2018 Year-end Review of Science and Technology in Pakistan

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan saw its technology exports grow by double digits to surge past $1 billion mark in 2018. Nature magazine reported the country ranked first in the world in research output growth in year 2018. Pakistan mobile broadband subscriptions grew by 1-2 million a month to pass 60 million. Google's Singapore-based Asia business lead Lars Anthonisen wrote that "Pakistan is quickly becoming a digital-first country". Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and its digital payments platform Alipay entered Pakistan market by acquiring Daraz.pk and Telenor EasyPaisa.  Dr. Ata ur Rahman Khan, former chairman of higher education commission, asserted in an op ed that "Pakistan churns out about 22,000 computer-science graduates each year". Pakistan set an ambitious goal for its first human space flight in 2022.  It was an exciting year for science and technology in the South Asian nation of over 200 million people.

Pakistan Technology Exports:

Pakistan's information technology exports have bucked the nation's declining exports trend with double digit growth to reach $1,065 million in fiscal year 2018, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.  It is generally believed that Pakistan's central bank underestimates technology exports. Some have argued that the actual IT exports were closer to $5 billion in fiscal 2018. Some of the differences can be attributed to the fact that the State Bank IT exports data does not include various non-IT sectors such as financial services, automobiles, and health care.

Source: State Bank of Pakistan

Pakistan IT exports surged 13.4% to $1.06 billion in fiscal year 2018 from $939 million in fiscal year 2017. The growth was even more robust in the prior year with IT exports rising 19.1% from $789 million in fiscal 2016 to reach $939 million in fiscal year 2017.

Source: State Bank of Pakistan

About $320 million of IT exports revenue in fiscal 2018 came from software exports while the rest was made up of services such as consulting, telecom and call centers.

Scientific Research Output:

Pakistan is one of the world's top two countries where the research output rose the fastest in 2018, according to Nature Magazine. The publication reports that the "global production of scientific papers hit an all-time high this year...with emerging economies rising fastest".

Countries With Biggest Rises in Research Output. Source: Nature

Pakistan ranked first or second depending  on whether one accepts the text or the graphic (above) published by Nature.  The text says Egypt had 21% growth while the graph shows Pakistan with 21% growth. Here's an excerpt of the text: "Emerging economies showed some of the largest increases in research output in 2018, according to estimates from the publishing-services company Clarivate Analytics. Egypt and Pakistan topped the list in percentage terms, with rises of 21% and 15.9%, respectively. ...China’s publications rose by about 15%, and India, Brazil, Mexico and Iran all saw their output grow by more than 8% compared with 2017".

Pakistan's quality-adjusted scientific output (Weighted Functional Count) as reported in Nature Index has doubled from 18.03 in 2013 to 37.28 in 2017. Pakistan's global ranking has improved from 53 in 2013 to 40 in 2017. In the same period, India's WFC has increased from 850.97 in 2013 to 935.44 in 2017. India's global ranking has improved from 13 in 2013 to 11 in 2017.

Pakistan Telecom Indicators. Source: PTA

Digital Growth:

Mobile broadband subscriptions (3G and 4G) grew at a rate of 1-2 million per month to pass 60 million in 2018, according to data from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).  Rising digital infrastructure is enabling a whole range of applications from e-commerce to digital payments and greater financial inclusion. It prompted Google's Singapore-based Asia business lead to write that "Pakistan is quickly becoming a digital-first country"

Alipay, a subsidiary of Hangzhou-based Ant Financial, has received approval by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to acquire a 45 percent stake in Pakistan's Telenor Microfinance Bank for $184 million.  Alipay's entry is expected to expedite widespread adoption of digital payments in the country. Several domestic mobile payment services offered by telecom operators are currently operating in Pakistan. The lack of international reach has kept the penetration rate of the payment portals relatively low. Entry of Alipay, the world's largest mobile payment platform, will intensify digital payments competition,  improve the quality of service, energize the industry and enhance financial inclusion in a country where less than 20% of the population has bank accounts.

E-Commerce Growth:

At the World Economic Forum in 2017, Ebay’s chief executive Devin Wenig highlighted Pakistan as one of the fastest growing e-commerce markets in the world.  It might have prompted Alibaba to acquire Daraz.pk, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce platform, in May 2018. 

Online sales in Pakistan's $152 billion retail market are doubling every year,  according to Adam Dawood of Yayvo online portal.  The country's retail market is the fastest growing in the world, according to Euromonitor.  Expanding middle class, particularly millennials with rising disposable incomes, is demanding branded and packaged consumer goods ranging from personal and baby care items to food and beverage products. Strong demand for fast moving consumer goods is drawing large new investments of hundreds of millions of dollars.  Rapid growth in sales of consumer products and services is driving other sectors, including retail, e-commerce, paper and packaging, advertising, media, sports and entertainment. Potential downsides of soaring consumption include increased amount of  solid waste and decline in domestic savings and investment rates.

