In line with its commitment to build a thriving startup ecosystem, Jazz – Pakistan’s number one 4G operator and leading digital service provider, has organized ‘The Art of Pivoting’ webinar today to address key issues faced by local startups in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar featured Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, and was organized in collaboration with the National Incubation Center (NIC), Jazz xlr8, and Teamup.
Pakistan has an evolving local startup ecosystem however it has not yet matured to survive the effects of the pandemic. According to recent research conducted by NIC, 68% of startups have experienced reduced demand, while 50% of startups have halted their operations, out of which 21% have shut down permanently.
“The pandemic poses immense challenges to our economy. Through this exclusive event, we are extending all possible support for startups to thrive, by providing the pivoting expertise required to stay in the game. Jazz continues to commit its resources and expertise towards accelerating startup profitability and growth. We aim to enable Pakistani startups to continue to drive technology as an enabler for socio-economic growth,” said Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz.
The interactive webinar was attended by over 200 participants representing; startups, the business community, academia, and thought leaders – gaining valuable insights on rethinking business strategies and leveraging digital. It is pertinent to note that 40 startup founders interacted with Aamir to discuss ideas on the best ways to change business strategy and move to more lucrative areas of building scale. The session was moderated by Aisha Sarwari, Director Communications and Sustainability of Jazz and Fasieh Mehta, Program Manager, NIC.
As Pakistan’s leading digital services provider, Jazz has played a vital role in developing the local startup ecosystem. The startup accelerator Jazz xlr8 provides access to a global pool of mentors, data and analytics, access to distribution networks, and payment gateway integration, etc. This support has resulted in the creation of more than 23 startups including 10 women founders, 1100 jobs, and PKR 250 million in seed funding.
The NIC has incubated 187 startups out of which 78 have graduated. The NIC Startups have generated PKR 1.23 Billion+ in revenue and raised investment in access of PKR 879 Million.
