‘Be an employer, not just another employee’

Ideas get 54 hours to transform into businesses at Techstars Startup Weekend

ISLAMABAD: With Pakistan facing a massive youth bulge, the youth should be convinced to create employment for themselves and others rather than just look for jobs.

This was stated by National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Business School (NBS) Dean Dr Nokhaiz Sarwar as the capital’s inaugural Techstars Startup Weekend opened at the varsity on Friday.

Organised in collaboration with Telenor Velocity, TiE, OPEN Islamabad, Change Mechanics and Technology Incubation Centre, Lakson Investments, Careem, Uber, NEC, and Cybnus the 54-hour-long startup weekend is the world’s starting point for entrepreneurship.

In Islamabad, graduates and students from many universities will have the opportunity to learn how to turn their ideas into real businesses. The winners will get co-working space at Telenor Velocity to put their ideas to work.



“Through this initiative [startup weekend], we aim to foster a culture of entrepreneurship which produces not job-seekers but job-creators,” said Dr Sarwar.

TIC head Adnan Faisal said entrepreneurship gives one financial liberty to youngsters, allowing them to become employers rather than employees.

“Entrepreneurship is learned as an activity, just like sports, where you need mentors and coaches to learn the tricks and techniques,” he added.

“You will not learn until you act and try out the idea. Practical insight and feedback are important,” emphasized Sybrid Private Limited CEO and OPEN Islamabad President Ather Imran.

Sharing his experiences with the budding entrepreneurs, Imran suggested that they select an idea they feel passionate about and with which they have some level of familiarity and expertise.

“Identify a problem and solve it [through your entrepreneurship]. Invest your time, capital and reputation, and pick the right co-founder … Get a mentor, and don’t obsess with capital,” said Imran, who has over 15 years of professional experience with IT and ITES companies.

He added that the weekend was the best platform for them to realise their ideas since they will get plenty of opportunities to learn, share their ideas with others and improve them over the next three days.

“Eat, sleep and drink your product. Grow your people; companies or products do not succeed, people do. Create value, not just revenue,” he added, explaining that failure is a key part of the learning process.

Assistant Professor Madiha Pervaiz briefed the participants about the targets and rules of the programme. She added that of the 40 ideas pitched and 13 voted through to the next round.

The ideas included technology-driven solutions to some of the pressing challenges the country faces in energy, housing and socio-economic sectors.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2017.