LUMS-nominated Pakistani startup Codeschool.pk bagged the top spot in the Stanford Seed Spark Program for high-achieving entrepreneurs across South Asia
Introduced by the National Incubation Centre (NIC) LUMS, Codeschool.pk, was the introductory cohort from Pakistan that participated in the capstone business pitch competition, a statement said.
Saleem Ahmad, Chairman NIC LUMS Lahore and Quetta said that NIC’s partnership with Stanford SEED Spark reflects their confidence in Pakistani startups and entrepreneurs and their ability to compete with “the very best talent globally.”
Besides the triumphant Codeschool.pk, all NIC LUMS mentored start-ups participating in the competition finished among the top 20 finalists. Ahmad said the startups brought home much pride with their tremendous performance.
“Our conviction is reinforced by the fact that all of NIC LUMS mentored start-ups made the top 20 finalists and have brought home much pride in also winning the top position across South Asia,” said Ahmad, while addressing the graduation ceremony of Stanford SEED Spark’s inaugural cohort in Pakistan.
Details of the competition
The program saw participation from 83 ventures from around 17 collaborating institutions, including the likes of:
- IIT Bombay
- TiE Chennai, and
- CII-Young Indians
Only top 20 start-ups were selected for the final round of the competition. After a thorough scoring process, the top three graduates were awarded cash prizes as well as a virtual showcase feature in the gallery of global Stanford SEED Spark. The NIC LUMS nominated start-up ended up as the top performer among the 83-participating graduates.
Collaborating with NIC LUMS was a great experience
P. R. Ganapathy, Regional Director, Stanford Seed South Asia said Collaborating with NIC LUMS was a great experience and expressed eagerness to meet with “more innovators and problem solvers from Pakistan”
“Our collaboration with NIC LUMS for Spark’s maiden cohort in the Pakistan start-up ecosystem has been a great experience,” said P. R. Ganapathy, Regional Director, Stanford Seed South Asia. “We are thrilled to see the energy and enthusiasm that NIC LUMS nominated entrepreneurs brought to the program. We are looking forward to meeting more innovators and problem solvers from Pakistan to apply and make best use of a word-class online entrepreneurship program at their own pace and time.”
About Codeschool.pk
Codeschool.pk is a year-old start-up that offers fun, interactive coding classes to 6+ children with the aim of inculcating critical 21st-century skills in them including, problem-solving, creativity, and resilience. The startup has more than 450 students in ten countries.
Codeschool.pk co-founder Sadaf Rehman said she was “deeply grateful to NIC LUMS for introducing this program to Pakistan, and for the networking opportunities and support that they have provided along our journey.” She said the Stanford SEED Spark Program was instrumental in helping her team articulate its vision.
The Stanford SEED Spark Program
The Stanford SEED Spark Program is a four-month training for early-stage entrepreneurs in the traction or growth stage and seeks to empower them with practical tools to refine and develop their businesses through an action-based curriculum, networking opportunities with peers, one-on-one mentorship, and live expert sessions. NIC LUMS brought the Stanford SEED Spark program to Pakistan and will be expanding it nationwide, with the second cohort due to begin in March 2022.