

Hamza Jawaid

Co-Founder, Bazaar

Hamza Jawaid is the Co-Founder of Bazaar Technologies. After graduating from the London School of Economics, he went on to pursue a career as a Management Consultant at Mckinsey. While working on some of the most pressing issues in the MENA region, he decided he wanted to use his expertise to make a change back home in Pakistan, most notably to fill a gap in the lives of the millions of underserved and underbanked businesses. In 2020, he moved back home to follow through on this dream and a few months later, launched Bazaar alongside his best friend, Saad Jangda.
Bazaar is now Pakistan’s leading B2B platform providing commerce and financial services for businesses across 50+ cities and towns. The startup’s case study is being taught at Harvard Business School as part of their yearly curriculum. In 2022, Hamza and Saad were also selected by Endeavor, a leading global community of high-impact entrepreneurs, as the first Pakistani entrepreneurs to join their community.

Misbah Naqvi

Misbah Naqvi

Co-Founder & GP, i2i Ventures

Misbah Naqvi is the Co-Founder & GP at i2i Ventures, the country’s first female-founded VC fund focused on tech-enabled high-growth startups in Pakistan. i2i Ventures has invested in TelloTalk Inc., Edkasa, CreditBook, Abhi, Oraan, Tazah Technologies, Truck It In and more. The fund provides a unique value proposition to its portfolio companies by leveraging its founders’ experience in the Pakistan startup space and its sister entity Invest2Innovate’s ongoing startup entrepreneurship support programs and comprehensive ground-breaking research on the market.

Misbah has over two decades of global experience in corporate finance, entrepreneurship, impact investing, fintech and development in Pakistan and the US. She has worked with Boloro Global Limited, Acumen, and Citigroup. Misbah has been closely involved with  Invest2Innovate (i2i)  as an Advisory Board Member since its inception in 2011 and is currently on its Board of Directors. Misbah is a Board Member at U Microfinance Bank Ltd, a leading microfinance bank in Pakistan and a Trustee on the Board of  AAS. She has also recently joined the Board of Advisors for NOWPDP, a leading disability inclusion organization in Pakistan.

Misbah holds a BBA (Hons.) and an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, University of Karachi. She is also a Certified Director by the Corporate Governance Leadership Skills Program of the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance.

 

Kirill Kozhevnikov

Kirill Kozhevnikov

Managing Partner, Conjunction Capital

Kirill Kozhevnikov is a Managing Partner at Conjunction Capital, a $50M technology fund for frontier markets, and a sister-fund of RTP Global. He is an early stage VC investor focused on MENA, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and currently residing in UAE.

Previously Kirill was a Partner of RTP Global, lived in India for 6 years and was investing in Indian and South East Asian technology companies at seed, Series A, and Series B stages. Kirill has a Master’s degree in Engineering and Economics from Moscow Aviation Institute, an MBA from ChicagoBooth, and is a Kauffman Fellow.

Conjunction Capital has invested in Krave, Tazah, PostEx, Abhi and DBank.

Ali Taiyeb

Ali Taiyeb

Director Industry Innovation, Vector Institute

Ali is the Director of Industry Innovation at Vector Institute, Canada’s leading research institute, dedicated to the field of artificial intelligence, excelling in machine and deep learning.

Previously Ali was the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University, one of the top-ranked startup technology incubators globally, where he led external partnerships and corporate relations. Ali was recognized as a top 25 emerging leader in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area as a participant in the 2014 DiverseCity Fellowship cohort with CivicAction. He has also
served in leadership capacities for various community-based organizations, most notably with Pakathon, a global non-profit focusing on creating and funding entrepreneurship ventures in Pakistan.

Ali holds an Honours Bachelors of Science degree from McMaster University and is passionate about progressing the Canadian entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

Halima Iqbal

Halima Iqbal

CEO & Founder, Oraan

Halima Iqbal is the CEO and founder at Oraan. A former investment banker and consultant with eight years of experience, Halima moved back to Pakistan in 2017 after a decade in North America with a drive to make finance inclusive and simple for the underserved millions.

Faisal Aftab

Faisal Aftab

Founder & GP, Zayn Venture Capital

Faisal is a Pakistani-American entrepreneur and investor. He is the Founder & General Partner of Zayn Venture Capital (formerly Zayn Capital), a leading US & Cayman domiciled venture capital fund, investing in early-stage tech ventures in Pakistan.