Summary:

Pakistan saw its technology exports grow by double digits to surge pass $1 billion mark in 2018. Nature magazine reported the country ranked first in the world in research output growth in year 2018. Pakistan mobile broadband subscriptions grew by 1-2 million a month to pass 60 million. Google's Singapore-based Asia business lead wrote that "Pakistan is quickly becoming a digital-first country". Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and its digital payments platform Alipay entered Pakistan market by acquiring Daraz.pk and Telenor EasyPaisa.  Dr. Ata ur Rahman Khan, former chairman of higher education commission, asserted in an op ed that "Pakistan churns out about 22,000 computer-science graduates each year". Pakistan set an ambitious goal for its first human space flight in 2022.  It was an exciting year for science and technology in the South Asian nation of over 200 million people.

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[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan Council Of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) Installs 562 Micro-hydel Power Plants To Electrify 80,000 Houses

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/pakistan-council-of-renewable...


Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), which is working under Ministry of Science and Technology, has installed 562 micro-hydel power plants with total capacity of 9.7 MW during the last five years, electrifying more than 80,000 houses.

An official source from Ministry of Science and Technology told APP that the ministry and its research and development organizations are mandated to develop technologies for socio-economic development of the country.

Technologies have been developed in different sectors like water, renewable energy, electronics, health, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), industry, agriculture etc to directly and indirectly benefit a common man.

Listing different technologies developed during the last five years, the official source informed that PCRET has installed 155 small wind turbines in Sindh and Balochistan electrifying 1560 houses and installed 4016 biogas plants.

The council has established 20 KW hybrid system including solar, MHP and wind in collaboration with China for research and training purposes.

PCRET has also designed and stimulated Wind Turbine and solar products including Solar Cooker, Solar Dryer, Solar Water Heater and Solar Desalination.

During the last five years, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) which is also an important department of the ministry has developed Coal Water Slurry Fuel and Reinforced Derived Fuel and solar driven one inch and two inches water pumps. PCSIR has also designed the Solar Powered Reverse Osmosis Plant, the source said.

While National Institute of Electronics (NIE) has developed LED lights, Solar Charge Controller, Automatic Voltage Stabilizer and cascaded multilevel inverter based transformer-less Unified Power Flow Controller, it added.

[Riaz Haq]

11 CPEC projects completed, 11 in progress

https://nation.com.pk/31-Dec-2018/11-cpec-projects-completed-11-in-...

$18.9 billion investment made so far have created 75,000 jobs


According to the latest progress report on CPEC issued by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, 20 more projects were in pipeline under CPEC, which was the largest and most comprehensive project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), besides being of great political, economic and social significance to China and Pakistan.

For implementation of CPEC, the two sides have set up a ministerial-level Joint Cooperation Committee on CPEC Long Term Planning (JCC) and seven joint working groups on planning, energy, transportation infrastructure, Gwadar Port, industrial cooperation, social economic development and international cooperation. They also decided to establish Joint Working Groups on social economic development and international cooperation.

Out of 15 energy projects planned as priority with a total generation capacity of 11,110MW, seven have been completed and in operation, while another six are under construction with a total capacity of 6,910 MW.

At present, Zonergy 300MW Solar Park, 50MW Dawood Wind Farm, Jhimpir UEP wind power project, Sachal 50MW Wind Farm, Sahiwal 2×660MW Coal-fired Power Plant, Port Qasim 2×660MW Coal-fired Power Plant and Three Gorges Second and Third Wind Power Projects have been completed. These projects have added 3240 MW to the Pakistani national grid, amounting to more than 11% of the total installed capacity of 29,000 MW in the country.

CPEC energy projects are providing affordable energy to Pakistani consumers in a diversified way. The tariff of power plants has been sharply decreased from Rs 16-18 to around Rs 8 per unit. With the introduction of CPEC energy projects, Pakistan also reduced its heavy dependence on gas and LNG power plants, which account for 50% of total installed capacity. The CPEC energy projects are foreign direct investment and are executed in accordance with BO(O)T mode. Any debt arising from the CPEC energy projects would be borne by the Chinese investors instead of the Pakistani government.

Regarding infrastructure projects, the report said currently, three projects including KKH Phase-II (Havelian-Thakot section), Karachi-Lahore Motorway (Sukkur-Multan section) and Lahore Orange Line are under construction. The information highway for laying of an optical fiber cable (OFC) from Rawapindi to Khunjrab is in operation. These ongoing projects are funded by preferential loans from the Chinese government at around 2% interest rate with a total amount of 5.874 billion USD. The up-gradation of ML1 railway and the KCR are under discussion.

