The Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 – Summer Edition concluded with resounding success after five days of immersive startup activity, investor engagement, and high-level discourse at NIC Karachi. With participation from over 100 startups and more than 400 attendees including venture capitalists, angel investors, regulators, industry leaders, and international experts, the summit reaffirmed NIC Karachi’s pivotal role in shaping Pakistan’s innovation ecosystem.
Designed to foster access to capital, strategic mentorship, and international collaboration, the summit featured pitch sessions, educational workshops, expert panels, and demo days that catalyzed meaningful interactions between founders and investors. Each day focused on a distinct theme, enabling startups at varying stages of growth to find tailored support and exposure.
The opening day set a high-energy tone with a “Pitch Fest” that showcased a wide spectrum of startup solutions across verticals. A unique element was the involvement of NIC Karachi alumni as judges—founders who had once pitched on the same stage and have since grown their ventures. Notable alumni judges included Muhammad Ghayas Ahmedani (Zaaviaa Solutions), Anusha Shahid (autocore.io), Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai (ASF Tech Partners), Aurangzaib Alamgir (Porter Pakistan), Sidra Shakeel (Fortify), and Mirza Saad Baig (RAWTS). Their insights and mentorship helped the next generation of entrepreneurs sharpen their strategies.
Day 2 shifted gears towards investor education and capital strategy. Muhammad Humair, COO at YB Holdings, led a workshop on crafting more effective investment strategies. Keynote speaker Farhan Bashir Khan, CEO of Alpha Beta Core, addressed investor risk appetite and return expectations, followed by a panel titled “The 3x Equation: Risk, Reward & Strategy” moderated by Harris Jamali. A vibrant Founders’ Panel featured industry voices like Kassim Shroff (Krave Mart), Abdul Mannan (Bykea), Sharmeen Khan (BeMe.global), and Laiba Amir (Closet), offering raw, real-world perspectives on scaling and fundraising in Pakistan. The Investor Insights Panel, led by Sarwat Khan of Alpha Beta Core, offered a window into what investors really look for in early-stage startups.
Demo Day on Day 3 placed early-stage startups in the spotlight. Founders pitched to top-tier investors from firms such as Lucky Landmark Pvt. Ltd., Gobi Partners, and Fatima Gobi Ventures. Standout ventures like Atfaal, Biomic, Blinq, Chaajao, Haprow, and She6 captured attention with their traction and vision, leading to multiple post-pitch meetings being scheduled.
Day 4 saw global collaboration take center stage with a Google Cloud partnership. Featuring speakers like Esna Ong, Fannie Soubiele, Kathleen Chiu, and Osman Ahmed, the day delved into AI scalability, cloud solutions, and data-led investor storytelling. Google Cloud’s Gemini platform was highlighted as a transformative tool for startups ready to scale globally. Salik Khan, Head of Incubation at NIC Karachi, anchored the discussions with practical insights into leveraging data for investor confidence.
The final day culminated in national-level announcements that underscored Pakistan’s growing startup momentum. Ignite formally launched the Pakistan Startup Fund (PSF) and BridgeStart Pakistan initiative, supported by Dr. Rabia Enam and Nayab Babar, who provided founders with roadmap details and support mechanisms.
With broad participation from regulators like SECP, associations like FPCCI, local corporates, and global partners, the summit truly embodied a national movement towards entrepreneurial excellence. Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director at NIC Karachi, emphasized, “This summit is a movement and a bridge between founders and capital that’s shaping our economic future.” Asim Ishaq Khan, VP at LMKT, added, “We don’t just incubate startups—we co-create ecosystems.”
The Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 cemented NIC Karachi’s position as the country’s most influential launchpad for startups, fostering a vibrant space for innovation, investment, and impactful growth.