He is considered to be one of the most prolific investors with the most number of notable investment calls in Pakistan. His track record includes: Haball, NayaPay, PostEX, Bookme.pk, Abhi Finance, AdalFi, Bazaar-tech, KTrade, SnappRetail, Laam.pk,Krave Mart, GrocerApp, Truck It In, Savyour, Roomy.pk, Bagallery, Trellis Housing Finance, Tazah, Zaraye and Colabs.

Faisal was also a founding partner of Lakson Venture Capital before creating Zayn VC. He built the Lakson Fund from the ground up as Managing Partner and Executive Director, attaining one the highest TVPIs in just 3 years. Along with his early notable investments in Bitcoin and Ethereum, his substantial expertise in venture capital and private investing has given him a thorough grasp of blockchain technology and global macroeconomics, which he applies to his investment decisions.

Faisal has an MBA from Oxford University, joint Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Michigan State University USA. He has also been an investor in Hedge Funds, Venture Capital Funds and an active Angel Investor for over 15 years. Faisal is a limited partner of the Silicon Valley-based Venture Capital Fund 500 Startups.

Madiha Latif

Madiha Latif

Managing Partner, Zuria Dor

Madiha is the Managing Partner at Zuria Dor and handles the business front. She has a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering and Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship. Madiha is determined to make Pakistan a world-player and she is doing just that through Zuria Dor by working on the business model for scaling made to fit luxury fashion. She has a ‘why not us’ attitude and is always in search of excellence.

Omer Khan

Omer Khan

Founder & CEO, PostEx

Omer is the Founder and CEO of PostEx, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce service provider, offering easy access to capital with embedded logistics. Omer is a chartered accountant with over 7 years of experience in financial sales.

Previously, Omer worked in London and Dubai before moving back to Pakistan in 2020. He has also been a professional football player and represented the Pakistan National Football team for 2 years.

Naureen Hyat

Naureen Hyat

CEO, Zood Pakistan

Naureen is a serial entrepreneur, having closely worked with the microfinance sector. Tez became the first fintech in Pakistan to be granted an NBFC license in 2018 and, ever since, has carved out a specialized niche in the consumer lending space providing nano-loans to the unbanked and underbanked masses across 160+ cities in Pakistan.

Naureen also co-founded CheckIn Solutions, a microfinance-focused fintech. Her expertise is supplemented by her experience in credit ratings, having worked with PACRA, specializing in Microfinance, Banking, and NBFCs. Naureen served as the Head of Finance and Planning at Shopistan and has been a member of The Pakistan Society for Planned Parenthood.

Naureen has studied Inclusive Finance at the Harvard Business School, which lends her expertise and global insights into financial inclusion. She has been featured in Forbes, Reuters (Salaam Gateway), Women in Fintech Powerlist, Business Financing UK and other renowned global publications recognizing leaders and game changers around the world.

Omar Omari

Omar Omari

Co-Founder & CEO, Eat Food Pakistan

Omar Omari is a visionary food entrepreneur who has consistently been revolutionising the culinary landscape of Pakistan. In 2014 his company Eat Food Pakistan Pvt Ltd spearheaded the largest food festival in the country, the iconic Eat Food Festival, popularly known as the Karachi Eat, which provided a platform for home chefs and eateries alike to celebrate diverse flavours and culinary traditions.

Omar’s entrepreneurial spirit additionally led him to establish multiple food brands, each offering a unique and immersive experience. Recognizing the talent of home chefs, the company also introduced the concept of 4D cloud kitchens (Development, Dine in, Delivery and Distribution), empowering culinary enthusiasts to showcase their skills and catapult their food businesses with a simple plug-and-play mode of operation. Eat Food Pakistan also launched a digital food publication called Eats Official, a marketing tool for the food industry, which shares food-related insights, popular recipes, and restaurant reviews while creating food-related content with renowned chefs and food enthusiasts, enriching and promoting Pakistan’s food culture.

Eat Food Pakistan is now set to launch Eats App, a first-of-its-kind food discovery application in Pakistan, which allows consumers to get smart food recommendations, credible reviews, rate and review eateries and for food businesses a place to showcase and drive awareness to their own brands within the food community all within the app itself. Omar Omari’s visionary initiatives have enriched the food scene in Pakistan with an eye on exporting these concepts globally in the coming year.

Rooshan Aziz

Rooshan Aziz

Co-Founder, Maqsad

Rooshan graduated from the London School of Economics. Thereafter he pursued a career in finance for 6 years before moving back to Karachi in 2021 to start Maqsad with Taha. Facing severe learning difficulties growing up, Rooshan heavily relied on after-school support to perform well academically. While fortunate enough to receive support, he found the process to be broken, with difficulties in finding good teachers and transport challenges.

