Pakistan
Profile: Zayn Venture Capital's Faisal Aftab
Weaving geopolitical analysis into the grassroots trenches of seed-stage investment, Faisal Aftab led the deployment of Pakistan’s first VC fund having never previously invested in the country’s start-ups
Deal focus: Glimmer in a dormant Pakistani ecosystem
Pakistan’s Trukkr quietly spent a hardscrabble pre-seed period building infrastructure while competitors leveraged a short-lived VC boom to grow quickly. The patience appears set to pay off
US, UK VCs invest Pakistan logistics start-up Trukkr
US-based Accion Venture Lab and Sturgeon Capital of the UK have led a USD 6.4m seed round for Pakistan’s Trukkr, a financial technology provider for the trucking industry.
Sarmaycar, Shorooq back Pakistan fintech player OneLoad
OneLoad, a Pakistan-based digital financial services platform established by local IT player Systems Limited and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has raised USD 11m in funding.
Deal focus: Pakistan’s Dastgyr aspires to emulate Alibaba
SOSV sees parallels between the e-commerce awakenings in Pakistan and China, though 20 years apart. Dastgyr has positioned itself at the fore, but it wants to be asset-light rather than asset-heavy
Pakistan B2B marketplace Dastgyr secures $37m Series A
Dastgyr, a Pakistan-based B2B e-commerce marketplace, has raised USD 37m in Series A funding led by Veon, an Amsterdam-listed telecom provider that owns Pakistan’s largest mobile network.
Deal focus: Bazaar, Zayn encapsulate Pakistan’s breakout moment
Bazaar, a B2B logistics and financial services start-up, is putting Pakistan on the map for brand-name global VC investors for the first time. One of its key local backers, Zayn Capital, is doing the same
Pakistan's Bazaar gets $70m Series B
Pakistani B2B e-commerce and financial technology platform Bazaar has raised a USD 70m Series B round led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global Management.
Pakistan fintech player NayaPay gets $13m seed round
NayaPay, a Pakistan-based financial technology start-up has secured USD 13m in what is claimed to be one of the country’s largest-ever seed rounds.
CDC expands Asia footprint
UK development finance institution CDC Group, already an active investor in South Asia, has announced a strategic pivot toward the broader region with a special interest in Southeast Asia.
CDC backs Gobi's Pakistan fund
UK development finance institution CDC Group has provided an anchor commitment of undisclosed size to a Pakistan VC fund targeting $20 million from Gobi Ventures and local conglomerate Fatima Group.
Bazaar secures Pakistan's largest-ever Series A round
Online B2B marketplace Bazaar has completed what it claims is Pakistan’s largest-ever Series A round with a $30 million commitment led by Wavemaker Partners and US-based Defy Partners.
Pakistan's Airlift raises $85m Series B
Airlift, a Pakistani last-mile delivery app, has raised an $85 million Series B round in what is being called the largest-ever start-up investment in Pakistan and the Middle East and North Africa region.
Pakistan’s Habib Bank backs digital SME lender
Habib Bank, the largest bank in Pakistan, has joined a $10.1 million Series A round for Finja, a leading local financial technology start-up and small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) lender.
Indus Valley raises $17.5m for Pakistan VC fund
Pakistan-focused VC firm Indus Valley Capital has raised $17.5 million for its debut fund focused on early-stage start-ups. The initial target was $15 million.
CDC expands VC program with South Asia focus
UK development finance institution CDC Group has engaged two venture capital industry veterans as part of a VC program expansion in Africa and South Asia.
Profile: Sarmayacar's Rabeel Warraich
Rabeel Warraich swapped the stability of GIC for the untested waters of early-stage investment in Pakistan. With Sarmayacar about to close the country’s first VC fund, the gamble appears to be paying off
Prosus leads $12m Series B for Pakistan's Bykea
Prosus Ventures, formerly a VC arm of South African media conglomerate Naspers, has led a $12 million Series B round for Pakistan ride-hailing and courier app Bykea.
ADQ launches $300m India, Southeast Asia VC fund
ADQ, a state-owned holding company in the United Arab Emirates, has launched an AED1.1 billion fund ($300 million) that will invest in Indian and Southeast Asian start-ups with expansion plans in the Middle East.
Pakistan’s Airlift raises $12m Series A
Pakistan’s Airlift, a bus-hailing app, has raised a $12 million Series A round led by US-based First Round Capital. It is being called the largest ever Series A in Pakistan.
Pakistan's i2i launches $15m venture fund
Invest2Innovate, an accelerator program for technology start-ups in emerging markets, has launched a $15 million venture capital fund focused on Pakistan.