Pakistan’s first technology start up incubation programme, Plan9, a project of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) is launching ‘CEO Baithak’, first ever of its kind today (Friday)
The PITB officials said that the ‘CEO Baithak’ would have the front faces of different organisations to join and share their entrepreneurial tales and skills. This would result in the start ups to learn from the problems these individuals faced and also leverage from the network they provided. For the first time, Plan9 Baithak would have Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Miftah Ismail as a special guest, with years of diverse experience.
Plan9 is a nationwide initiative and teams from all over Pakistan are called to participate. For non-residents of Lahore, res-location is evidently troublesome, but they would get reward in the longer run.
Like many other incubators, Plan9 provides space, mentorship, electricity, and legal support for start ups incubated. Besides, there’s financial support. Plan9 also has a pretty extensive list of advisors, including Zafar Khan (CEO of Sofizar), Khurram Zafar (CIO, Lahore Stock Exchange), Jehan Ara (president of Pakistan Software Houses Association), and Badar Khushnood (Pakistan country consultant for Google).
The Plan9 representative explained that the vision was to build a conducive start up ecosystem for tech entrepreneurs all over Pakistan.
‘Plan9 does not provide financial funding to the start ups. “We create channels of potential funding for our start ups’. As an incubated start up, you get the opportunity to pitch to Plan9 Angel Investors Club and seek angel investment. We also connect you to other potential investors.
Talking about the aims of Plan9, the officials said that the plan was to enable inquisitive young minds to get firsthand experience of Plan9 and learn in an environment that thrives on talent, “hard-work, creativity & commitment that would translate directly to their professional experiences later in life.