About Gwadar Port, it said up to now China Overseas Ports Holding Company (COPHC) has invested $ 250 million in the port renovation. Five new quay cranes, a 100,000 M2 storage yard, a seawater desalination plant with capacity of 220,000-gallon pure water/day, two sets of sewage disposal systems and cargo handling equipment have been installed and 80,000 M2 green space has been added to the port area. 400,000 tons of cargoes have been handled by Gwadar Port in 2017.

The Gwadar Free Zone is located in the northern part of Gwadar. The planned development period is from 2015 to 2030, and is divided into four phases. The 923-hectare Free Zone includes an initial area (25 hectares) and the northern area (898 hectares).

Around 30 companies have invested in the Free Zone, with direct investment of about $474 million. With the construction of the free zone, the city of Gwadar will become a commercial hub of the region in the near future. The construction of Gwadar East Bay Expressway project was started in November 2017 and would be completed in 36 months with the designed speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

[Riaz Haq]

Financing Run Down of 22 CPEC Projects

2018/12/29

https://pk.chineseembassy.org/eng/zbgx/t1625940.htm

[Riaz Haq]

Only 10 #Indian and 6 #Pakistani #researchers on list of world’s 4,000 top #scientists. #science #technology #engineering #Mathematics http://toi.in/F8PqjY14/a24gk https://hcr.clarivate.com/#freeText%3Dpakistan

Indian science is a study in contrasts. With its vast population and rapidly expanding economy, the country has ramped up scientific production at an impressive rate. India started the twenty-first century well behind Russia, France, Italy and Canada in terms of yearly publications and it now leads them all by healthy margins. It is quickly closing in on Japan.

Despite those gains, India is not yet a major player in world science. Its publications generate fewer citations on average than do those of other science-focused nations, including other emerging countries such as Brazil and China. Relative to its size, India has very few scientists; many Indian-born researchers leave for positions abroad and very few foreign scientists settle in India. The country invests a scant portion of its economy in research and development (R&D), and it produces relatively few patents per capita compared with other nations.

https://www.nature.com/news/india-by-the-numbers-1.17519

[Riaz Haq]

86% of all #patents awarded in #India in 2017 went to #foreigners
The number of patents granted by India jumped 50 per cent to 12,387 in 2017 as compared to 8,248 granted in the previous year, according to data released by the UN's World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

India granted 86 per cent (10,675) of the total patents to foreigners as compared to 14 per cent (1,712) awarded to entities and individuals based in India.

#Indians received 1700 patents awarded in #India which is about 8x those awarded to #Pakistanis in #Pakistan

"Filing abroad reflects the globalisation of intellectual property (IP) protection and a desire to commercialise technology in foreign markets. The costs of filing abroad can be substantial, so the patents for which applicants seek international protection are likely to confer higher values," quoted the report released by WIPO in Geneva on Monday. Among other factors, technological specialisation, proximity and market size influence cross-border applications, the report highlighted.

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/india-patent-...

[Riaz Haq]

#Pakistani #startups raised over $341 million of VC #investments in 2018

https://www.techjuice.pk/pakistani-startups-raised-over-317-million...

2018 has ended, and the Pakistani entrepreneurial ecosystem has yet to witness a unicorn. Yet, the number of investments raised by Pakistani startups in 2018 outdo the previous year.

Pakistan is now gaining traction as one of the emerging ecosystems to currently invest in the Asian region. While local investors continue to struggle to build their investment portfolio, foreign investors are taking the lead to venture into the Pakistani market.

This year, over 40 startups at different stages have closed investment deals out of which 54 percent were women-led businesses. While some of the major deals of the year were raised by a local extension of an international group, it is worth noting that Pakistan is attracting capital as a potential business location.

With the establishment of three venture funds involving international partners such as Sarmayacaar, SparkLabs, and i2i Ventures, 2019 is expected to fuel the local startups with more capital. Meanwhile, let’s look back with TechJuice at the year of investments.

FinTech

1. Telenor Microfinance Bank

Telenor Microfinance Bank has been enabling the unbanked population of Pakistan through micro-finance and related financial services. In 2009, it launched Easypaisa, a branchless banking service. With its vast agent network, active accounts, and transaction value, Easypaisa has developed itself as the largest branchless banking service in Pakistan.

In March 2018, it was announced that Ant Financial Services Group, formerly known as Alipay, has invested $184.5 million for a 45 percent stake in Telen....

2. KarloCompare

KarloCompare is a financial services comparison platform that helps users discover and compare personal finance and insurance products and services. Meanwhile, supporting the financial services industry by introducing new customers to insurance companies and banks, helping them to lower the cost of acquisition and create transparency in their ROI on digital spends.

