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Punjab Minister for Higher Education & IT Raja Yassir Humayun held a press conference at the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) regarding the participation of startups from Punjab in the Dubai Expo 2020. Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Azfar Manzoor and PITB DG e-Governance Sajid Latif were also present at the occasion.
Dubai Expo 2020 that commenced on October 1st is being held for six months and will conclude on 31st March 2022. Participation from Pakistan has been scheduled over these six months with Punjab showcasing in November. The government of Punjab would showcase Punjab’s Startup Ecosystem at the Dubai Expo 2020 under the theme of ‘Startups & Innovation.’
During the press conference, the Minister gave a detailed briefing on the Startup Punjab portal through which potential startups have been selected for Dubai Expo 2020. He stated,
“Punjab government has introduced an online platform, Startup Punjab, developed by PITB. The portal aims at bridging the disconnect between Pakistani startups and international stakeholders under the vision of ‘Invest in Punjab, Buy from Punjab and Work for Punjab.”
Startup Punjab is an initiative to connect startups, investors, consumers, and talent from Punjab with potential international stakeholders. The portal will be formally launched by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in the coming days.
Registration of startups commenced on 30th September 2021. Of the 311 applications received, 20 were shortlisted by experts based on the marketability of ideas and products/services.
“20 startups have been selected for Dubai Expo 2020 through the PITB developed Startup Punjab portal. All these startups have been selected transparently with respect to their startup domain, growth, revenue, potential impact in the industry and investment readiness. The presentation skills and strength of the teams in terms of talent and skills were also taken into consideration,” the Minister informed.
The selected startups will present their products at Dubai Expo 2020 from November 16th to 28th in groups. Other activities include Startup Exhibition & Startup Moot, the launch of Startup Punjab Portal, MOU signing with Dubai based organizations for supporting startups in Punjab, Panel Discussions on Startup Ecosystem, South Asia’s New Hub of ICT – Punjab, Pakistan, and a Seminar on ‘Showcasing Strengths & Opportunities in ICT Sector of Punjab.’
The overarching purpose of “Startup Punjab” is to boost the ICT industry nationwide and expand the footprint of Pakistan on the global entrepreneurship landscape.
The startups selected for Dubai Expo 2020 are Cricflex, Mobokey, Vceela, Poutla Inc, Boltay Haroof, Mytm, Gharpar, BreatheIO, Baby Planet, InstaCare, Nearpeer, WRAP, Dastgyr Technologies, Adlytic AI, TheEPO.com, SocialBu, Deutics Global, EyeAutomate, Aabshar, and EMTEN.
