Paklaunch (PL), a platform supporting Pakistani entrepreneurs and startups, secured nearly $1 million in its seed funding round, which it plans to utilize to expand its reach into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, targeting the sizable Pakistani communities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Disrupt.com led the funding round, which also saw participation from other investors including Indus Valley Capital, early-stage company adviser Yousuf Khan, and angel investors affiliated with Google and Meta, among others.
Founded by Aly Fahd in San Francisco as a WhatsApp group in April 2020, Paklaunch has grown to become a significant player in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Fahd highlighted the country’s rapid growth, with the community expanding from 1,200 members in 2020 to 350,000 by the end of 2023.
“After growing to 350,000 members globally, PL now aims to expand to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to support the thriving startup ecosystem by connecting sta7rtup founders with capital and resources needed to scale,” Fahd told news agency on March 17.
He further expressed Paklaunch’s ambition to become the largest tech startups in the GCC region by the end of 2024.
“Paklaunch aims to tap into the largest Pakistani diaspora in the world in Saudi Arabia to grow the community,” he said.
Operating across eight media platforms, a dedicated website, and over 50 invite-only WhatsApp groups, Paklaunch continues to be at the forefront of supporting and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit within the Pakistani community and beyond.
The company has so far organized over 400 events, including six large tech conferences across four countries and three continents.
With a focus on providing training, advisory, and fundraising services, Paklaunch has facilitated over 90 startups in raising $90 million since 2022. Recently, the company organized exclusive unconferences in Riyadh and Dubai, attracting over 350 global investors.
Additionally, Paklaunch has conducted women accelerator programs and training sessions, garnering followers across 40 countries, with a strong presence in Pakistan, North America, the UK, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.