In March 2018, TPL eVentures announced its investment in KarloCompare of an undisclosed amount. Previously, the financial services startup raised a seven-figure PKR funding in 2016 from angel investors Hina Khawaja Bayat and Roger Dawood Bayat.

3. Tez Financial Services

Tez Financial Services is Pakistan’s first all-digital non-bank microfinance company, focused on serving the unbanked and underbanked in Pakistan. Tez aims to reduce the financial vulnerability of over 50 million underserved Pakistanis through its smartphone app that is driven by artificial intelligence to provide access to all financial services such as nano-credit, health and term life insurance, and tailored investments.

In October 2018, Tez Financial Services closed a seed investment round of $1.1 million led by Omidyar Network, established by Founder eBay Pierre Omidyar. Other investors included Accion Venture Lab and Planet N.

4. SimPaisa

SimPaisa is Pakistan’s first direct carrier billing company, a product of PublishEx(Pvt.) Ltd. imPaisa enables digital businesses to monetize their products better by allowing their customers to make online payments using their existing SIM card balance. Currently, SimPaisa is the only payment system in Pakistan to offer this service.

In February 2018, Sarmayacar invested PKR 25 million in a seed funding round of SimPaisa.

Automotive

5. CarFirst

CarFirst is Pakistan’s first online used car selling platform for auto buyers and sellers in the country. The platform is operated by Frontier Car Group that invests in used-automotive marketplaces in emerging market economies. The group is currently operating in six countries with CarFirst as its presence in Pakistan after it invested a major Series A funding in the startup.

In May 2018, OLX Group announced a Series C funding round of Frontier Car Group .... While the investment spans across the different locations of Frontier Car Group, it will create a significant impact on the growth of CarFirst as it integrates its services with OLX to enhance the experience of a used-auto marketplace.

6. Auto Sahulat

AutoSahulat is an online service for roadside vehicle breakdown that connects mechanics with drivers for road-side assistance through mobile and web-based platform. The startup is currently operational in Lahore.

In September 2018, the startup closed a pre-seed funding round of $100,000 from a Sing....

Health-Tech

7. OlaDoc

OlaDoc, formerly known as MyDoctor, connects users with doctors and specialists and allows them to book appointments. The healthtech startup has also integrated an online medicine and lab test ordering to its services. In the previous year, the startup connected one million Pakistanis with doctors and specialists.

In January 2018, the startup raised $1.1 million in funding from Glowfish Capital, a UAE based VC firm with investors hailing from Europe. Middle-East and Asia.

8. Sehat Kahani

Sehat Kahani is a healthcare startup that offers an all-female health provider network to deliver quality healthcare solutions using telehealth. The startup has impacted over 600,000 people with an all-female network provider of 1000 plus female doctors.

In March 2018, Sehat Kahani closed a seed funding round of $500,000 led by Elahi Group of Industries which focuses on businesses including healthcare and pharmaceuticals in particular.

9. Excel Labs

Excel Labs provide laboratory and diagnostic services across over 60 locations in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The lab offers 727 diagnostic medical tests.

In June 2018, Excel Labs closed an equity investment of $3.1 million led by Karandaaz Pakistan.

10. Marham

Marham is a health-tech startup that has built a community to provide quick medical help to the patients in terms of right doctor identification, booking appointments and sharing quick access points of the doctors. Recently, Marham was the first Pakistan startup to qualify for Asia’s first Google Demo Day winning the Audience Choice Award.

In 2017, Marham raised an investment at a valuation of $1.5 million. This year, the health-tech startup secured a $20,000 grant from Facebook on the platform of Idea Croron Ka. Agri-tech

11. Ricult

Ricult is a Pakistani agri-tech startup enabling smallholder farmers to access credit and services like purchasing inputs and selling harvests, eliminating the need for middlemen and loan sharks. The platform serves. The startup as a fin-tech data platform and marketplace for smallholder farmers in developing markets.

In June 2018, Ricult raised $1.85 million in a seed funding round led by a Thai corporate, 500 Startups, and Wavemakers. The startup has previously raised $600,000 in an early seed funding round with an additional $100,000 grant from Karandaaz.

12. HAC Agri

HAC Agri ensures the availability of off-season fruits and vegetables that are fresh and high quality through their controlled atmosphere warehouse. Currently, HAC Agri offers a range of fruits and vegetables by directly connecting with farmers to access the best products and offer an advantage to harvesters.

In June 2018, Karandaaz announced its investment of an undisclosed amount in HAC Agri to set up the first state-of-the-art controlled atmosphere warehouse in Punjab.

