Why Google wants to invest in Pakistan, the big reason revealed
Google is looking for 10 to 15 startups based in Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand or Vietnam that are in the seed or Series A stage. The accelerator will provide these startups with the most cutting-edge technology to help them on their journey by providing a network of Google mentors, new contacts, and more. Startups in Pakistan have raised $350 million in funding in 2021, a small amount compared to the Indian startup ecosystem, but five times the amount raised in 2020. Google said it will nurture this next wave of tech startup founders with the 'Google for Startups Accelerator' (Southeast Asia and Pakistan), especially those looking to develop e-commerce, finance, healthcare, SME-focused B2B solutions , are focused on education, agriculture and logistics.
In Southeast Asia alone, 80 million new users have come online since March 2020, fueling activity for startups developing digital products and services across various industries. "We have seen growth reach new heights in both Southeast Asia and Pakistan," Google said. Government-run initiatives such as Thailand 4.0, 1,000 Startups from Indonesia, Startup SG Founders from Singapore, as well as Pakistan's Prime Minister's Youth Program, will continue to help aspiring founders get their startups off the ground.
Interested startups will be encouraged to apply by 7 October. There are over 3,700 startups in Pakistan such as Dealkart, dBank, Tag, Bazaar and Firefly among others. Over the past few years, startups across Southeast Asia and Pakistan have been growing steadily and facing the most pressing challenges of the regions. From agriculture to healthcare, these startups are creating digital solutions to tackle their areas of focus.
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