20 reasons why Pakistan’s Technology Industry is much more than a fake degree scam

Amidst all the chaos nowadays, let’s forget everything for a moment and tell the world that Pakistan’s IT industry is flourishing and a great deal of impressive work is going on in our country. Let’s take a look at some facts and achievements of the Pakistan’s technology industry in the recent years.

1. Pakistan has more than 2500 registered IT organizations in the country with more than 20,000 kick-ass computer science majors entering the market every year.

2. Pakistan’s share of global IT sales is $2.8 billion, out of which $1.6 billion accounts for the country’s exports of software and IT-enabled services.

3. One of the world’s best payment processing solutions providers i2c resides right here in Pakistan. Convo, the hot favorite social network for work, is based out of Pakistan. Eyedeus Labs, previously featured at CNN, are working on a groundbreaking video based technology to disrupt the way we interact with ads.

4. FireEye.Inc, a network security company owned by a Pakistani Ashar Aziz, is valued at 6.5 Billion US Dollars.

5. Pakistan has more than 25 tech incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces in total.

6. We have strong-headed individuals like Umar Saif, Kalsoom Lakhani, Khurram Zafar, Jehan Ara, Maryam Mohiuddin, Faisal Khan and many more, who are changing the Entrepreneurship landscape in the country and beyond. Plus, you should read this.

7. Systems Limited and NetSol, the premier software houses in Pakistan are adding a tremendous value for economic growth of the country and they have offices around the globe.

8. Civic Hackathons, Startups Weekends, Startup Expos, Digital Youth Summits like events are producing the next generation of entrepreneurs and startups in Pakistan.

9. In Rafay Baloch we have one of the best security researcher in Pakistan.

10. Farhan Masood, the founder of million dollar startup SoloInsight wasn’t born with a silver spoon, he worked hard all his life to live his dream and make Pakistan proud. He was also named at Entrepreneur of the Year at last year’s eCon.

11. Numerous Pakistani startups and entrepreneurs have proved their mettle over and over again internationally. The latest addition to the achievements gained by such individuals and companies were honored at the recently-held APICTA 2014 event in Jakarta, where Pakistani startups competing for different categories won 2 Gold and 3 Silver awards.

12. We have some great gaming studios in Pakistan, the title animation sequence of Game of Thrones, the world’s most-watched TV series these days, has been produced by Hameed Shaukat, a US-born Pakistani, Cricket Companion app which received world-wide recognition was also developed by Tricast Media.

13. Pakistani Visual Effects Artist, Mir Zafar Ali has received three Oscar awards for his work in The Golden Compass, Life of Pi and Frozen. Plus, Namira Salim was the first Pakistani woman to travel to space on the world’s first commercial space flight, Virgin Galactic. Novaira Masood, the software engineer, has provided stunning visual effects in some of the most popular Hollywood movies, Maleficient, A Christmas Carol, Mars needs Moms, Thor, Transformers 3 and Jack the Giant Slayer.

14. Remote Interview, a young Pakistani Startup, which helps in remotely interviewing the tech talent, has achieved 120% growth in the client base with 50% of total corporate clients are based in the United States.

15. Pakistan has the 3rd biggest army of Freelancers on freelancers.com and 5th biggest on UpWork.com, and 4th ranking overall and you should read this.

16. We have the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional and the one of the Youngest Innovator of the world. You would definitely want to read this.

17. This recent startup report tells us that Pakistan is one of the hottest regions for startups right now.

18. A company based in Karachi makes apps for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (that’s NASA, mind you), for the space giant’s mobile platform.

19. JawBone, Hosain Rahman who has roots in Pakistan, owns this Silicon Valley startup, which has been creating consumer technology and wearable devices for the past 16 years, was valued at $3 billion last year. Another Pakistani owned Silicon Valley startup, Swaggable will value at $20 million this November.

20. We have TechJuice which is supporting, promoting and highlighting the tech industry of Pakistan. (Shameless self-promotion intended!) Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.