According to MIT Technology Review Pakistan, 6 Pakistani startups have been selected for an ATX-PAK launch entrepreneurship exchange programme which will take place in Austin, Texas later this month.
Following are the 6 Pakistani startups that will be traveling to Texas:
1- Affordable.pk
Affordable.pk was previously incubated at PlanX. It is an online market exclusively for fashion lovers. One can purchase trendy, cool and stylish stuff at remarkably reasonable price.
2- Babyplanet.pk
As the name suggests, it is a one-stop-shop for all baby needs. The startup offers a wide range of baby and kids (up to 12 years of age) products at market effective prices.
3- BookMyUmrah
It is a startup which looks to ease the potential pilgrims with their Umrah. The notion of BookMyUmrah is to make the make the experience of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims worthwhile for all Pakistanis. Recently, Telenor Velocity selected BookMyUmrah and Affordable.pk among 8 startups which will be accelerated for next 6 months.
4- ClubInternet
It is an educational-technology startup which aims to provide the tools and ability to those who are new to the world of technology. It aspires to develop technology to introduce people to basic online services like Facebook, WhatsApp and Google.
5- MangoBaaz
MangoBaaz is an online information and entertainment company that generates original and engaging content for the digital generation of Pakistan. It is redefining digital advertising in the country by analyzing user data to generate meaningful stories that connect brands with an engaged audience.
6- Virgin Teez
It aspires to sell original and customized t-shirts for profit out of which a small chunk of money goes to charity. It was initiated with an aim to earn money to educate less privileged children. However, it got expanded into a massive online business. The company serves its corporate social responsibility greatly and other startups should take a leaf out of it.
It is worth mentioning that all the aforementioned startups are part of a technology accelerator, Plan X which is run by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).
About entrepreneurship exchange programme
The entrepreneurship exchange programme is a joint venture between Plan9 and the city of Austin. The duration of the programme is 3 weeks. Six startups are selected on semi-annual basis on account of an evaluated application and a number of interviews. The idea of this programme is to expose the startups for a challenging session of mentoring and training in a Texas incubator.
Besides, local startups can also raise funds through an entrepreneurship exchange programme. It is also seen as a tremendous opportunity for Pakistan to collaborate with the city of Austin.
Director of PlanX, Hafsa Shorish stated:
“The exposure could add value to the startups’ learning curve by providing them with international exposure and opportunities for networking, investment and mentorship”
One of the founders of the startups, Bilal Athar, who previously was a part of the programme termed his experience as a great learning opportunity. He said:
“It was a wonderful experience which gave me excellent mentoring, access to a rich network and constructive feedback that helped me improve our product”
Do you think this programme will expose startups to some fascinating opportunities?
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