13. JF Labs

JF Labs provide Agricultural Drone Services, enabling farmers to enhance the quality of cultivation process through detailed and precise imaging. The service allows to monitor the health of crops along with the land quality through the latest imaging techniques.

The startup raised PKR 3,000,000 in funding on the reality TV show, Idea Croron Ka. The investment deal was led by Founder Impact Network, Shahida Saleem.

Sustainability

14. ModulusTech

ModulusTech offers an environment-friendly flat-packed housing that can be assembled within three hours under a cost of USD 3000. This housing solution cuts down carbon emission by almost 50 percent, for which it has been recognized and awarded by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

In November 2018, ModulusTech raised seed investment of an undisclosed amount through....

15. Sustainable Living Environment

Sustainable Living Environment offers an integrated waste management system that enables the automation of three core waste management activities: collection, separation, and recycling. The startup raised PKR 1,400,000 in grant funding by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Impact Challenge Fund on Idea Croron Ka.

Game Development

16. Cloudcade Pakistan

Cloudcade Inc. is a San Francisco based game mobile game developer and publisher. The international game studio has now extended its roots to Pakistan through Cloudcade Pakistan with an investment of $6.5 million. The local studio is the first Asian studio to be set up by Cloudcade Inc.

Cloudcade Inc. has appointed the co-founder of the popular Caramel Tech Studios, Ammar Zaeem as the President of Studios, South Asia.

Tourism

17. SastaTicket

SastaTicket is an online platform that offers domestic travelers a way to book and pay for flights at relatively inexpensive prices. Founded in 2016, the platform has experienced significant growth in GMV at 125% YoY, and the number of orders at 155% YoY, and has over one million flight searches per month. The online platform is currently the biggest one in Pakistan in terms of all travel-related services.

In November 2018, the startup closed its Series A funding round of $1.5 millionled by Gobi Partners through their firm TaqwaTech focused on investing Muslim ventures in the region.

E-COMMERCE

18. Daraz

Daraz Group, a leading e-commerce company in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Nepal was fully acquired by Alibaba Group in May 2018. The e-commerce company was kickstarted in Pakistan in 2012 and has since grown into the most popular online shopping destination in the country. Currently, the company operates online marketplaces across six locations. After the acquisition, Daraz has continued to operate under the same brand following the transaction.

19. EasyTickets by Lahore Media Network

EasyTickets, developed by Lahore New Media Labs, is an online marketplace for entertainment and hospitality bookings including cinemas, events, and transport. At Idea Croron Ka, the startup proposed to develop a cloud-based online hotel booking management system to integrate into EasyTickets to provide easy reservations for their customers.

The startup secured PKR 2.6 million through USAID Small & Medium Enterprise Activity.

20. Batterylala

Batterylala provides an online shopping experience for new, original, and warrantied battery purchases offering free same day delivery with relatively inexpensive prices. The products come with free of cost professional installation and after-sale services. Batterylala ensures the originality of the product and the products are 100% new and warrantied.

The startup raised PKR 40 million in funding at Idea Croron Ka led by Founder Impact Network Shahida Saleem and Founder Zamindar Capital Naeem Zamindar.

21. Le Pur Organics

Le Pur Organics is a natural organic skin care product selling company that manufactures products with high-quality virgin oils extracted solely from plants which make them 100% Eco-Friendly. Their organic products are free from synthetic and skin harming chemicals.

The startup pitched at Idea Croron Ka raising PKR 30 million by Founder Imptrax Munawar Abdullah.

22. Sheops

Sheops is Pakistan’s first women-only marketplace, facilitating women entrepreneurs and women-oriented businesses to start and scale their operations leveraging technology. Started with a bustling Facebook community of over 100,000+ women buyers and sellers, Sheops have now integrated an e-commerce experience. In 2015, the startup raised investment from Arpatech Technology Ventures.

This year, the startup qualified for Facebook’s Community Leadership Program. It also raised $20,000 in grant funding with the partnership of Idea Croron Ka with Facebook in this year’s season.

EDTECH

23. Edkasa Private Limited

Edkasa is an ICT-driven educational tutorial services business. Working on the ‘Edupreneur Model’, the education entrepreneurs are enabled to run tutorial academies that provide cloud-based, live, online classroom training in five subjects for their students in intermediate grade level.

The startup raised PKR 2.6 million in grant funding through USAID Small & Medium Enterprise Activity at Idea Croron Ka.

Engineering

24. Transconomy

Transconomy serves the logistics and transportation industry by providing ICT solutions for supply chain management processes at ports and end-to-end visibility across an entire supply chain cycle. The flagship product is a Line of Business Software, called Transconomy Terminal, which automates the daily operations with transparency and aims to augment the ability of these facilities to process more cargo, more efficiently.

