Some more pictures of Karachi Startup Weekend @ IBA Karachi University

Second Day - Me and my team with one of our mentors, Mr. Azhar Rizvi.

Second Day - Tea Break

Third Day - The Final Presentation

All About Karachi Startup Weekend @ IBA, Karachi University

Day 1:

I’ve posted two separate posts one about the Idea that I pitched on day one and the other about all of the 21 pitches.

It all started with this :)

Board which contains names of all Pitches and Votes against each one of them:

Final 12 Pitchers which were short listed to form teams and work on their Ideas:

As per the rules of the event, I was able to form a Team during Networking phase and thus got a chance to be the 13th team in the line up.

Day 2:

We were given dedicated rooms with all necessary equipment to work on our Ideas for 54 hours in 2.5 days.

Me and my team with one of our mentors, Mr. Zahir Ali Syed.

Going to Auditorium to attend one of the Guest Speaker Sessions:

I was explaining my Idea to one of the judges, Naveed Qazi, VP Engineering, Folio3, sitting next to me and during that, one of the Guest Speaker started his speech:

Having tea and snacks with my team during the Tea Break:

Day 3:

We have to present our idea with proposal plan and prototype in a 5 minute presentation.
Introduction of Judges and Prizes to be offered to the winners:



My Final Presentation of the idea "Unified" (we renamed it from SPAM after getting an advice from one of our mentor that SPAM has negative connotation)



Winners:

1st – Social Guru
2nd – Islamopedia
3rd – (Tie between 2 teams) Namaz-Qibla Direction & Teen Tappar

I am sorry I was not able to record the 1st Winner Prize because my mobile battery was exhausted by that time. I can only wish if Karachi Startup Weekend guys upload it some where and I can link it, because I know, 1st position holder team was the highlight of this event.



OFFICIAL VIDEO of Karachi Startup Weekend held at IBA, Karachi Univeristy - Courtesy Khizer Iqbal.




Concluding Remarks:

I never thought a single event would change the way I see my professional life. It was so damn eye opening that my direction is almost changed to 180 degrees. Living a 9-to-9 professional life is no more the way I'll pursue. Innovation and Entrepreneurship is definitely the way to go forward!

A thanks of appreciation, to all those brilliant and hardworking people who make it possible, our facilitators, organizers and our mentors. You help us experience the spirit of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Thank you!

21 Pitches presented in Karachi Startup Weekend @ IBA, Karachi University

Pitching my Idea, “SPAM” @ Karachi Startup Weekend in IBA, Karachi University

I pitched my idea “SPAM – Software Project Artifacts Management” System on 21st of October 2011 @ Karachi Startup Weekend in IBA, Karachi University. My idea did not make it to the final list of 12 short listed ideas . However, I was successful in forming a Team during the Networking Phase and will be working with the Team in next 2 days to come up with a comprehensive Proposal Plan for the VCs and Judges

Got an Idea, Looking for Angel Investors?

(From website)

Welcome to Tech Angels Network !

Pakistan over the last decade has seen large investment in the IT (Information Technology) infrastructure, deregulation in the telecom sector, privatization and investment in the banking sector. This has resulted in tremendous opportunities and growth in the Information Technology sector. The Bright and Innovative entrepreneurs, of Pakistan are attempting to capitalize on these opportunities and have setup hundreds of companies.  Today, the overall number of local IT firms, as per Pakistan Software Export Board and Pakistan Software Houses Association, is over 1,000 with their revenues growing at an annual rate of 40%.

However, these entrepreneurs have a very difficult time in growing their ventures, due to lack of funding, mentorship and contacts. TAN (Tech Angel Network) the first Angel Network in Pakistan; aims to tackle these problem by providing mentoring to these entrepreneurs and then introducing them to high net worth individuals (angels) like yourself, from whom they may be able to get funding, mentoring and access to contacts. We have already started the process of identifying and working with the above mentioned entrepreneurs who have developed a diverse range of innovative products and services.

TAN founders include,

Mr. Farrukh Captain , Chairman;
Mr. Azhar A Rizvi, CEO;
Mr. Imran Sayeed &
Dr Zahir Ali Syed, Directors and
Mr. Ken Morse, MD MIT Entrepreneurship Center and
Bill Aullet also of MIT Entrepreneurship Center as Advisors to the Board.

Official Website of Tech Angels Network (TAN)

P@ASHA ICT Awards 2009

Venue: Grand Ballroom, Sheration Hotel, Karachi, Pakistan.
Date: 14th October, 2009
Time: 8:30 – 11:30

A very well thought out and brilliantly organized event, no doubt, P@ASHA is doing great efforts to promote Pakistan’s IT industry and specially young entrepreneurs and new startups. Thanks to these and similar efforts that we are now seeing business community investing and funding in new ideas and opportunities.