Rooshan and Taha firmly believe that the only way to address these challenges at scale is via technology solutions that provide a personalized learning experience that is accessible and affordable. This is how Maqsad was born, with its mission to make education accessible to 100 million Pakistani students.

Maha Shahzad

Maha Shahzad

Founder, BusCaro

Maha Shahzad is the Founder and CEO of BusCaro, a tech-based startup on a mission to make mobility safe and accessible for all. BusCaro has already scaled to 3 cities and managed to secure 2M+ bookings across Pakistan. Maha has over 10 years of experience in the startup ecosystem, holding key positions in Foodpanda, Careem and Swvl prior to founding BusCaro.

Sameer Ahmed Khan

Sameer Ahmed Khan

Co-Founder & CEO, Social Champ

Sameer Ahmed Khan is a startup CEO, trainer, marketer, and skilled developer with a degree in computer science from the University of Karachi. Not only has Sameer been featured in the 25 under 25, he has also been recognized as a Nokia developer champion, Microsoft Certified Professional & Specialist, Microsoft Community Speaker, and former Microsoft Student Partner.

Currently, he works full-time for his tech startup & marketing solution, Social Champ – a social media management tool. With his past experiences as a developer & entrepreneur, he leads the Meta Developer Circle of Karachi, and mentors startups at Founder Institute Toronto. Sameer also travels to train and conduct talks at multiple events organized by, Tedx, IEEE, Google, Facebook, USAID, Nokia, and more!

Mateen Ansari

Mateen Ansari

Co-Founder, Swag Kicks

Mateen Ansari is one of the Co-founders at Swag Kicks. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned marketer who has launched and scaled multiple startups and worked with leading technology companies such as Careem, Daraz & The Luxury Closet.

Anusha Shahid

Anusha Shahid

Co-Founder, OkayKer

Fulbright Scholar who studied tech entrepreneurship. Was a founding member of travel tech startup “FindMyAdventure” since 2018, which was later acquired by GoZayaan. After acquisition joined OkayKer to solve the problems of the automotive industry, a highly male-dominated industry, bringing expertise of building service sector startups.

Rafiq Malik

Rafiq Malik

COO, Bykea

Rafiq is a founding member and COO at Bykea - Pakistan’s largest network of motorbikes serving ride-hailing, transport and delivery services. With extensive experience of 8 years in the Trucking and Logistics Industry within the Canadian market, he returned to Pakistan in 2012 to lead the Operations of TNT Express - the 4th largest Courier Aggregator in the world at the time; acquired by FedEx in 2016. He is an alumnus of the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is passionate about finding solutions for the constantly evolving MaaS sector. Rafiq has truly been the transforming and enabling force at Bykea.

Jehan Ara

Jehan Ara

Founder & CEO, Katalyst Labs

Jehan Ara is the Founder & CEO of Katalyst Labs, a Startup Accelerator Innovation Hub and Women Leadership Fellows program. She is the former President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA), where she spearheaded efforts for over 20 years and was responsible for developing the P@SHA brand and creating linkages between P@SHA and local and international partners. Jehan has vast experience in Marketing, Communications and interactive New media in Hong Kong, the Far East, the UAE and Pakistan. She is a motivator, an entrepreneur, a social activist and a strong propagator of extending the power and use of Information and Communication Technologies beyond pure traditional business to empower and enable communities. Currently Jehan serves as a Member of the PM's Taskforce for IT & the Digital Economy, as a Member of the APAC Content Safety Advisory Board for TikTok and is on the Advisory Boards of the Punjab IT Board, the Governing Body of the Sindh Digital Advisory Board and on the Industry Advisory Board of various local universities including Habib University and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Jehan is also on the World Bank Advisory Group on Gender Diversity. She is a Board Member of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS) and an International Expert for the World Summit Awards (WSA), a nonprofit research organization established to promote, assist, support, simulate, undertake and manage policy research and advocacy. She is an Independent Director on the board of the Central Depository Company and is on the Steering Committee of the Women on Board Allies and is on the Board of Trustees of the Karachi Biennale Trust. Jehan has recently been nominated for the Tamgha e Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan. In January 2015, Jehan set up The Nest IO – a technology incubator, accelerator and innovation community hub in Karachi with the support of Google for Entrepreneurs to help provide a platform for aspiring technology businesses in the buzzing city of Karachi. The Nest IO incubated 217+ startup businesses and created a strong community of young people. Under her leadership The Nest I/O also organized the flagship innovation and entrepreneurship conference 021Disrupt/+92Disrupt which has become the go-to premier event that brings together startups, innovators professionals, investors and students on a platform to engage, learn and collaborate. She has been identified by Rest of World (ROW) as amongst the top global 100 Changemakers in Tech outside Silicon Valley.