The startup raised PKR 2.6 million in grant funding through USAID Small & Medium Enterprise Activity at Idea Croron Ka.

25. HARIS

Human Aid Robotics and Intelligence System (HARIS) pursues R&D in order to provide low cost electro-mechanical machines where required and reducing the import cost and expensively imported machinery.

The startup raised PKR 50 million in funding led by Founder Imptrax Munawar Adadullah at Idea Croron Ka.

FOOD

26. Dervish – The Food Souq

Dervish is a food incubator, that owns three profitable restaurant brands at the moment. It has incubated six startups in a year with an 83 percent success rate. Five out of six ventures under Dervish continued to sustain success for more than one year.

At Idea Croron Ka, the startup raised PKR 20 million in an investment deal offered by Founder Zamindar Capital Naeem Zamindar.

COMMUNITY

27. Karachi Chefs at Home

Karachi Chefs at Home is a female-only Facebook group where members share their love for food and cooking. Hosting recipes and food talks, the group has also published three book compilations called Tasty Treasures with members’ recipes. The community has over 135,000 members.

The food community secured a $20,000 grant from Facebook on the platform of Idea Croron Ka.

28. Soul Sisters Pakistan

Soul Sisters Pakistan provides an online support system for every Pakistani woman. While the primary focus remains to be able to discuss women’s issues and networking with like-minded individuals, the community has also evolved into an information and entertainment avenue with its own blog that periodically features stories of group members. The community is a strong network of over 100,000 Pakistani women.

The group qualified for the Facebook Community Leadership Program and secured a $20,000 grant from Facebook on the platform of Idea Croron Ka.

29. Karachi Schools’ Guide

This Facebook group is a community that provides a unified platform to bridge the gap between parents, teachers, educators, and students in order to bring them on a single page for an exchange of health information related to the field of education and activities which will aid to the constructive development of kids. The community boasts 92,000+ members.

At Idea Croron Ka, the community raised $20000 in grand funding by Facebook.

30. Special Needs Pakistan

Special Needs Pakistan is a Facebook community and a resource network for the support group of people who require special attention and care for being differently abled. The group has over 6000 members currently. At Idea Croron Ka, the community raised $20000 in grant funding by Facebook.

32. Startups incubated at National Incubation Centers

In 2018, Ignite, formerly known as National ICT R&D Fund, completed its mission of establishing National Incubation Centers in every major city of the country. This year, the startups incubated at NICs across the country raised over $23 million in funding through the platform of Ignite. These startups include:

• PakVitae from NIC Lahore raised $18 million
• Fine Living from NIC Lahore raised $890,000
• Integry from NIC Islamabad raised $680,000
• Radarview 360 from NIC Islamabad raised over $289,000
• Bykea from NIC Karachi raised over $250,000
• Kazzola from NIC Islamabad raised over $220,000
• Aero Engine Craft from NIC Lahore raised over $165,000
• Cricflex from NIC Islamabad raised over $158,500
• Mauqa Online from NIC Islamabad raised over $117,000
• Rasai from NIC Islamabad raised over PKR 13 million
• Zari Faisal Designs from NIC Lahore raised PKR 12 million
• Fabricare from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 10 million
• DOT Incorporation from NIC Karachi raised PKR 9.8 million
• Bogo from NIC Karachi raised PKR 9.2 million
• Naseem from NIC Islamabad raised over PKR 7 .8 million
• Roamer from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 5.4 million
• BERA from NIC Peshawar raised PKR 5 million
• Darewro from NIC Peshawar raised PKR 3.9 million
• StoryKit from NIC Lahore raised PKR 3 million
• Vceela from NIC Lahore raised PKR 2.6 million
• Sukoon from NIC Karachi raised PKR 2.5 million
• AutoX from NIC Islamabad raised over PKR 2.4 million
• Franchise.pk from NIC Islamabad raised over PKR 2.4 million
• OvueTech from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 1.2 million
• PanWifi from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 1 million
• Konnectin from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 1 million
• Smart Tubewell from NIC Peshawar raised PKR 500,000
• Gul Technology from NIC Quetta raised PKR 500,000
• APRUS from NIC Peshawar raised PKR 500,000
• Wolf Out from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 500,000
• Mechanic on the Go from NIC Islamabad raised PKR 500,000
• Dealsmash Recommender System from NIC Islamabad raised a seed funding of over $132,000
• Electrocure from NIC Islamabad raised a seed funding of over $250,000
• Innovative Learning Solution from NIC Islamabad raised a seed funding of $1.2 million

