GroundUp

1. ABHI's Global Expansion: ABHI, a Pakistani fintech, expanded into the UAE, partnering with Visa Inc. and YellowPepper for an account-to-account payment service. The company gained global recognition from various institutions and secured significant funding through Sukuk Islamic bonds. 2. Akhtar Fuiou and EP Systems: Akhtar Fuiou Technologies and EP Systems received approval for commercial and pilot launches from the State Bank of Pakistan. They introduced unique services like e-money wallets for farmers and merchants. 3. SadaPay's Freelancer Service: SadaPay launched a service enabling freelancers to receive payments through GooglePay and ApplePay, addressing the needs of Pakistan's growing freelance community. 4. Industry Shifts: CheckOut and CareemPay withdrew their licenses, citing economic uncertainty and competition. Finja sold its E-Money Wallet division to Opay, while Paymax announced plans to wind up operations in Pakistan. #GroundUp #Fintech #startup #investment #opportunities #pakistan

2021 marked a significant period of growth and expansion for technology firms globally, including those within Pakistan. However, the subsequent years 2022 and 2023, were characterized by challenges such as global conflicts, energy crises, supply-chain disruptions, and economic instability. Despite these hurdles, Pakistan's startup ecosystem experienced substantial growth from 2020 to 2022 but faced a slowdown in 2023. #Groundup #startup #funding #Investment #businessgrowth

The investment landscape for Pakistani startups reveals stark gender disparities, particularly evident in the funding received by female-founded companies. Over the period from 2018 to 2022, these companies secured a mere 1.12% of the total $831.2 million raised, amounting to just $9.8 million. Despite fluctuations in overall investment trends, female-founded startups faced a persistent lack of funding, with their share dropping to a mere 0.88% in the last year. While venture capital remains less accessible to women, there are alternative avenues such as grants, as evidenced by 36 female-led businesses that accessed grants, with 7 utilizing a mix of VC funding and grants. #Groundup #startup #funding #Investment #businessgrowth

In 2023, funding experienced a notable decline, plummeting by 77% compared to the previous year, while the number of deals also fell by 29% in the same period. It's worth mentioning that the years 2021 and 2022 marked significant milestones with the highest-ever funding amounts recorded at $365.8 million and $332.4 million, respectively. On another note, GroundUp is pleased to announce that the year 2023 marked a notable achievement for female-founded startups, with their share in total funding increasing to 13.9%, a significant rise from the average of 1.34% observed between 2019 and 2022! #groundup #investments #funding #startups #growth

With the new funds, AwanTunai plans to significantly enhance its lending capital facilities, aiming to support over $2 billion in annualized inventory purchase financing by the year's end, thereby contributing to the digitization of Indonesia's economy. CEO Dino Setiawan anticipates further expansion of the funding round, highlighting AwanTunai's strong business model and its path towards profitability, with the company already achieving positive EBITDA and anticipating positive profit after tax by the end of the fiscal year. #Groundup #startup #funding #Investment #businessgrowth #SMEs

May this Eid ul Fitr bring joy, prosperity, and abundant blessings to you and your loved ones. As we celebrate the spirit of togetherness and renewal, GroundUp extends warm wishes to all. Eid Mubarak! #Groundup #Eid #investment #startup

Starting a business is always an exciting journey. However, some misconceptions and myths cloud your judgment. Here are the top 6 biggest myths regarding starting a new business: 1. You need a unique idea to succeed: A lot of successful ventures have succeeded in improving existing ideas. Doesn't matter if it's unique or not! 2. You need a lot of money to start: While a lot of money helps, many businesses start small and grow gradually with reinvestment and various funding options, such as crowdfunding, small business loans, and angel investors. 3. Success happens overnight: While this may be true for some businesses success doesn't happen overnight. Overnight success stories are rare and often overlook the years of hard work and dedication that went into building the business. It's essential to be patient and realistic about the timeline for achieving success. 4. You have to do it alone: You may have seen lone wolves succeed, but it doesn't necessarily mean running a business is a one-man job. Building a successful business often requires collaboration and support from others. Surrounding yourself with a reliable team, mentors, and advisors can provide valuable insights and help navigate challenges more effectively. 5. Failure is the end of the road: Failure shows us our weaknesses and mistakes, and is a natural aspect in almost every field. Viewing failure as a learning opportunity rather than the end of the road can be crucial for long-term success. 6. You have freedom all the time: While entrepreneurship offers freedom and flexibility it also draws down an extensive list of responsibilities and challenges. As a business owner, you may find yourself working longer hours and dealing with various tasks, especially in the early stages of building your business. #startup #businessidea #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #Groundup

Technologies have been leading in innovation starting from the invention of the wheel to the present day. Technological advancements, e.g. AI, green energy, blockchain, keep reshaping and creating investment opportunities in several areas of the economy. From VR to Meta, AI is going to pull over various industries through automations, predictive analysis, and personalized experience. Companies that are creating AI for drug discovery, personalized medicine, and patient care are signing up with investors as well as those involved in self-driving cars and AI-infused cyber security. Renewable energy technologies are becoming the new attractive asset class driving sustainable infrastructure, clean energy generation, and energy storage systems. The global society we are in today is heading towards a more sustainable future, investing in renewable power projects and new technologies in this field brings out the great potential for growth. There are more than one way to capitalize the power of technology for investors! #GroundUp #AI #investment #startups #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #Sustainibility #renewablepower #technology #cybersecurity

23rd March is an important date that stands as a symbol of unity, determination, and the struggle for independence. Pakistan Resolution Day reminds us of the sacrifices made by our forefathers that laid the foundation for the creation of Pakistan, our homeland. GroundUp extends heartfelt wishes to all on Pakistan Resolution Day, celebrating the values of freedom, equality, commitment, and progress for all Pakistanis. #GroundUp #Pakistanresolutionday #23rdMarch #Unity #Commitment #equality #fairness

The way we perceive change is what sets our future! Embrace innovation, and watch how a spectrum of opportunities unfold your way! #GroundUp #Innovation #Startup #Ideas #opportunities #ecosystem