There was a time when startups were considered just another emerging trend in Pakistan, and many people thought the trend wouldn’t sustain. However, it did. And today, we have innumerable startups focusing on providing solutions to localized problems. Many of these startups are very promising, and quite a lot of them are focused on the social sector.
Here are 12 of the many startups that raised investments in 2017. We believe that a lot more deals happened in 2017 but majority of them went unreported;
Note: This is not a completely exhaustive list.
1. Cheetay.pk
Cheetay.pk has raised investments from seasoned investors and venture capitalists based in the US. This year, the logistics startup raised a hefty amount of $1.1 Million in Series A1 round. Cheetay.pk is an e-commerce marketplace.The startup gives people an instant logistics service by integrating practical payment solutions to make order placement along with fast delivery easy.
The company is based in Lahore and is focusing on providing a platform to position food orders from over 300 eateries with convenient payment options. They plan on expanding their services in other categories as well as moving to other cities. Right now, Cheetay.pk has an active website along with Android and iOS app presence which allows the users to place orders as well as track them through active GPS. With its highly experienced and competitive workforce along with a huge market demand, the startup is guaranteed to go to places.
2. Ecoenergy Finance
Ecoenergy Finance is a startup which provides a channel for financial clean energy solutions to rural, electrified areas by replacing kerosene and wood with solar energy. The startup believes that they can eradicate poverty through eco-friendly methods as well as save the deforestation. Eco energy raised USD 200,000 in investment from BBoxx.
The amount is a big one but it has effectively been used into marketing, sales and service infrastructure.The startup has a huge impact on both economy as well as the environment and is one of its kind in changing the country for good in a very positive way.
3. Nearpeer
Nearpeer is an ed-tech startup with institution-specific online video courses. The startup is driven by the aim to evolve the education system in Pakistan through AI. Nearpeer raised an investment at 6 figure (USD) valuation from Shopistan which they planned to use on expanding their startup to more educational institutes. They have over 2500 paying customers for their 55 courses as well as 6200 online users.
The startup is catering to O-levels/A-levels students as well as to students appearing for university entrance exams. Nearpeer is focusing on major institutes of Pakistan including LUMS, LSE, apart from schools and colleges based in Panjab and have optimistic plans of expanding into other universities like GIKI, NUST, FAST as well as some international institutes like University of Texas and Texas State University.
4. Augment Care
Augment Care (AC) is a complete healthcare app which helps the patients connect with doctors, pharmacies, and laboratories. The startup has raised $1 million in seed capital, something that not many Pakistani startups have been able to achieve. AC aims at providing patients with a better quality health-care. The startup has over 130 experienced doctors on their platform and a huge pool of patients seek easy healthcare solutions.
The startup is based in Lahore, but it is expanding services all across Pakistan because AC believes that every patient has a right to be treated with extreme care, and should have multiple options to choose from for their treatment according to their comfort. The startup believes that better healthcare leads to a better future.
5. Shopsy.pk
Shopsy is an online price comparison search engine that allows the customers to browse through a huge database of products and prices to choose from. The website gives the customer access to browse a product from different e-stores the startup has partnered with, select a price range, and then decide from a huge range of products what they wish to buy. After choosing the product, the customer gets redirected to the actual online store that is selling the product they chose.
The startup has raised an investment at a valuation of $300,000 from Dot Zero Ventures. Labelled as “Google for online shopping”, Shopsy is saving time and effort along with the frustration of searching tens of online stores for one product.
6. Find my doctor
Find my doctor- a healthcare startup raised a whopping amount of Rs. 20 million in funding. The startup focuses on facilitating people by locating hospitals, blood banks, ambulances and certified doctors through its app. The app is available both for Android and iOS stores.
The app has all information of 1800 doctors, for example their qualifications, specialization, experience, availability and their fee. This makes it easier for patients to choose which clinic or hospital should be opted for according to their convenience.
The startup is different than other healthcare startups because it has the facility called “Lab test at home,” which helps the patients book their lab tests just by an making an appointment via website or call. The service is going to be available in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Hyderabad.
7. DIYGeeks
DIYGeeks— A startup founded by young kids passionate about building products and prototypes out of locally available programmable electronic components as well as providing real life localized solutions of scientific problems raised investment on the show Idea Croron ka. Asha Jadeja— an angel investor from Silicon Valley proposed an investment in DIYGeeks for zero equity and showed interest in mentoring them on raising investments.
The startup is focused on helping hobbyists, geek, nerds and makers to develop products through bootcamps that comprise of all kinds of new technology, including but not limited to 3D Printing and robotics. DIYGeeks have a website dedicated to an online circuit components shop coupled with dedicated DIY tutorials to foster practical work environment in engineering.
8. Daastan
Daastan is a syndicate on a mission to revamp Pakistan’s literature industry through their products and services. The startup is Plan 9 Alumnus, and a pioneer in changing the literature industry. Daastan is empowering writers by monetizing their skills and providing them with a platform where they can showcase their talent.
Recently, their product Qissa — Pakistan’s first self publishing platform featuring 2000+ users, 100+ books in 16 genres successfully secured a pre-seed investment of US $25,000 by Mr. Naeem Zamindaar, Chairman Board of Investment, Pakistan. The startup is catering to writers from all across the world, and has many international writers published on their platform as well.
9. Fori Mazdoori
Fori Mazdoori— A worker welfare based initiative that helps in facilitating blue-collared workers with employers across Pakistan raised an investment of US $50,000. With their vision to empower workers after their launch, the startup has built up a combination of website, apps, and a partners retailers outlet where the workers can register. The app can be used by Urdu by retailers while in English for employers.
Fori Mazdoori makes the hiring process easy for employers and workers after they set up their profile with the required skillset. The startup also focuses on equipping workers with digital skills so they can get themselves a job.
10. MicroPower Labs
MicroPower labs is a technology innovation startup with a focus on developing next-generation devices and gadgets for everyday use. The startup has been awarded AU $100,000 equity-free grant from the Government of Queensland Australia through an Entrepreneurship program of Advanced Queensland called Hot DesQ. They also won NOK 100,000 funding by winning Telenor’s Digital Winners Asia competition.
The startup is the only one among all Pakistani startups which have been accepted in round 2 of Hot DesQ. They have major innovative plans like developing a Flash Pack, which is world’s Fastest Charging power bank as well as deploying apower bank rental Kiosk’s across Queensland
11. WonderTree
WonderTree is a platform that develops curriculum for children with special needs using Augmented Reality Learning System(ARLS). The initiative has been funded PKR 27.3 Million by National ICT R&D. ARLS is building a revolutionary educational tool and therapeutic platform which caters to the needs of specially-abled children.
WonderTree has a mission of creating a cost-effective and accessible solution by a powerful combination of gamification and Augmented Reality that will facilitate persons with neurological disabilities. The startup doesn’t believe in limiting this just to the privileged class of society, and wishes to help every single special person.
13. GrocerApp
GrocerApp is a startup that provides grocery at the doorstep, saving a lot of time and effort in this fast-paced world. GrocerApp has managed to raise 100K on Idea Croron ka. They have their own app on Android and iOS platforms that make it easier for the customers to just tap and order anything from the store.
The app provides all kinds of grocery that is available at the next door stores, like food, baby care items, toiletries, medicines, and the like. GrocerApp has a huge market demand considering it is so easy to use and makes shopping convenient.
