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Business Recorder
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Redefining acceleration: i2iScale's founder-centric approach
In Pakistan's startup ecosystem, many mature founders share a familiar gripe: accelerators just aren't built for them. They're often too broad, too generic, and far too time-consuming. The founder's frustration: A common narrative Take it from Talha Rehman (Co-Founder, BeMe Global): 'I don't want to commit my time to something repetitive that pulls me away from actually running my business. Accelerators here have a one-size-fits-all playbook. We were all treated the same, getting redundant information.' For founders who have already generated substantial initial growth and are looking to fundraise or scale, being forced through irrelevant and/or generic sessions is frustrating and unproductive. The big picture: An underperforming ecosystem The number of entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs) in Pakistan has significantly increased. From just 98 players in 2021 to over 470 by 2024, the growth is undeniable. But impact? That's where the cracks show. Despite 64% of startups participating in at least one incubation or acceleration program, 73% of investors say they haven't closed a deal with an incubator graduate within two years. This gap is widening as founders hop from one program to another, because they need piecemeal support that no single program is offering. Startups chase credits, office spaces, and partial solutions. There's no integrated system that helps them build real, sustainable businesses. Unpacking the underperformance: key reasons The Cohort Model's Limitations: The traditional cohort approach is flawed. Anusha Shahid (Co-Founder, Okay Ker and shared that these 'classroom settings' often feel irrelevant. Maira Siddiqui (Founder, Chiragh) described them as 'preachy,' and too focused on generic assignments. Even as cluster models begin to emerge, many ESOs are slow to adapt. Not Built for Mature Startups: These programs continue to serve early-stage founders, while neglecting those focused on commercialization, growth, or expansion. Ziana Sakhia (Co-Founder, noted a lack of advanced-level support for startups that are ready to move beyond the basics. Missing Core Business Services: According to PSER 2024, 47% of founders need legal support, 42% tax assistance, and 50% general consulting. Yet, these needs are not satisfactorily met. Mentorship Gaps: Founders crave mentorship – 55% say it's a top need. But it's hard to provide meaningful mentorship in group settings. Without tailored 1:1 support, growth stalls. Moreover, founders expressed frustration at the lack of relevant mentorship, stating that instructors often lack personal experience building or working for startups, making their advice less valuable. Fundraising Readiness Is Lacking: Founders often leave programs without knowing how to pitch, negotiate, or even reach investors. Maha Shahzad (Founder, BusCaro) shared how isolating it is to fundraise without prior exposure: 'Even if you come from a business background, it's a different language.' Barriers to Entering New Markets: KSA is a lucrative but tough market. Navera Waheed (Co-Founder,OrbitEd) highlighted high setup costs and regulatory challenges. Many founders are caught in a loop: they need traction to enter the market, but they need capital to build that traction. i2iScale: A solution-driven design i2iScale flips the model. Our 12-week, online, bespoke, execution-focused, and ecosystem-integrated accelerator is designed around where founders actually are. Cluster Model, Not Cohorts: i2iScale begins with a 360 diagnostic to deeply understand pain points. Based on that, we co-design a roadmap with the founder. As Sharmeen Khan (Co-Founder,BeMe Global, and i2iScale alumnus), says: 'We appreciated the tailor-made aspect. Every 1:1 session gave us takeaways we could act on immediately.' Tailored Tracks: Three tracks – Growth, Fundraise, and Scale – match a startup's stage. Fundraise and Scale are designed for mature startups ready to raise serious rounds or able to expand into new emerging markets (our focus is specifically on KSA). Real Business Support: Founders get consultations and access to discounted services across legal, tax, marketing, and more. Mentorship that Gets It: Founders are paired with mature entrepreneurs and friendly investors who have walked the same path. Our growth track is powered by Ali Khan-Bajauri (Co-Founder, JOMO Technologies), Wahaj Ahmed (Co-Founder, Retailo Technologies), our fundraise track by Björn Lindfors (Founder, Lanzar Group), and our scale track by Adil Riaz (Co-Founder, Stealth Startup) and Muhammad Taimoor Ali (COO, Bookme). Fundraising Focus: From pitch readiness to due diligence support, we prepare founders to close. We also provide critical post-program support to help founders navigate legal processes and investor asks during a raise. With access to i2i's angel network and early-stage capital, we're changing the game. Azima Dhanjee (Founder, Connect Hear) says, 'ESOs should start talking about sustainable capital strategies'. i2iScale does just that. Scale to KSA: The Scale Track prepares founders for entry into KSA, offering: Guidance from KSA based experts Guidance from KSA based experts GTM support, client acquisition strategy, and localization Market research Warm intros to Saudi partners and VCs Discounted company setup and entrepreneurship letter (a pre-requisite to the MISA license) via our partners at Blossom Accelerator. The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners
Business Recorder
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
10th iteration of Pakistan Investor Summit kicks off in Karachi
National Incubation Center (NIC) Karachi's 'Pakistan Investor Summit 2025 – Summer Edition' kicked off on Monday. It is set to feature some 20 high-growth startups, and bring together more than 100 investors, startups, policy makers, and industry professionals, it said in a statement. The idea is to create space for 'strategic partnerships and transformative funding opportunities', it added. According to a post on LinkedIn, the judges of Day 1's Pitch Fest will be 'none other than the NIC Karachi alumni who've walked the founder journey themselves.' This includes Muhammad Ghayas Ahmedani, CEO of Zaaviaa Solutions, Anusha Shahid, Co-Founder of Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai, Director of ASF Tech Partners, Aurangzaib Alamgir, Founder of Porter Pakistan, Sidra Shakeel, Co-Founder of Fortify and Mirza Saad Baig, Founder of Rawts. 'These exceptional individuals have built impactful ventures, raised capital and navigated the startup grind and now, they are back to guide the next generation of founders,' NIC Karachi said in its post. It also said that a high-impact roundtable will feature investors, founders and finance experts exploring early-stage investing, portfolio planning, and risk management. The workshop will feature insights from the, COO of YB Holdings on how smart capital is reshaping investment returns and Farhan Bashir Khan, CEO of Alpha Beta Core on understanding investor risk appetite and return expectations. The event is Funded by the Ignite National Technology Fund under the *Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. According to its statement, over the past six years, NIC Karachi has incubated 376 startups across fintech, edtech, healthtech, agritech, and industrial tech. These ventures have raised Rs12 billion in investment, generated RsPKR 10 billion in revenue, and created over 1 million jobs, it said. Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director of NIC Karachi, said: 'This summit reflects our belief that local innovation deserves global capital. We are building bridges between visionary founders and the investors who can help accelerate their journey.' Summit highlights include:
