Written by: Shahnawaz Ramay
Posted on: May 16, 2022 | 
| 中文
Khumariyaan band's concert at the Fest
Pakistan’s biggest tech convention convened in F-9 Park. The Zindigi Future Fest is one of its kind, showcasing a collection of eclectic yet dynamic start-ups. Spanning over 3 days and hosting 4 conferences, it is a deep dive into the innovation exposition happening currently in Pakistan with a blended lineup of Pakistan's most noted tech startups, entrepreneurs, investors, brainiacs, techies, artists and netizens. It also has a number of concerts, most prominently of Khumariyaan and Bayaan bands and Aima Baig, amongst others.
Almost half a billion dollars has come in investments to Pakistani startups over the past 18 months, which is more than five years previously combined. With brighter prospects emerging, the festival aims to attract investor interest from all around the globe. The festival is also an amalgamation of 4 different conferences; Startup Grind, Pakistan Ecommerce Conference, Developer Conference and the very first edition of Freelance Fest 2022. Chief Operating Officer of the JS Bank, Imran Sheikh, the main sponsor of the 2022 Fest said: “Zindigi Future Fest is the first of its kind tech event on such a large scale, which is bringing tech enthusiasts together and giving an opportunity to startups, freelancers, small and large-scale tech businesses and many others to explore the potential in Pakistan.”
Public attending the Fest
Some of the important startups showcased at the JS Bank’s sponsored Future Fest 2022 are as under:
With Covid and the failing of conventional marketing strategies, the need for Content Studio arose. Content Studio helps businesses and corporations in Pakistan to access viral trending content. Addressing this need led to the development of a social media content management platform to provide the ease of use of social media. They have a genuine start-up journey, and Azhar and Waqar are the co-founders. This is a made in Pakistan venture that provides a whole array of services, other than social media management. This includes an alternative to Bitly and is a product analytics tool. In order to provide local viral trends and insights, the platform has the capability to detect different languages, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage helps pick topics from specific geo-locations to help curate content for marketing and communication purposes. For local Facebook Advertisers and marketing experts, this platform seems like a dream come true.
Mohtashim Ahmed Siddiqui is the co-founder of Digittorney, which is a digital marketplace for all your legal needs. They not only verify the lawyers, but also provide vetting services. This includes a group of barristers, lawyers and university students looking to start their practice. The unique selling point for this start-up was the start to finish tracking feature. The platform allows users to keep checks. It condenses the experience of hiring a big law firm into a single platform, for ease of use and faster access to justice.
“There is no regulatory framework that extensively provides an overview on lawyers. So private entities like us had to come in and fill that gap. We have an automated review system to help us tailor the experience to your needs, and verify if the lawyer is performing their tasks.”
Digittorney's stall
It was no surprise to see a good number of health start-ups exhibiting in the wake of Covid. MedsnMore is looking to be the front runners in revolutionizing and reshaping what it means to have quality healthcare and easy access to it.
“According to a study published by DRAP, more than 40% of the medicines being sold in Pakistan have either lost their efficacy or are counterfeit,” said Anas Rafique, Digital Growth.
Established right after the Covid outbreak, they have expanded from Karachi to Lahore and Islamabad. Tabiyat.pk is the consumer end of the stream, which allows consumers to find, order and get medicines delivered to their doorstep with no delivery charges. MedsnMore directly sources the medicines from the manufacturers to avoid counterfeits and deliver genuine medicine. The platform also supports a “refill feature” for chronic illnesses. A prescription feature is also in place to help people upload, verify and then get medicines from the platform itself.
PayFast's stall
A global non-profit organization with roots in Seattle, Washington, PWIC is looking to increase the hiring, capacity building, and training of girls & women in the tech sector in Pakistan. Founded by women in leading tech industries like Google and Microsoft, it aims to establish links between academia and the industries operating in Pakistan.
PWIC helps not only raise the technical competency of a trainee but also mentors them to look for the right job. Through “Get Hired”, an annual event for young graduates, they help provide employment opportunities in Pakistan and in the United States. PWIC provides assistance in resume building, but also coaches the applicants on what skill set they should have and build in order to be successfully hired.
Although the leadership team consists of women, it is not only for women. Speaking on this misconception, Qurut-ul-Ain Fatima cleared the air and said that PWIC works closely with men as well, and it is an equal opportunity initiative.
Pakistan Developer Conference
One of their newer initiatives is to launch “Returnship” programs. This stream provides moral, technical, and emotional support to women who take a break in their careers, but want to get back into the industry again. PWIC helps prepare them by doing knowledge assessment, and if need be, technical training to help motivate and empower women returning to the workplace.
Next to a small but immaculately made single unit stands Talha Allahwala. He’s one of the founders of Rawts. Based in Karachi, they are looking to introduce ergonomic spaces that redefine co-working units as well as bring a fresh and new look to existing corporate sector.
The unit is a neatly designed and a well-thought-out cubicle that reduces up to 40 decibels of noise to help build focus and attention called the “Meeting Pod”. This was also tested out with an audio interview, and we have definite proof that the noise reduction is massively mitigated. Although the concept is not new internationally, in Pakistan, they are looking to break the mold of what a conventional workspace looks like. At the core of their product lies the mission of making employees happy about coming to the office and working in a focused and productive environment.
Freelance Fest 2022 speakers
Talha and his team came up with the design in 8 months' time. A challenge for them was to ensure soundproofing as well as ventilation, so the user does not feel claustrophobic and stuffy. The pod is completely customizable, although only for the exterior. Within only a month of launching, they have a waiting list of 40 days. Speaking in terms of sustainability, he discussed their method of using a process that has almost zero waste in producing these pods.
These were important startups that attracted my attention, but there were some issues with the management of the Fest.
The first was the odd choice of arranging a multi-day event in an open space like F9 park that did not sit well with attendees as well as exhibitors. The stuffy cramped marquee-style tents were not properly ventilated or lit to help navigate the area. The uneven ground proved quite a hassle in terms of mobility. Drinking water coolers were mostly standing empty, with no specific directions towards alternate drinking sources. The front of the expo was given to bigger exhibitors, but that left little or no space at the back for smaller start-ups, who were often overlooked.
Although the website is selling tickets, there was no specific check and balance on it. Upon entering the park, it was a long walk to the pavilions that were haphazardly arranged. Lack of directions was a problem and many workers welding, cutting, and building kiosks outside the pavilion made it seem like maybe one had arrived at the wrong time. The agenda of the day was also nowhere to be seen. This just created confusion as most of our time was spent at the expo section talking to different exhibitors, even though two conferences were running parallel to each other. The hype, the website and digital marketing did not live up to its expectations.
Most of the exhibitors I talked to faced various disruptions in their kiosks. Some did not have tables or had electrical issues. The expo pavilion also faced regular power outages. With the organizing team nowhere in sight, the exhibitors were left to deal with the shortcomings on their own.
Crowd at the entrance
In conclusion, I personally found Future Fest to be lacking in terms of the deliverables advertised. The website claims over 30,000+ attendees, but actually how many of them were actual tech enthusiasts was not clear.
The lack of presence by the organization team left some aspects overwhelmingly unattended. The odd location for conducting the event, and the disruption because of protocol and VIP guests was not mitigated through alternate plans. After the initial excitement of meeting new startups faded away, one was left with nothing much to do. This coupled with the heatwave, the lack of drinking water and ventilation made it taxing experience.
Aima Baig's concert at the Fest
However, this should not be a basis for discontinuing the festival. It is still a good initiative to bring together the tech industry and attempt to foster a collaborative environment and break the bubble in terms of exposure. However, the organizers need to take serious note of their mismanagement and the lack of attendance of a target audience.
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