32. Women-led startups competing in Karandaaz Women Entrepreneurship Challenge

Karandaaz Pakistan launched the first edition of Women Entrepreneurship Challenge, supported by UK DFID. The first edition of the challenge spanned across 2017 and final investment deals were signed in mid-2018 with 15 women-led startups. Karandaaz Pakistan invested PKR 64 million in the following startups revolving mainly around clothing, crafts and organic beauty:

• Sprinkle’s Cafe
• Zaib’s Stitches
• KB Mustard Oil
• Memuna’s Dress Designing
• Stitchwich
• Sephora Beauty Salon
• Handy Vac
• Gems & Jewelry Business
• DOCH Pvt. Ltd
• Rider School Van Service
• Zoha Boutique
• Polly & Other Stories
• Zari Faisal Designs
• Aero Craft Engine
• Organic Jiyo

---

The figures have been updated to reflect the investment amounts raised by startups incubated under National Incubation Centers. 

[Riaz Haq]

#Pakistan expects more #fintech from #China, says Pak central banker. The #blockchain technology powered by China's Ant Financial Services Group bridges local #mobile #payment platform Easypaisa and #Malaysian remittance service Valyou,- http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/09/c_137729242.htm#0-twi-1...

Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Tariq Bajwa said Tuesday that his country expects more financial technology from China to help develop digital financial service in Pakistan.

The governor made the remarks during a launching ceremony of the country's first blockchain technology backed home remittances service. "This puts Pakistan on the map of very few in the world that have launched international remittance using blockchain technology," he added.

The blockchain technology powered by China's Ant Financial Services Group bridged local mobile payment platform Easypaisa and Malaysian remittance service Valyou, realizing round-the-clock, real-time and low-cost money transfers between Pakistan and Malaysia.

The service aims to promote and encourage the use of formal channels for remittances, with all existing incentives offered by the State Bank of Pakistan for promotion of international remittance through mobile wallet being applicable for this service.

Bajwa said cooperation between Pakistan and China has gone beyond infrastructure construction and reached financial technology areas, adding that the new remittances service will bring a breakthrough to Pakistan's financial services sector and contribute to the country's financial digitalization.

For his part, Chairman and CEO of Ant Financial Eric Jing said on the occasion that "the new remittance service is one of the examples of how emerging technologies can help countries meet their digital and financial inclusion goals."

He told Xinhua that through the blockchain technology backed remittances service, his company is making efforts to offer inclusive financial services to more Pakistani people to contribute to sustainable economic development in Pakistan.

He said Ant Financial also pays attention to seeking local partners to develop joint ventures in Pakistan in efforts to make joint development with local partners through the new technologies.

[Riaz Haq]

International Mentoring Scheme: Physics Programme Offers #STEM Mentoring in Pakistan

https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/31086-physics-programme-off...

The previous academic year saw the launch of the International Mentoring Scheme, a programme led by the University of Bristol’s School of Physics, which offered undergraduates the opportunity to work with students in Pakistan.

The aim of the project was twofold, firstly to encourage the study of physics in schools internationally, and secondly to offer students in Bristol some teaching and outreach experience.

Last year eleven University undergraduates took part in the programme which partnered with six schools across Pakistan. This year the number of undergraduate mentors has increased to fourteen, working with eight partner schools.

The programme offers students in Pakistan, who are studying A Levels or their equivalent, a chance to discuss the subject in greater depth and explore beyond the syllabus, as well as to find out something about the everyday life of a university student in the UK. The students in Bristol write a report on their mentoring experience, which staff in the School of Physics assess.

Professor Walther Schwarzacher, from the School of Physics, who initiated the programme said; “I am extremely happy with the response to this programme. There is a huge need worldwide for the skills and understanding that studying physics provides, so it is really essential to encourage prospective physicists wherever they live. This programme has given our undergraduates a chance to share their enthusiasm for the subject with talented pre-university students in Pakistan, and motivate them to persevere.

The great thing is that both mentors and mentees have expressed satisfaction with the experience. Our students value the chance to 'make a difference' but also to gain teaching and communication skills that will be invaluable to them in whichever career path they take. Students overseas get the chance to discuss any parts of their coursework that they find particularly difficult, but also to learn something about more advanced topics such as astrophysics and quantum mechanics.

The mentoring classes were carried out via video, over the internet, which provided a low cost and immediate method to communicate with the Pakistani students.

Naomi Getzler, who is a third year physics student, said; “‘The international mentoring programme was an unexpected gem amongst my third year physics units. In weekly classes on Skype, I introduced aspiring young women physics students at Lahore Grammar School to subjects far beyond their school syllabus - from black holes to white holes, anti-matter to dark matter and the big bang to the big crunch. It was wonderful to encourage and help them on their route to studying STEM subjects at university.”

