startup.exe isn’t just an event
it’s a shared effort to make early-stage building in pakistan more honest, hands-on, and founder-first
we’re incredibly grateful to our partners for backing this idea and showing up for the ecosystem in real ways
kashoon leeza has helped shape pakistan’s digital investment climate cyber policy, and digital economy work
at startup.exe, she joins as a mentor offering 1:1 sessions for founders who want to navigate policy, regulation, and the bigger picture with more clarity and confidence
taimur khalid has worked at the intersection of tech, leadership, and scale
at startup.exe, he joins as a mentor to work 1-on-1 with founders helping them think clearly, build boldly, and navigate the messy middle of growth
his advice is shaped by real-world execution not theory
as Director at Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and a key contributor to landmark initiatives Raza Ahmed’s insight into legal and structural gaps is unmatched
at startup.exe, raza will moderate the legal session founders often skip — ensuring you don’t learn the hard way
safwan khalid at startup.exe, is leading a session on how to launch early products with ai and agents
where to start, what to test, and how to think like a builder — not just a prompt jockey
if worried about being left behind in fast pacing ai era, this one’s for you
sheikh sajawal is a performance marketing expert who’s scaled customer acquisition for startups across fintech, edtech, and mobility
at startup.exe, he’s offering 1:1 mentorship on how to run smarter ads, spend better, and stop guessing your way through growth
Osman Nasir at startup.exe: Learn how to get your first 100 customers & scale fast with smart partnerships. No fluff—just real tactics.
Link in bio
Few slots left
what investors actually look for in a startup
shehryar hydri at startup.exe, is leading a sharp and honest session on:
• what investors actually care about
• how to structure your pitch, traction, and story
• and what most founders get wrong before they even enter the room
legal is boring
until it breaks your startup
dr mobeen imran shah director general legal at ministry of it and telecom is joining startup.exe to lead a session on the legal mess founders ignore until it bites them
from cofounder agreements to equity splits and early compliance
Naeem Zamindar at startup.exe is leading a tactical session on reaching out to investors
we’ll walk through the difference between cold and warm outreach
how to build investor maps
and how founder led updates can build trust
this isn’t theory it’s how it’s actually done
housing ideas isn’t enough
understanding the ecosystem is what makes them thrive
dr naveed iftikhar at startup.exe is joining as a mentor to help founders build with sharper context better positioning and long term thinking
📍 2nd and 3rd august
apply now! link in bio.
startups often move fast but without structure data gets ignored decisions feel reactive and long-term thinking is missing
dr. saqib at startup.exe, is mentoring founders on how to think clearly, work with data, and build with structure from day one
📍 2nd and 3rd august
nida salman brings deep expertise in brand, communication, and design,worked across startups, and has led design projects with undp and worked as a design consultant for tedx
also co-founded nd2c, pakistan’s first digital design conference that shaped the creative ecosystem
what makes an idea worth turning into a business and how do you know if it’s even worth your time
with 20+ years of experience advising the world bank, ifc, adb, ali qamar, co-founder at foresyte consulting, brings deep clarity to strategy and business design
zain farooq, founder of mytm (acquired by barq group) and now md at barq pk, has lived through the highs, lows, and messy middles of building a startup from scratch.
at startup.exe, he’s leading a raw session on how to read the signs, make the hard calls, and shift with clarity.
Recognized among the top 10 global fund managers in Emerging & Frontier Asia, Muhammad Shamoon Tariq, CFA, FDP is the founder of Mahaana (YC W22) Pakistan’s first SECP-licensed digital asset management platform, backed by Y Combinator
August 2–3 at NICAT, Islamabad Apply now
what if 2 days could change how you build forever?
startup.exe is not another event, it’s a serious builder’s room.
happening 2nd & 3rd august at NIC islamabad.
built for founders ready to get real and go deep.
limited seats. high-signal only.
apply now! link in bio.
launching startup.exe
a no-fluff weekend for real founders.
2 days. islamabad. 2–3 august.
product, GTM, fundraising, cap tablesthe stuff that actually breaks or builds a startup.
no panels. no pitch-fest.
limited seats. curated group.
apply now → link in bio