The Founder Institute (http://FI.co), the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, announced today that it is exploring a new semester launch in Islamabad this year.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 7,500 companies - including fast-rising startups across 6 continents like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, Appota, and many more. The company's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
If you'd like to help bring a semester to Islamabad, then fill out an Interest Form. If enough people complete this form by the Launch Deadline (May 27, 2025), then the Founder Institute will formally launch a 2015 program.
The Founder Institute is a part-time, four-month program where promising entrepreneurs can "learn by doing" and launch a company through structured training courses and expert feedback from business mentors. Plus, you are not required to quit your day job to participate, so you can begin building a business around your ideas without putting your livelihood at risk.
In order to test demand for a 2015 program, the Founder Institute will host several free startup events:
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 5:00am, Apr 29, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/366680
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 5:00am, May 06, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/370025
- What is the DNA of an Entrepreneur? Insights from 15 Years of Research: 5:00am, May 08, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/366644
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 10:00pm, May 12, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/366547
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00pm, May 26, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/370417
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/370616
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 5:00am, Jun 10, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/370815
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Islamabad are Sayyed Ahmad Masud (CEO, Change Mechanics), Tahir Chaudhry (President & CEO, PIE.), and Yusuf Hussain (CEO & Founder, Dual Matrix Corporation).
Other successful entrepreneurs who have pledged their support to mentor founders in a Islamabad Founder Institute program include:
- Abbas Bilgrami: Campaign Program Manager, Untited States Institute of Peace
- Adeel Javaid: Founder/CEO, CelebConnect Inc.
- Adeel Shaffi: Co-Founder and VP Engineering, Price Oye
- Adi Abdurab: Director Digital Strategy / Co-Founder, Digitacker.com | Intesaab Podcast | Nadeeday Food Blog
- Adnan Faisal: Founder , ScaleX
- Adnan Faisal: serial entrepreneur, Startup coach and Mentor
- Adnan Afaq: Managing Director, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency
- Ahmad Hassan: CEO/ Founder, CodeGini pvt Ltd.
- Ahmed Ayub: Co-Founder, Airlift
- Ahmed Uzair: Partner, AUC | LAW
- Ahmed Sajjad Zaidi: Founder & CEO, Iris Red
- Ahsan Maykan: Senior Consultant, Telenor
- Ahsan Tahir: CEO, www.walee.pk
- Ahsen Mirza: Project Director, Business Incubation Center, International Islamic University
- Aijaz Ather: Founder, The Right Careers
- Ali Hasnain: CEO, DealsMash
- Ali Mukhtar: CEO, Fatima Ventures
- Ali Qasim: Innovation Lead, Business Incubation Center, Bahria University Islamabad
- Ali Dossa: Founder and C.E.O , TSF
- Ali Mohammad Sohani: Ali Mohammad Sohani, Optimizia Inc.
- Ali Moeen: Co-Founder, ezBike
- Altaf Qureshi: CEO, Co Founder and Barrister, Wukla and Paksign
- Anas Shaikh: COO, Peepu
- Anaskha Afzaal: CEO, Solutions Brigade
- Andeel Ali: Head of Planning and Development , National Incubation Center - Karachi
- Arsalan Vardag: Partner, J. A. S. B. & Associates, Chartered Accountants
- Asim Ghaffar: Co-founder, Easy Fresh Technologies
- Athar Ahmad: CEO , SA Solutions (Pvt) Ltd
- Atifa Asghar, Tencent Games
- Ayesha Hamid: Chairperson/CEO, George Washington American School of International Academics
- Azhar Basit: Founder, Zuhly Technologies
- Bilal Mumtaz: Director, Apothecare Pvt Ltd
- Bilal Qureshi: Market Engagement Manager , GSMA
- Bilal Sheikh: Founder & CEO, Lettus Kitchens
- Danish Naseer: Assistant Director, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
- Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram: CEO, Sehat Kahani
- Ehtisham Rao: Director Digital, Telenor
- Eram Abbasi: Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Development
- Fahad Tiwana: CEO, Wonderful Engineering
- Fahad Qureshi: CEO, Spaceman Studios
- Faheem Sardar: Managing Director, Tangent TA Consulting
- Faisal Sherjan: Managing Partner, Sustainanl Advisoy LLP
- Faisal Khan: Managing Partner, Khan & Muezzin
- Faisal Khan: CEO/ Founder, Ovex Technologies Pvt Ltd
- Faisal Aftab: Managing Partner
- Faisal Satti, https://easyfreshtech.com
- Faizan Aslam: CEO, Bookme PVt Ltd
- Faraz Maqsood Hamidi: Founder, The D'Hamidi Partnership
- Farhat Bashir: Founding CEO, Seerab Technologies
- Farrukh Maqbool: CEO, Discrete Logix Pvt Ltd
- Farzal Dojki: Founder & CEO, Next Generation Innovation
- Fasieh Mehta: Global Partnerships Director, Epic Games
- Fathiya Bangash: Founder - Digital Marketing Agency , Digital Power 360
- Fatima Mazhar: COO, COLABS
- Fouad Bajwa: CEO and Co-Founder, Digital Dera Pvt Ltd. and Agriculture Republic Pakistan
- Ghazanfar Azzam: CEO, Waseela Microfinance Bank
- Ghazanfar Iqbal: Head of Business Development Startups AEM (Pakistan, Myanmar, Cambodia) + Malaysia, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Gulfam Baghoor: Director , BICON NUML
- Habib Afzal: CEO/ Founder, T-Admen (pvt) Ltd.
