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Now, more than ever, the world needs entrepreneurs to build the future.

At the Founder Institute, we know times are tough, but we also know that economic downturns are a great time to start a business. This isn't just conjecture - the Founder Institute was started in April of 2009 (during the "Great Recession"), and world-leading companies like Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple also took advantage of cost savings during a recession to launch and get their initial traction.

That's why we are excited to announce today that applications are now open for the Karachi - South Asia 2025 program.

If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Pakistan's top investors and entrepreneurs to build something meaningful, then apply to the Karachi - South Asia 2025 Founder Institute today.

We will be hosting several free startup online events in Karachi over the coming weeks, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs from the comfort of your home:

  • Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375763
  • Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
  • Pitch Your Startup or Idea to South Asian Investors Online: 6:30pm, Jul 08, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375841
  • Founder’s Guide to AI: Building an MVP with No Coding Skills : 10:00pm, Jul 09, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375772
  • Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Sonam Velani: 10:00pm, Jul 14, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/376227
  • Founder’s Guide to AI: Using AI to Increase Productivity: 10:00pm, Jul 16, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375780
  • Meet and Network with the Top FI Startup Mentors in South Asia: 6:30pm, Jul 22, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/376264
  • Founder’s Guide to AI: Using Agentic Workflows to Automate Repetitive Tasks: 10:00pm, Jul 23, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375788
  • Best Practices on Building Innovation Hubs for Universities & Colleges: 10:00pm, Jul 24, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375950
  • Responsible AI for Startups: Frameworks You Can Apply from Day One: 10:00pm, Jul 28, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/376105
  • [NEW DATE] Entrepreneurship Education: Lessons from Startup Accelerators: 10:00pm, Aug 07, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375754
  • How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 10:00pm, Aug 11, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375802
  • Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 10:00pm, Aug 18, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375812
  • Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 10:00pm, Aug 25, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375822
  • How to Get Investors to Notice Your Startup: AMA with Marta Marrucco: 10:00pm, Sep 17, 2025 (Asia/Karachi): https://FI.co/e/375728

Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities worldwide, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with the devoted support network and structured growth process needed to get to traction and funding. Participants in the 4-month core program also get access to a lifetime of support through the Founder Institute's industry-leading post-programs.

The Karachi program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Saira Qayyum (CEO, Dream Factory), Sanju Peramuna Arachchi (Venture Partner, Founder Institute - South Asia), Sayyed Ahmad Masud (Director, Change Mechanics Pvt Ltd), Umair Sheikh (Founder & CEO, Innovate47).

In addition, some of Karachi's top investors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs will be participating in the program, providing them with expert feedback and evaluation. The list of startup mentors for the Karachi Founder Institute includes:

  • 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
  • Alex Samson: Founder & CEO, dvhb
  • 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
  • Ivelin Ivanov: Venture Advisor, Founder Institute
  • 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
  • Juan Roy: President, Regenerative Transformation Institute
  • 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 Maqsood: Founder , 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: Founding Partner, Deosai Ventures & Managing Director, Endeavor Pakistan
  • 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.

Since 2009, the Founder Institute has helped over  7,800 Alumni raise over $1.85BN funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more (see the FI 10 Year Impact Report here).

Join us in Pakistan and help build the future. 

Apply to the Karachi - South Asia 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.  

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