Pakistan’s 10 most promising startups of 2016

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Several Pakistani startups have been successful in making a mark and secured funding in 2016 which ensures promising future of startup industry.

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As year 2016 comes to its end, it will indeed be remembered as a very progressive one for Pakistani entrepreneurs and startups industry. We have noted a significant growth in the tendency of entrepreneurship, where new startups collaborated with private accelerators and incubators, heralding good new for future startups and social entrepreneurship.

Even though Pakistani startups culture is not comparable to the world level standard, however some of Pakistani startups have achieved landmarks that can be considered a breakthrough in Pakistan startup industry. We have compiled a list of leading Pakistani startups that have worked professionally to change the world and increased their funding by solving problems.

Zameen.com

Zameen.com was founded in 2006 by an entrepreneur brother duo, Zameen is one of the largest properties listing online portal in Pakistan.  Zameen’s competitor in Pakistan is Rocket Internet-backed Lamudi. Zameen.com raised a total of US$83 million, which placed it the most valuable startup of 2016. In September last year, Zameen raised up USD 9 Million as funds from three well-known international funds.

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Sabzi.pk

Sabzi.pk, an ecommerce store for fruits and vegetables doorstep delivery service founded by three entrepreneurs Farooq Haider, Aown Abbas and Muhammad Awais at LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship.

Sabzi.pk recently acquired seed funding at US$7.5Million valuation, which is been called highest valuation gained LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship. LCE carried seed financing for Sabzi.pk from the owners of a large Pakistani retail tycoon.

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Mangobaaz

Mangobaaz is an emerging online media company ScoopWhoop and BuzzFeed generates original and curated digital content for their audience, founded by Ali Ahsan and Ali Gul in august 2015.

Mangobaaz has raises worth $115,000 in seed funding from Fatima Ventures a sub group of Fatima Group.

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Smart Devices

Smart Devices is among the first few Pakistani startups to employ IoT (internet of things) systems. The award-winning startup offers products that allow people to control home appliances from smartphones and computers from the comfort of your home or anywhere across the globe. Smart Devices has been nominated for the World Summit Award (WSA) this year.

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BeautyHooked

Pakistan’s first woman funded startup which provides online service to browse salon and spa services, review prices and book appointments online. It was founded by Cornell University gold medalist students Sahr Said and Sidra Talha in 2015.

BeautyHooked has grown right from start, closed their seed funding round with a USD 280,000 funding. The investments were backed by Fatima Ventures.

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Finja

Finja, a Lahore-based Pakistani FinTech which is being founded by Qasif Shahid, Monis Rahman, and Umer Munawar who were industry veterans from tech and banking background. Fin-tech startup aims to digitize financial services in the country.

Startup’s groth depends on rapidly growing smartphone penetration and a digitally literate population by offering financial services through its mobile wallet products. Finja has raised a total of US$1 million of funding in 2016.

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Sukoon

Sukoon.com.pk, a Karachi based online home repair, maintenance and service solution providing company in Pakistan. The startup made it to being one of the highest valued startup at The NEST I/O.

Sukoon.com.pk has successfully closed its seed investment round earlier this year, however the amount of acquired funding kept undisclosed.

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RepairDesk

A Lahore based startup a graduate of LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship in 2014. RepairDesk provides easy, better mobile repairing service with rapid response. RepairDesk develops customer relationship management software, tailored to the specific needs of local small-scale and medium-sized cell phone repair shops.

The startup quickly tasted success and bagged a US$40,000 from Revamp Wholesale a United States based investor. The CEO of Revamp Wholesale has joined RepairDesk to lead product strategy and marketing

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Well.pk

Well.pk is a health and lifestyle ecommerce store backed by angel investors Nadeem Hussain and Noor Abid. It mainly focused on well-being, home appliances and medical devices.they started from selling health care articles and expanded their range to fitness supplements, vitamins, and herbal products.

Well.pk announced earlier that they have secured funds close to USD $1 Million from their initial seed funding round in year 2016. The CEO of Well.pk, Furquan Kidwa said about that to proving streamline operations, and improve customer support huge amount will be consumed.

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Rupeeco

Rupeeco is Pakistan’s first cashback website. Rupeeco aims to transform online shopping experience for Pakistani consumers by allowing them to save on their regular online purchases at leading Pakistani and International brands. All you need to do is just visit the retailers through Rupeeco.pk and shop like you normally do and save on your online shopping 1000s every year.

Rupeeco is cofounded by Zeeshan Cheema and Waqas Hasan, who are UK based Pakistani entrepreneurs with more than ten years working with multinational companies KPMG, WoltersKluwers and Springer Nature. Rupeeco have partnered with major local and international brands Daraz, Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, GoDadday, Payoneer, Qatar Airways among others.

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These mentioned startups have been compiled by their annual funding achieved for 2016. If you are or know of any startup to be included in above list, you are welcome to add in comment