- Haider Raza: CEO, Evolution Partners
- Hamza Iftikhar: COO, Deal Smash
- Hamza Saeed Orakzai: CEO, Obortunity Consulting
- Hanif Jang
- Haris Ali: Chief Executive Officer, Vertechx Technologies Private Limited
- Haroon Javed Qureshi: Founder & CEO , East West Infinity
- Hira Saeed: Founder, CaterpillHERs | Digital Doers
- Huma Beg: Founder, Ministry of Change
- Humaira Sajjad
- Humaira Sajjad: Program Lead , Incubation, National Science and Technology Park (NSTP)
- Humaira Sajjad: Program Manager Incubation, NSTP, NUST
- Humayun Mazhar: Founder & CEO , Crescent Ventures
- Huzaif Khan: Mr., Durshal ( KPITB )
- Imtiaz Rastgar: Chairman, Rastgar Group of Companies
- Imtiaz Khalid: CEO, Multitek Marketing
- Iqbal Mustafa Khan: CEO, Alachisoft
- Ivan Ivanka: CEO / General Partner, i1x Venture Studio / Camel Capital
- Jamal Khan: Managing Director , Stellar Consultancy
- Jameel Hussain Qureshi: Managing Partner, G.N.Q. Advocates and Legal Consultants
- Jaudat Shaikh: Director Software Engineering, LMKT
- Javaid Iqbal: CEO, TransformX
- Kalsoom Lakhani: Co-founder and General Partner , i2i Ventures
- Kamran Khan: Program Manager, NIC Islamabad
- Kamran Niazi: Economic Growth Specialist, USAID / Pakistan
- Khizer Khan: Founder, BaKhabar Kissan
- Khizer Ahmed Siddiqui: Founder, HukumJanab
- Khurram Zafar: Director, 47 Ventures Ltd
- M. Nash: CEO, Integry
- Madiha Parvez: Manager Corporate Innovation, Telenor
- Manzil Manqsood, Oxbridge Innovative Solutions
- Meenah Tariq: Partner, Karavan
- Mehkar Sheikh: CEO, Venture Cup Sweden
- M Ghayas Ahmedani: CEO, Zaaviaa Solutions
- Mobeen Ahmed: VP , Dastgyr
- Mohammad Mansoor: Founder & CEO, Touch'd
- Moin Uddin: Corporate Director , Tourism Promotion Services (Pakistan) Limited
- Monis Rahman: Chairman & CEO, Rozee.pk, Naseeb Networks
- Moqeem Ul Haque: CSO, Ufone
- M. Suleman Anwar: Founder & MD, AIQ Decisions LTD
- Mubariz Siddiqui: Legal Advisor & General Counsel, Sarmayacar
- Muhammad Khalid: Founder & CEO, Clicky.pk
- Muhammad Mustafa: CEO, EasyFresh
- Muhammed Bukhari: Mr, Farmdar
- Munir Muhammad: CEO, Biz360
- Murtaza Zaidi: CEO, CyberVision International
- Nadeem Hussain: Founder & CEO , Tameer Microfinance Bank
- Nadia KANOUN: CEO, Senior Adviser, Trainer & Coach, IHSCEN for Startups
- Naeem Zamindar: Founder, Neem
- Najiba Wajiha Mahboob: CEO, Toureela
- Natalya Kamaal: Independent Legal Practitioner , NKLAW
- Nauman Lakhani: Country Manager , Dun & Bradstreet Pakistan
- Naureen Hyat: Founder & CEO, Tez Financial Services
- Nazir Vaid: Founder & CEO , NexSource
- Nida Jaffery: Co-Founder , Nashtaywalay
- Obaidullah Khwaja: Head of Mobile Advertising , Telenor
- Omar Abedin: Project Director, NIC Karachi
- Omar Usman Uppal: CEO/ Founder, GharAsaan
- Omer Jawed Ghani: CEO and Regional Director, Enclude
- Owais Anjum: Founder & CEO, EMumba
- Owais H. Shaikh: National ip Expert, WIPO
- Owais Hassan Shaikh: National IP Expert , WIPO
- Parvez Abbasi: Project Director, National Incubation Center, Islamabad
- Pir Amad: Startup Mentor , Durshal KPITB
- Puruesh Chaudhary: Founder, AGAHI
- Quratulain Asif: CEO, Ain Consulting Private Ltd.