Rabeel Warraich

Rabeel Warraich

Founder and CEO, Sarmayacar

Rabeel is the Founder and CEO of Sarmayacar, an early stage VC firm focused on Pakistan. He serves on the boards of a number of Sarmayacar investee companies including Bykea, OneLoad, Revolving Games amongst others. He is also the first Pakistan focused Kauffman Fellow. After graduating from MIT, Rabeel gained his professional experience in London where he initially worked in Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley and then followed it up with Private Equity experience at GIC, Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Sidra Mujahid

Sidra Mujahid

Director, Closet Official

Sidra is one of the co-founder of Closet, a Fashion Rental Marketplace disrupting the wedding industry with her passion for clothes, embellishments and all things sparkly. With her dress rentability algorithm, Closet has been able to impact the lives of of 20,000+ women and empowered them to save and earn simultaneously.

Muhammad Teli

Muhammad Teli

Founder, Karachi Thrift Store

Muhammad Teli is a travel agent by profession. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he started several digital communities, including Karachi Thrift Store, Voice of DHA, and Rentlou. Karachi Thrift Store is a community that aims to encourage eco-friendly living and sustainable consumption. The platform brings together people of all socio-economic backgrounds from all over Pakistan to promote the idea of thrift shopping and reusing. KTS takes pride in normalizing thrift shopping in a highly consumption-oriented Pakistani society. Muhammad Teli is passionate about using technology to make a positive impact on the world. He believes that digital communities can be a powerful force for good, and he is committed to using his skills to create platforms that connect people and make a difference.

Rebecka Zavaleta

Rebecka Zavaleta

CEO & Co-Founder, Paismo

Rebecka Zavaleta, a UPenn alum, has been active in the startup ecosystem since 2011. She started her career in Silicon Beach and has led fintech/adtech/AI-based data products globally. She has been featured in the Time Magazine, values knowledge sharing, and often gives talks with UPenn, Public, NextAdvisor, General Assembly, Lean In chapters such as USC, etc. Rebecka's focus on startups has always been through 'product' as the long term investment to hitting hockey-stick growth. She has a background in building early-stage companies and products from the ground up. Rebecka has helped guide startups through growth, acquisitions, rebranding, and pivoting. She leads SumaWealth as the Interim Head of Product, a US based fintech company aiming to improve the financial wellness of Latino communities. Currently, she is in Pakistan focusing on a fintech startup with a global vision. Rebecka is Mexican American from Los Angeles, USA and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese and beginner Urdu.

Zeeshan Haider Sikander

Zeeshan Haider Sikander

Coke Studio Manager - Middle East and Eurasia, The Coca-Cola Company

Zeeshan Haider Sikander is the Coke Studio Manager for Eurasia and Middle East [EPICS] at The Coca-Cola Company, a position he has held since 2021. He is responsible for overseeing the entire project, from production to marketing and distribution of Coke Studio in various countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. An asset marketing specialist, Zeeshan has over 10 years of experience working as part of the EPICS team at Coca-Cola and managing music and sports assets in the Eurasia and Middle East Region. As the Coke Studio Manager for Eurasia and the Middle East, Zeeshan has orchestrated transformative strategies that have yielded outstanding outcomes. He conceptualized and executed a visionary 5-year plan for Coke Studio (2023-2028), which includes the remarkable success of Coke Studio 14, achieving over 1 billion streams, 4 million new subscribers, and crafting the globally chart-topping Pasoori, a record-breaking Pakistani hit on Spotify and Google. He also pioneered the inaugural Coke Studio x FIFA World Cup Collaboration, replicated regionally, and spearheaded the groundbreaking Coke Studio LIVE in the UAE, showcasing Pakistani musical talent with fiscal prudence, while strategic partnerships amplified the reach of Coke Studio 14. In his previous roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Zeeshan has showcased adaptability and innovation in various aspects of brand management and digital strategy. He launched the inaugural online Coke Fest, captivating 2 million digital viewers across 40 countries. He introduced the first-ever Coke Studio Ramadan Single, generating widespread interest in over 150 countries. He was also the brainchild behind the 2021 ICC Cricket World Cup anthem, which garnered over 65 million views and is widely acclaimed as the anthem of cricket this decade. With a skill set encompassing IMC design, business strategy, passion point marketing, PR strategy, communication strategy, and asset management, Zeeshan has held diverse roles and earned prestigious accolades. Holding degrees from Warwick Business School, Zeeshan has also won various awards and accolades including the Donald R Keough Award in 2023, Ovation Awards in 2023 for his work with Coke Studio Season 14, 7 awards at Red Jolbors and most recently the Effie Grand Prix 2023 for Youth Marketing with Coke Studio Season 14. He is currently at the helm leading the Coke Studio Season 15 campaign.

Saba Bano Malik

Saba Bano Malik

Journalist and Radio Show Host

Sabah Bano Malik is a journalist, content strategist, & radio show host, with a knack for stand up comedy. She has been in the radio industry for 5 years & has her own show 'Full Disclosure', where no topics are off limits

Khan FM

Khan FM

Artist & Label Partnerships, Spotify

Khan FM leads Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships across Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh. He played a key role in the expansion of Spotify into these emerging markets ensuring that stakeholders in the music communities are involved & would be able to benefit from Spotify’s tools & future plans in these countries. In previous roles, Khan served as a Culture Marketing Manager at Red Bull FZE, whereby he was instrumental in introducing Red Bull’s music programs in the UAE, working very closely with artists & event organizations throughout 2012-2015. Other than holding key positions in the UAE events & media sector, Khan was a significant figure in promoting Pakistani arts & entertainment during 2003-09 whereby his role as a TV presenter/producer on ARY Musik provided a platform for several now-prominent Pakistani artists. Khan is an avid music producer & musician holding a certification from Berklee College of Music with various albums crediting his work.

Muhammad Owais Qureshi

Muhammad Owais Qureshi

Co-Founder, Dastgyr

Owais is a serial startup enthusiast with a decade-long career covering multiple mass-market verticals, ranging from mobility to consumer goods. He has served as an early teammate at Rocket Internet's Daraz (acquired by Alibaba), Careem (acquired by Uber), and Airlift in roles that have cut across strategy, analytics, operations, and market launches. As the co-founder of Dastgyr, he has spearheaded the company's growth into an international operation with a 250+ strong team and millions of dollars in monthly revenue. Owais, along with his co-founder Zohaib Ali, was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Retail & E-commerce entrepreneurs in 2021.

Ziana Sakhia

Ziana Sakhia

CEO & Co-founder, Bechlo.pk

Hi! Im Ziana, CEO and Co-founder of Bechlo.pk, an educator and a mom! I've worked as a teacher, and e-commerce entrepreneur, and I'm passionate about empowering women to become financially independent, giving them the ability to uplift their families and communities, both financially and socially. Completed my BBA(H) in marketing in 2008 from IoBM, and initially worked in advertising, before starting my first ecommerce business in 2010. Ziana has spent her career so far as an Educator and Entrepreneur. She has over 10 years of experience in Ecommerce. She launched her first business in 2010 ecommerce platform Fashioneastas.com in 2010, In 2017, Ziana founded a not for profit social initiative, along with her mother and 8 year The Green Bag Project bags are currently sold in 4 countries, and provides a source of income for 15 women, and funds are also used to support organizations working towards SDG of Good Health and Wellbeing, Zero Hunger and Quality Education. While running the green bag project, Ziana went back to university to pursue a masters in Education, which was completed in earlier this year. Working with women from marginalized communities, both as an ESL instructor and the artisans from Green Bag Project brought to light the need ,on a macroeconomic level for increased options to provide women a sustained source of income from home, and the training to be able to be confident and financially independent which was in turn was a driving force to setting up our women-centered social marketplace at Bechlo.pk in 2021. At Bechlo.pk, Ziana’s experience as an entrepreneur and education enables her to works closely with our seller community, to train and upskill them to grow their business, give them financial and digital literacy guidance, as well as overseeing the day to day operations of the company, from order management and fulfillment, customer service as well as forming and maintaining key partnerships

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai

Co-Founder & CCO, Krave Mart

Mohammad Ahsan Kidwai is a seasoned General Management, eCommerce, Sales and Shopper Marketing Professional, having a decade worth of experience with leading organizations such as Daraz (Alibaba Group), Swvl, Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and more! He has a Masters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Warwick and a Bachelors in Business Studies & Economics from the University of Manchester. Having led teams on a country level, as well as Commercial and Trade Marketing functions in his previous roles, Ahsan is currently a Co-Founder & CCO at Krave Mart; a Q-Commerce grocery startup working towards disrupting the landscape.

