National Incubation Center Karachi held the second and final day of the third Pakistan Investor Lab on March 26, 2026, bringing the two-day programme to a close with a series of expert-led sessions designed to equip participants with the practical tools needed to evaluate, manage, and exit startup investments with greater confidence and clarity.
Where the first day had focused on the foundational principles of angel investing and deal structuring, the second day moved into more advanced territory, addressing the analytical and operational dimensions of investor engagement that often determine whether a startup relationship produces meaningful returns or stalls at the portfolio stage. The day opened with a session on investor-entrepreneur dynamics, led by Saad Hasan, Principal at Sturgeon Capital, who explored the relational mechanics that underpin effective partnerships between capital providers and founding teams. This was followed by a module on impact investing and social responsibility, led by Asif Pervez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of galaxefi, examining how investors can align financial return objectives with broader considerations around social and environmental outcomes.
Mushtaq Ansari, Founder of Pitch and Model, then led a session on valuation techniques, giving participants a practical grounding in the methodologies used to arrive at defensible valuations for early-stage companies — a notoriously complex exercise given the limited financial history most startups carry. Adil Naeem, Chief Executive Officer of Meri Pharmacy, followed with a module on risk management and due diligence, covering how investors systematically identify and assess the risks embedded in a prospective investment before committing capital.
Raheel Samsam Ali Khan, Senior Partner at Litigation Mavens and Co., led the session on legal and regulatory considerations, addressing the contractual and compliance dimensions that govern investment relationships and which, if poorly managed, can create significant complications for both investors and founders down the line. The programme concluded with a module on portfolio management and exit strategies, led by Muhammad Sajid Farooqi, a Fellow Chartered Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst serving as Chief Strategy Officer at Air Link Communication Inc. Ltd, who addressed how investors manage their holdings over time and structure exits to realise returns. The completion of the third Pakistan Investor Lab marks another step in National Incubation Center Karachi’s ongoing effort to cultivate a more sophisticated and active investor base within Pakistan, supported by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ignite — National Technology Fund, LMKT, LuckyOne Mall, and Orbit Ventures.
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