Hashoo Foundation, in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), with financial support from the European Union (EU), hosted a landmark National Pitch Fest highlighting the role of youth-led social enterprises in shaping Pakistan’s future. The event, held under the Partnerships for Change initiative, provided a powerful national platform for young changemakers to present their solutions for community resilience, sustainability, and social cohesion.
The Pitch Fest was organized within the broader EU-funded Countering and Preventing Terrorism in Pakistan (CPTP) project. This initiative specifically focuses on regions like Swat, where communities have been heavily affected by terrorism. Through a dedicated Social Lab incubator, Hashoo Foundation has been enabling vulnerable youth in Swat to transform local resources into viable businesses, helping strengthen the micro-economy and foster long-term stability.
Thirty outstanding participants, known as “Agents of Change,” showcased innovative social enterprises tackling urgent local challenges, including biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism development, food innovation and preservation, clean water access, and sustainable livelihoods. Each enterprise was evaluated for creativity, practical viability, and measurable social impact, reinforcing the transformative power of youth-driven initiatives.
Philipp Oliver Gross, Deputy Head of Mission EU to Pakistan, was among the distinguished attendees. Addressing the event, he noted, “The Pitch Fest is a powerful platform that opens doors for young people. It gives them visibility, confidence, and access to opportunities that can transform their futures—and, in doing so, help prevent the marginalization that violent extremism feeds on.”
Troels Vester, UNODC Country Representative, highlighted the broader significance of youth inclusion, adding, “The creation of the SMaRT Village in Gulibagh is not simply an output, it is a proof of concept: that youth, when trusted and resourced, can innovate their way out of marginalization and into leadership roles within their own communities.”
High-level dignitaries and stakeholders from across Pakistan’s innovation ecosystem attended, including Murtaza Hashwani, Deputy Chairman and CEO of Hashoo Group and Chairman of Hashoo Foundation; Haris Qayyum Khan, CEO of Hashoo Foundation; senior NACTA representatives; members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (KPCVE); and the University of Swat. Their presence underscored the strong institutional commitment toward empowering youth and embedding their voices within the national development agenda.
Haris Qayyum Khan emphasized the inclusive nature of the program, stating, “Peripheral youth are often overlooked and neglected in the startup ecosystem. The innovation and confidence these young entrepreneurs have demonstrated today speak volumes about the ripple effects our impact investments can generate.”
The initiative builds on Hashoo Foundation’s award-winning SMaRT (Sustainable Methods and Resilient Technologies) Village model under its Education 4.0 framework. Participants received technical training, soft skills development, and seed funding to transform their ideas into practical community-based enterprises. By piloting their solutions in designated Smart Villages, youth teams showcased how innovation can directly uplift marginalized communities while contributing to peacebuilding and countering extremism.
The CPTP project, led by NACTA and executed by UNODC in partnership with Hashoo Foundation and 30 civil society organizations, adopts a three-pronged approach: strengthening the capacity of criminal justice institutions, enhancing victim support through a more effective legal system, and fostering community engagement through sustainable networks. The National Pitch Fest marks a key milestone within this broader vision, demonstrating how empowering youth with skills, resources, and platforms can build resilience against violent extremism.
By merging social innovation with peacebuilding, the Hashoo Foundation and its partners are not only transforming individual lives but also laying the groundwork for stronger, more cohesive communities across Pakistan.