Laiba Amir

Laiba Amir

Co-Founder & COO, Closet

Laiba, the visionary co-founder of Closet - a revolutionary Fashion Rental Marketplace - disrupts the wedding industry with her passion for positive impacts. Her dedication to sustainability and innovation has touched the lives of 20,000+ women, empowering them to save and earn simultaneously. As she scales her business, Laiba remains committed to transforming the lives of millions through her game-changing platform.

Saad Jangda

Saad Jangda

Co-Founder, Bazaar

Saad Jangda is the Co-Founder of Bazaar Technologies. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he worked with some of the most globally recognized tech companies, such as Snapchat & Careem. In 2019, he moved back home, with a desire to follow through on his dream to make change and in 2020, he and his best friend, Hamza Jawaid, launched Bazaar. Bazaar is now Pakistan’s leading B2B platform providing commerce and financial services for businesses across 50+ cities and towns. The startup’s case study is being taught at Harvard Business School as part of their yearly curriculum. In 2022, Saad and Hamza were also selected by Endeavor, a leading global community of high-impact entrepreneurs, as the first Pakistani entrepreneurs to join their community.

Entertainment Segment:The Improverts

Entertainment Segment:The Improverts

Myra Q. Jahangir

Myra Q. Jahangir

CEO, Conatural

Myra started her career in the investment banking and financial services industry in London where she worked at Citigroup, ING and Deloitte for over a decade. She then returned to Pakistan and set up Conatural, Pakistan’s first natural and organic skin and hair care company in 2016. Conatural is the leading local natural skin and hair care manufacturer, that now also exports to the UK and UAE. In 2018, Myra was selected as one of two women from Pakistan for “Australia Awards” by the GTPA and Australian Government, for a two week certification programme in potential global Women in Trade. In 2018, she also received the "Laurels of Honor" award by Lahore Chamber of Commerce for service to environment and women empowerment in the Women Entrepreneurship Category. In 2019, Myra won the "Trailblazer" LADIESFUND 2019 Award for services to Organic Beauty. She has been interviewed by the World Bank for the "World Bank Pakistan Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study" where her company, Conatural, was used as a case study for the report. Myra has been a speaker and influencer at various local and international platforms in Pakistan including the Lean In Conference, SKOLL, International Women’s Leadership Summit, Circle Women, and Educate a Girl.

Hamza Jawaid

Hamza Jawaid

Co-Founder, Bazaar

Hamza Jawaid is the Co-Founder of Bazaar Technologies. After graduating from the London School of Economics, he went on to pursue a career as a Management Consultant at Mckinsey. While working on some of the most pressing issues in the MENA region, he decided he wanted to use his expertise to make a change back home in Pakistan, most notably to fill a gap in the lives of the millions of underserved and underbanked businesses. In 2020, he moved back home to follow through on this dream and a few months later, launched Bazaar alongside his best friend, Saad Jangda. Bazaar is now Pakistan’s leading B2B platform providing commerce and financial services for businesses across 50+ cities and towns. The startup’s case study is being taught at Harvard Business School as part of their yearly curriculum. In 2022, Hamza and Saad were also selected by Endeavor, a leading global community of high-impact entrepreneurs, as the first Pakistani entrepreneurs to join their community.

Misbah Naqvi

Misbah Naqvi

Co-Founder & GP, i2i Ventures

Misbah Naqvi is the Co-Founder & GP at i2i Ventures, the country’s first female-founded VC fund focused on tech-enabled high-growth startups in Pakistan. i2i Ventures has invested in TelloTalk Inc., Edkasa, CreditBook, Abhi, Oraan, Tazah Technologies, Truck It In and more. The fund provides a unique value proposition to its portfolio companies by leveraging its founders’ experience in the Pakistan startup space and its sister entity Invest2Innovate's ongoing startup entrepreneurship support programs and comprehensive ground-breaking research on the market. Misbah has over two decades of global experience in corporate finance, entrepreneurship, impact investing, fintech and development in Pakistan and the US. She has worked with Boloro Global Limited, Acumen, and Citigroup. Misbah has been closely involved with  Invest2Innovate (i2i)  as an Advisory Board Member since its inception in 2011 and is currently on its Board of Directors. Misbah is a Board Member at U Microfinance Bank Ltd, a leading microfinance bank in Pakistan and a Trustee on the Board of  AAS. She has also recently joined the Board of Advisors for NOWPDP, a leading disability inclusion organization in Pakistan. Misbah holds a BBA (Hons.) and an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration, University of Karachi. She is also a Certified Director by the Corporate Governance Leadership Skills Program of the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance.  

