Every year, the Forbes 30 under 30 list is published, presenting a selected list of the brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders and stars.
This year, Land of the Pure spotlights the thirteen Pakistanis on the list, including start-up founders and young innovators, who have been making outstanding contributions as trailblazing leaders of industry and business in Pakistan, and will no doubt continue to do so!
With the effects of COVID-19 and the pandemic affecting millions globally, this year has been one of the most challenging for businesses and the economy. However, despite lockdown restrictions and the hard hits that businesses have taken throughout the pandemic, these individuals have adapted their businesses accordingly and have continued to thrive.
Hamza Jawaid and Saad Jangda – Bazaar Technologies
Bazaar Technologies, co-founded by Hamza Jawaid and Saad Jangda, is an online marketplace based in Karachi, Pakistan; that connects retailers with wholesalers and manufacturers. The start-up raised an astounding $6.5 million in one of the largest seed rounds in the Middle East and North Africa region, and has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan's business stratosphere. Saad Jangda and Hamza Jawaid, graduates of the University of Michigan and the London School of Economics, respectively, were both lauded with the 30 under 30 award for the start-ups' huge success.
The founders plan to expand their footprint further across Pakistan, and continue to innovate, both by building on product capabilities and continue to offer services to customers. According to the start-up, their mission is to digitise traditional retail in Pakistan, and they have been incredibly successful in their entrepreneurial journey thus far!
Check Bazaar out here!
Muhammad Owais Qureshi and Zohaib Ali – Dastgyr
Muhammad Owais Qureshi and Zohaib Ali, co-founders of Dastgyr, a business-to-business e-commerce website, are also on the list.
Also based in Karachi, Dastgyr raised a phenomenal six-figure investment deal in 2020 from investors in the United States, Middle East and Pakistan!
The mobile-based platform makes it easier for grocery store owners to procure inventory for stores, through use of a mobile app. Addutionally, Dastgyr also offers next day deliveries to stores in Karachi and Lahore, delivering to tens of thousands of orders in the span of three months since initial launch during strict lockdown conditions.
Check Dastgyr out here!
Iman Jamall and Hasib Malik – CreditBook
Iman Jamall and Hasib Malik, who have been classified in the social impact category, are yet another impeccable duo, rightfully recognized for successful establishment and creativity within technology-based companies.
The husband and wife founded CreditBook in 2020, with the aim to empower small businesses in Pakistan, with a focus on managing finances. The app CreditBook enables businesses, in particular smaller ones (which have also most likely been hit hard by the pandemic) to manage their finances in a better manner.
CreditBook was developed by the husband and wife in 2020 with the aim of empowering small businesses in Pakistan, by focusing on financial management. It is an app that aids companies, especially small businesses (which are likely to have been hit hard by the pandemic), to better manage their finances to enable them to thrive in their respective industries. Talk about entrepreneurial philanthropy!
The startup raised a phenomenal $175,000 in pre-seed funding and registered 250,000 users only within the first six months! Their promising success has attracted abundant prominent investors. ‘[The app] focuses on simplicity and inclusivity and is available in six local languages, and has been labelled ‘the most comprehensive finance-managing app’ in the country.
Explore CreditBook here!
Yaseen Khalid, M.Saquib Malik and Nabeel Siddiqui – ModulusTech
The co-founders of ModulusTech; Khalif, Malik and Siddiqui, were also deservedly listed in the category for social impact. Motivated by the global refugee and housing crisis, The ModulusTech team developed a flat-pack housing technology that is “cost-effective, easy to set up, and offers beyond adequate living conditions, all while being relocatable.” ‘relocatable’ being key in addressing this vastly complex issue. The model has been described as an innovative and sustainable construction approach that is applicable to a wide range of fields and industries; including healthcare, tourism, construction and beyond.
On top of all that tremendous success, ModulusTech has been recognised by the UN, Global CleanTech Award and various other reputable organizations for its groundbreaking efforts in providing housing solutions for individuals that are poor and/or have been displaced from their homes due to disaster, war or other reasons. Khalif, Malik and Siddiqui are what you call homegrown global pioneers!
Learn more about ModulusTech!
Misha Japanwala
A visual artist and designer, Misha Japanwala, has been listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 ‘The Arts’ category for her work in addressing social justice issues in Pakistan through her art and design, specifically focusing on domestic violence and honor killings. She explores femininity, patriarchy and the stereotyping of women's roles in society. Her work gained traction when she collaborated with Gigi Hadid last year, and she has continued to impress since then!
Explore Misha's work here!
Abdullah Siddiqui
The talented Abdullah Siddiqui, who has been producing English-language electronic music, since the tender age of 11, has now been honoured in the ‘Entertainment and Sports’ category. The Lahore-based teenager, who has been dubbed a “electropop prodigy taking Pakistan by storm,” produces the majority of his captivating music at home, and has become a household name in the Pakistani music space. Inspiring the next generation of artists, his work steers away from traditional South Asian music styles, exploring a range of other genres and formats. As a young artist on Nescafe Basement, he has collaborated with a range of Pakistan's biggest stars, also working on Peshawar Zalmi's anthem for PSL 2021.
Shayan Mahmud – Eikon7
Shayan Mahmud is a managing partner at Eikon7, a multinational digital marketing agency, designed to drive revenues in the digital economy through integrated marketing strategies.
Through his purposeful management, Mahmud has fostered the agency’s growth to over 100 employees, alongside overseeing the agency’s subsidiary: Trademor. Trademor helps support small businesses with sales and marketing on e-commerce platforms, and Mahmud has truly made his name as pioneer in Pakistan's business industry.
Hannia Zia – Digital Pakistan
Last but most definitely not the least, Hannia Zia! Her pioneering efforts in founding the Prime Minister’s Office initiative ‘Digital Pakistan’ has landed her on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. The mission of this initiative is in enhancing connectivity, improving digital infrastructure, increasing investment in digital skills, and promoting innovation to build a more diverse and well-equipped economic landscape.
Zia was the Pakistani Government’s sole product manager of its pandemic tech response, and was awarded with the Prime Minister's WHENTK award.
As the above list shows - Pakistan is making strides. Whether it be the art scene, or the burgeoning start-up landscape, Pakistan's young people are making progress like never before. To bigger and better!
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