- Rabii Malik: Founder , Notes on Pakistan
- Raza Saeed: CEO, Confiz
- Rozeena Saleha: Founder & CEO, Kalam4Solutions Pvt Ltd
- Saad Hamid: Developer Community Manager, Google Austria
- Saad Hamid: Community Manager Developer Relations , Google
- Saira Qayyum: Founder & CEO , Dream Factory
- Saira Qayyum: Founder & CEO , Dream Factory
- Samar Hasan: Co Founder, Epiphany Games
- Sami Uddin Ahmad: Director BI and Analytics, Telenor
- Sarah Munir: CEO, Invest2Innovate (i2i)
- Sayyed Ahmad Masud: Regional Director Pakistan, Founder Institute
- Sehrish Raza, BizB
- Shahid Mahmud: Chairman & CEO, Interactive Group
- Shahid Mir: CEO, Systems Research Private Limited
- Shahid Rasool: CTO, PayNest
- Shaikh Ayaz Ali: COO, Cooperative Computing
- Shayan Sohail Sarwar: CEO, Confinality LLC
- Sheeraz Ahmed: Director Enterprise Business, WiTribe Pakistan
- Sheeraz Ahmed: Managing Director, Sharp Telecom
- Shehryar Hydri: Managing Partner, Deosai Ventures
- Shershah Hassan: Founder and CEO, KalPay
- Sidra Jalil: Founder, Inspire Mill
- Sleem Hasan: Founder & CEO, Privity FZ LLE
- Sobia Maqbool: Head of Strategy, Pakistan Microfinance Investment Corporation
- Sulaim Siddiqi: Partner, Metaii
- Suruchi Singh, Charismatic Crayonz Private Limited
- Syed Naseh: CEO, Diya Interactive
- Syed Azfar Hussain: Program Manager , National Incubation Centre Karachi
- Syed Iqbal Raza: Founder & CEO , Raza Works
- Syed Shahzad Sherazi: Founder & COO, Clicky.pk
- Talaal Burny: Manager Ecosystem Affairs (& External Relations), Careem Pakistan
- Talha Bin Shuja: Startup and Business Consultant, High Hope International
- Umair Sheikh: Founder & CEO, Arazi Ventures
- Umer Azmat
- Umer Adnan: CEO, Cowlar
- Usama Abid: Founder & CEO, Invent Hub
- Usman Butt: Founder & CEO, RepairDesk
- Usman Arshad Khan: Chief Growth Officer, Checkmate Consultancy
- Wahaj Siraj: CEO, Nayatel
- Wajiha Ghazal: Founder, Affordable.pk
- Yahya Bajwa: Lead Analyst, World Bank Group
- Yaser Awan: Director, Mindstorm Studios
- Yasir Ahmed: IOT/Cleantech Lead, IGNITE National Technology fund
- Yasser Qayum: Lead - People, Processes and Systems & Workforce planning, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Yusuf Jan: CEO, MixIt
- Yusuf Hussain: COO, Habib Bank Ltd
- Zain Farooq: Founder & CEO, MyTM
- Zartaj Ahmed: CEO & CoFounder, Pi Space Science Education Centre
- Zeeshan Aftab: Co-founder & Managing Director, TenPearls Pvt Ltd
- Zeeshan Rajwani: Founder & CEO, Garage Sale (Private) Limited
- Zia Imran: Founder & CEO , Jul Bujh
- Zibber Mohiuddin: CEO, PANASIAN GROUP
- Zulfiqar Qazilbash: Senior Executive/Consultant/Entrepreneur, Islamabad Consulting
- And many more to be announced.
Help bring the Founder Institute to Islamabad and fill out an Interest Form today.
About The Founder Institute
The Founder Institute (www.FI.co) is the world's largest entrepreneur training and startup launch program, helping aspiring founders across the globe build enduring technology companies. In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs "learn by doing" and launch a company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, aspiring founders are not required to quit their day job to participate, so they can begin building a business around their ideas without putting their livelihood at risk.
Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute has helped launch over 7,500 companies, which have created over 30,000 new jobs. The company's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
The Founder Institute was founded in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Adeo Ressi.
(Night view of monstrous Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan image by Shutterstock)