Kirill Kozhevnikov

Kirill Kozhevnikov

Managing Partner, Conjunction Capital

Kirill Kozhevnikov is a Managing Partner at Conjunction Capital, a $50M technology fund for frontier markets, and a sister-fund of RTP Global. He is an early stage VC investor focused on MENA, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and currently residing in UAE. Previously Kirill was a Partner of RTP Global, lived in India for 6 years and was investing in Indian and South East Asian technology companies at seed, Series A, and Series B stages. Kirill has a Master’s degree in Engineering and Economics from Moscow Aviation Institute, an MBA from ChicagoBooth, and is a Kauffman Fellow. Conjunction Capital has invested in Krave, Tazah, PostEx, Abhi and DBank.

Ali Taiyeb

Ali Taiyeb

Director Industry Innovation, Vector Institute

Ali is the Director of Industry Innovation at Vector Institute, Canada’s leading research institute, dedicated to the field of artificial intelligence, excelling in machine and deep learning. Previously Ali was the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University, one of the top-ranked startup technology incubators globally, where he led external partnerships and corporate relations. Ali was recognized as a top 25 emerging leader in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area as a participant in the 2014 DiverseCity Fellowship cohort with CivicAction. He has also served in leadership capacities for various community-based organizations, most notably with Pakathon, a global non-profit focusing on creating and funding entrepreneurship ventures in Pakistan. Ali holds an Honours Bachelors of Science degree from McMaster University and is passionate about progressing the Canadian entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

Halima Iqbal

Halima Iqbal

CEO & Founder, Oraan

Halima Iqbal is the CEO and founder at Oraan. A former investment banker and consultant with eight years of experience, Halima moved back to Pakistan in 2017 after a decade in North America with a drive to make finance inclusive and simple for the underserved millions.

Faisal Aftab

Faisal Aftab

Founder & GP, Zayn Venture Capital

Faisal is a Pakistani-American entrepreneur and investor. He is the Founder & General Partner of Zayn Venture Capital (formerly Zayn Capital), a leading US & Cayman domiciled venture capital fund, investing in early-stage tech ventures in Pakistan. He is considered to be one of the most prolific investors with the most number of notable investment calls in Pakistan. His track record includes: Haball, NayaPay, PostEX, Bookme.pk, Abhi Finance, AdalFi, Bazaar-tech, KTrade, SnappRetail, Laam.pk,Krave Mart, GrocerApp, Truck It In, Savyour, Roomy.pk, Bagallery, Trellis Housing Finance, Tazah, Zaraye and Colabs. Faisal was also a founding partner of Lakson Venture Capital before creating Zayn VC. He built the Lakson Fund from the ground up as Managing Partner and Executive Director, attaining one the highest TVPIs in just 3 years. Along with his early notable investments in Bitcoin and Ethereum, his substantial expertise in venture capital and private investing has given him a thorough grasp of blockchain technology and global macroeconomics, which he applies to his investment decisions. Faisal has an MBA from Oxford University, joint Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Michigan State University USA. He has also been an investor in Hedge Funds, Venture Capital Funds and an active Angel Investor for over 15 years. Faisal is a limited partner of the Silicon Valley-based Venture Capital Fund 500 Startups.

Madiha Latif

Madiha Latif

Managing Partner, Zuria Dor

Madiha is the Managing Partner at Zuria Dor and handles the business front. She has a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering and Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship. Madiha is determined to make Pakistan a world-player and she is doing just that through Zuria Dor by working on the business model for scaling made to fit luxury fashion. She has a 'why not us' attitude and is always in search of excellence.

Omer Khan

Omer Khan

Founder & CEO, PostEx

Omer is the Founder and CEO of PostEx, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce service provider, offering easy access to capital with embedded logistics. Omer is a chartered accountant with over 7 years of experience in financial sales. Previously, Omer worked in London and Dubai before moving back to Pakistan in 2020. He has also been a professional football player and represented the Pakistan National Football team for 2 years.

Naureen Hyat

Naureen Hyat

CEO, Zood Pakistan

Naureen is a serial entrepreneur, having closely worked with the microfinance sector. Tez became the first fintech in Pakistan to be granted an NBFC license in 2018 and, ever since, has carved out a specialized niche in the consumer lending space providing nano-loans to the unbanked and underbanked masses across 160+ cities in Pakistan. Naureen also co-founded CheckIn Solutions, a microfinance-focused fintech. Her expertise is supplemented by her experience in credit ratings, having worked with PACRA, specializing in Microfinance, Banking, and NBFCs. Naureen served as the Head of Finance and Planning at Shopistan and has been a member of The Pakistan Society for Planned Parenthood. Naureen has studied Inclusive Finance at the Harvard Business School, which lends her expertise and global insights into financial inclusion. She has been featured in Forbes, Reuters (Salaam Gateway), Women in Fintech Powerlist, Business Financing UK and other renowned global publications recognizing leaders and game changers around the world.