Uzair is one of the students based in Pakistan, who was able to join the mentoring programme; “The sessions were of great excitement and were very interesting. They were very valuable to us and much of what we learned was outside the constrictions of the classroom and school syllabus. We were able to ask questions which usually go unanswered in the classroom. Our discussions gave us a deeper understanding of the topics.”

[Riaz Haq]

STEM schools to be established in Pakistan: Fawad Chaudhry

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/488302-stem-schools-to-be-establi...

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, on Friday said that STEM schools would be established in all the districts of Pakistan.

In a meeting with Chairman HEC Tariq Binori, he expressed his unequivocal intent to make the STEM School Project a success in Pakistan.


While describing the roadmap for the implementation of the STEM project, the minister said that initially seven reputed universities of Pakistan would be included in the Project to impart STEM education to the students ranging from grade 6 to grade 10.

According to the Project, each university will be entrusted with the task of imparting STEM education to two schools.

The Federal Minister said that the teaching staff of the selected university for the Project would be given incentives. He further said that the students of the universities participating in the Project would also be asked to be part of the STEM School Project.

While discussing the implementation of plan with the Chairman HEC, he said that a unique syllabus would be formulated which would be in line with the basic modern standards of science education.

Moreover, criteria for selection of schools and of students for the Project would be set. In this regard, the Minister said, National Testing Service (NTS) would be asked to conduct a screening test for the selection of students so that the suitable students who demonstrate the relevant aptitude for science education may adroitly be selected for the Project.

While expressing his views on the scope and extent of the Project, he said that all the provinces would be taken on board for the countywide implementation and accomplishment of the Project.

Tariq Binori, the Chairman HEC, extended his full-fledged support for the success of the Project. He said that the HEC would extend its technical and financial support for the Project.

While expressing his desire for awareness of science education among the people of Pakistan, Chaudhry Fawad revealed that an International Science Conference was being organised on October 17- the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan- in which scientists and educationists would be invited from across the globe.

The focus of the Conference would be science, technology, education and innovation.

[Riaz Haq]

4 Pakistani students score big at Intel science fair
3 students among 6 who represented Pakistan at global contest were from schools run by Turkish foundation in country

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/science-technology/4-pakistani-students-sc...

Four young Pakistani students secured places at the world's largest pre-college science fair, Intel ISEF, held in the U.S. last week. 

Pakistan was represented by six students at the world's largest fair of its kind, including three from Pak-Turk Maarif International Schools, run in Pakistan by a Turkish foundation. 

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the world's largest international pre-college science competition and is held in Phoenix, Arizona featuring over 1,800 students from more than 80 countries, regions, and territories. 

Sadaf Naushad, from the Pak-Turk Maarif school, was one of six Pakistani students who presented their science projects at the fair and won a special prize in the field of energy and also got a scholarship at Arizona state University with a cash prize for the grand prize. 

Ahmed Zafar and Usaid Ahmed from Karachi and Mian Affan Anwar from Rawalpindi also won prizes and scholarships in the global competition. 

"I’m very happy, My family, friends, and colleagues are very happy for my success being recognized there on such a big platform," Sadaf Naushad from Karachi’s Pak-Turk Maarif School told Anadolu Agency. 

It’s really a big achievement for my project," she added. 

Sadaf’s award-winning project was a dual-purpose highway turbine. 

The turbine is a vertical axis wind turbine project that serves two purposes by utilizing the wind produced by a vehicle’s movement along the highway as well as the natural wind. 

Speeding vehicles on highways can provide enough wind to power the turbines 24 hours without stopping. 

The energy generated can be used for lighting along highways attached to the turbine and also extract water from underground for irrigation. 

"The aims of the project is to reduce electricity consumption and generate electricity as a renewable resource to promote greenery near Pakistan's highways," Sadaf explained. 

Highway turbines have already been installed in Turkey, but Sadaf's innovation is to pump underground water for irrigation. 

Sadaf thanked Turkey’s Maarif Foundation, her teachers, and school administration for their support, saying that Maarif always promote STEM education and encourages teachers and students to participate in competitions, unlike many other schools.



Maarif announcement for students and teachers 

Selahattin Batur, the Maarif Foundation's director in Pakistan, announced a special visit to Turkey for the students and teachers who took part in Intel ISEF. 

"It’s a great honor that three students among all six participants from Pakistan in the global competition were from Maarif schools," Batur told Anadolu Agency. 

All three students and their teachers will be awarded a one-week trip to Turkey, he announced. 

Batur said his administration would encourage and support Maarif students entering competitions on the national and international level in the future as well.

Currently the Maarif Foundation is running 28 schools in Pakistan. 

Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016 after a coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Group (FETO), a terror group that uses overseas schools as a revenue stream.

Maarif has taken over dozens of the terror-linked schools and reformed their administration and curriculum.