Pakistani startups aren’t just reaching the skies of our country, but they are actually breaking the records and making their name in the outside world. Their support system is non-other than PlanX; Pakistan’s largest startup accelerator. This year PlanX takes Pakistan’s best startups to Silicon Valley, southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, in Rajeev Circle Fellowship.
About Rajeev Circle.
Rajeev Circle is the brainchild of the late Prof. Rajeev Motwani and his wife Asha Jadeja Motwani, who is currently at the helm of group’s affairs. The group’s overarching vision is to trigger disruptive ideas, activities and technologies so as to have a remedial impact on problems in the developing world. The Rajeev Circle Fellows
hip act as a bridge connecting young entrepreneurs from this part of the world to the Silicon Valley. Rajeev Motwani was a professor of Computer Science and an early advisor and supporter of companies including Google and PayPal. the company has also invested in Cisco, Pinterest and Gogo. Apart from their valuable critique to these companies, they have Fellowship program that provide excellent mentor shipto emerging startups. The program is run by volunteer Rajeev Circle group who support the attendees in every regard – regular video meetings, business plan polishing, connecting to venture capitalists and angel investors and advice on exit options. Rajeev Circle has been able to bring forward startups from places where there isn’t a strong support system.
From this fellowship, 6 participants have been selected. These include two participants from PlanX: Eisha Zeb, Assistant Program Manager and Head of Strategic Global Partnerships; and Qasim Salam, founder of CampusFeed. Other Fellows include Ali Murtaza of Makeistan, Usama Abid, founder and CEO at DIY GEEKS, Hina Tariq, COO at DIY GEEKS and Hamza Munir, Chief Design Officer (CDO) at DIY GEEKS. These Fellows will be flying to the Silicon Valley in Mayto take part in the three weeks Fellowship.
Dr. Umar Saif, Chairman of Punjab Information Technology Board, MIT Enterprise Forum Pakistan and Vice Chancellor of ITU shared his views. He said,
“The increasing number of participants being selected every year from Pakistan for the prestigious Rajeev Circle Fellowship shows the huge potential that lies in our entrepreneurial ecosystem. With such opportunities these young entrepreneurs will develop the vision and the connections needed to disrupt the global market with their creative ideas.”
All startups can rejoice who dream to participate abroad as Rajeev Circle fellowship will serve as a bridge from Pakistan to the Silicon Valley!