Omar Omari

Omar Omari

Co-Founder & CEO, Eat Food Pakistan

Omar Omari is a visionary food entrepreneur who has consistently been revolutionising the culinary landscape of Pakistan. In 2014 his company Eat Food Pakistan Pvt Ltd spearheaded the largest food festival in the country, the iconic Eat Food Festival, popularly known as the Karachi Eat, which provided a platform for home chefs and eateries alike to celebrate diverse flavours and culinary traditions. Omar's entrepreneurial spirit additionally led him to establish multiple food brands, each offering a unique and immersive experience. Recognizing the talent of home chefs, the company also introduced the concept of 4D cloud kitchens (Development, Dine in, Delivery and Distribution), empowering culinary enthusiasts to showcase their skills and catapult their food businesses with a simple plug-and-play mode of operation. Eat Food Pakistan also launched a digital food publication called Eats Official, a marketing tool for the food industry, which shares food-related insights, popular recipes, and restaurant reviews while creating food-related content with renowned chefs and food enthusiasts, enriching and promoting Pakistan's food culture. Eat Food Pakistan is now set to launch Eats App, a first-of-its-kind food discovery application in Pakistan, which allows consumers to get smart food recommendations, credible reviews, rate and review eateries and for food businesses a place to showcase and drive awareness to their own brands within the food community all within the app itself. Omar Omari's visionary initiatives have enriched the food scene in Pakistan with an eye on exporting these concepts globally in the coming year.

Rooshan Aziz

Rooshan Aziz

Co-Founder, Maqsad

Rooshan graduated from the London School of Economics. Thereafter he pursued a career in finance for 6 years before moving back to Karachi in 2021 to start Maqsad with Taha. Facing severe learning difficulties growing up, Rooshan heavily relied on after-school support to perform well academically. While fortunate enough to receive support, he found the process to be broken, with difficulties in finding good teachers and transport challenges. Rooshan and Taha firmly believe that the only way to address these challenges at scale is via technology solutions that provide a personalized learning experience that is accessible and affordable. This is how Maqsad was born, with its mission to make education accessible to 100 million Pakistani students.

Maha Shahzad

Maha Shahzad

Founder, BusCaro

Maha Shahzad is the Founder and CEO of BusCaro, a tech-based startup on a mission to make mobility safe and accessible for all. BusCaro has already scaled to 3 cities and managed to secure 2M+ bookings across Pakistan. Maha has over 10 years of experience in the startup ecosystem, holding key positions in Foodpanda, Careem and Swvl prior to founding BusCaro.

Sameer Ahmed Khan

Sameer Ahmed Khan

Co-Founder & CEO, Social Champ

Sameer Ahmed Khan is a startup CEO, trainer, marketer, and skilled developer with a degree in computer science from the University of Karachi. Not only has Sameer been featured in the 25 under 25, he has also been recognized as a Nokia developer champion, Microsoft Certified Professional & Specialist, Microsoft Community Speaker, and former Microsoft Student Partner. Currently, he works full-time for his tech startup & marketing solution, Social Champ - a social media management tool. With his past experiences as a developer & entrepreneur, he leads the Meta Developer Circle of Karachi, and mentors startups at Founder Institute Toronto. Sameer also travels to train and conduct talks at multiple events organized by, Tedx, IEEE, Google, Facebook, USAID, Nokia, and more!

Mateen Ansari

Mateen Ansari

Co-Founder, Swag Kicks

Mateen Ansari is one of the Co-founders at Swag Kicks. He is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned marketer who has launched and scaled multiple startups and worked with leading technology companies such as Careem, Daraz & The Luxury Closet.

GO BACK

RESTART

A RECRUITMENT DRIVE BY KATALYST LABS

Date: 19 Aug 2023
Time: 11:00 - 17:00

Location: Katalyst Labs, NICL building, Main Korangi Rd, Karachi Cantonment

Looking for a job? Join us at Restart, an official Karachi Slush’D side event!
A networking and recruitment hotspot for unassigned talent in the startup ecosystem of Pakistan.
The day will bring together recruiters from some of the biggest companies in Karachi – candidates can explore different avenues to move forward in their careers as they expand their network and interview with recruiters in break-out rooms!

Please Note:
  • Karachi Slush'D ticket holders will have free entry.
  • Non-ticket holders will be required to pay an entry of Rs. 500.
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