The Hidden Elite Funding Pakistan’s AI & Data Center Boom ft. Aly Fahd | TBT Podcast

I see I think maturation cycle like I think I have seen شروع میں there was a lot of free money coming into Pakistan.

There were a lot of startups that raise a lot of money.

Focus یہ تھا کہ جی growth دکھاؤ top line دکھاؤ چاہے profit ہو نہ ہو। I think اب میں نے دیکھا ہے کہ the companies have become more mature over time like companies like Abhi, Laam Kiz Bazaar, you know, they're more mature and focused a lot more on profitability.

Mm.

Uh, I think because of AI or investment opportunity cost, I think emerging market startups investment has changed.

Even in the US it has changed, but emerging market

Mm.

or what I've seen is Pakistan the startups have gotten more, more mature-

Mm.

-uh, over time.

I've also seen, um, , um, you know, uh, because of, uh, free money not being available and a lot of the AI tools being available, I think the speed with which, uh, Pakistan , you know, AI enablement products, even the government focus, you know, not to sound like, you know, more, uh, you know, political or completely we are very political, but I feel like there's a whole push from top down, right?

Mm.

Every minister, everyone, every ambassador I speak with, I think their KPI is around , or, you know, how can we connect with diaspora and everything else.

So I've, I've definitely seen a, a bigger shift in it.

Also, I think Pakistan, what I've seen is at least living in the US and I travel all over the globe, I don't think US relationship, at least lifetime.

I think the relationship has improved quite a bit.

So the way the people perceive Pakistan has changed from international investors, I think they're starting to go back to Pakistan more often. . Non-Pakistanis visa they have gone to Pakistan through Park Launch.

So clearly that is shifting and I'm getting a lot more requests, okay, how can we get the visa in Pakistan, where to stay and, and, uh, and, and stuff like that.

So I think that is helping quite a bit.

Um, and I also think, um, .

The cause of the whole geopolitical side of things and what is happening in Pakistan and elsewhere, I do think it has kind of pulled Pakistani diaspora, um, and the Muslims in general, but even Pakistani diaspora, I think they want to-- they've gotten closer to Pakistan.

You know, they feel like, you know, with some of the news in the US visa you know passport .

I, I think Pakistan is something they know at the end of the day .

So I, I do feel like there is that bigger push, uh, happening.

And I think Gen Z, they're much more nationalistic even in the US student chapters and some of the top universities.

I see I think maturation cycle like I think I have seen شروع میں there was a lot of free money coming into Pakistan.

There were a lot of startups that raise a lot of money.

Focus یہ تھا کہ جی growth دکھاؤ top line دکھاؤ چاہے profit ہو نہ ہو। I think اب میں نے دیکھا ہے کہ the companies have become more mature over time like companies like Abhi, Laam Kiz Bazaar, you know, they're more mature and focused a lot more on profitability.

Mm.

Uh, I think because of AI or investment opportunity cost, I think emerging market startups investment has changed.

Even in the US it has changed, but emerging market

Mm.

or what I've seen is Pakistan the startups have gotten more, more mature-

Mm.

-uh, over time.

I've also seen, um, , um, you know, uh, because of, uh, free money not being available and a lot of the AI tools being available, I think the speed with which, uh, Pakistan , you know, AI enablement products, even the government focus, you know, not to sound like, you know, more, uh, you know, political or completely we are very political, but I feel like there's a whole push from top down, right?

Mm.

Every minister, everyone, every ambassador I speak with, I think their KPI is around , or, you know, how can we connect with diaspora and everything else.

So I've, I've definitely seen a, a bigger shift in it.

Also, I think Pakistan, what I've seen is at least living in the US and I travel all over the globe, I don't think US relationship, at least lifetime.

I think the relationship has improved quite a bit.

So the way the people perceive Pakistan has changed from international investors, I think they're starting to go back to Pakistan more often. . Non-Pakistanis visa they have gone to Pakistan through Park Launch.

So clearly that is shifting and I'm getting a lot more requests, okay, how can we get the visa in Pakistan, where to stay and, and, uh, and, and stuff like that.

So I think that is helping quite a bit.

Um, and I also think, um, .

The cause of the whole geopolitical side of things and what is happening in Pakistan and elsewhere, I do think it has kind of pulled Pakistani diaspora, um, and the Muslims in general, but even Pakistani diaspora, I think they want to-- they've gotten closer to Pakistan.

You know, they feel like, you know, with some of the news in the US visa you know passport .

I, I think Pakistan is something they know at the end of the day .

So I, I do feel like there is that bigger push, uh, happening.

And I think Gen Z, they're much more nationalistic even in the US student chapters and some of the top universities.