A historic Demo Day of their First Cohort was celebrated by Pakistan’s ground-breaking fast-track acceleration program for people with disabilities, Innovation Challenge Futuremakers.
A historic Demo Day of their First Cohort was celebrated by Pakistan’s ground-breaking fast-track acceleration program for people with disabilities, Innovation Challenge Futuremakers (ICF).
The occasion provided a stage for the eight outstanding firms in the program to present their original concepts and ground-breaking remedies, showcasing the enormous potential of people with disabilities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Standard Chartered Foundation is supporting ICF, a pioneering partnership between DeafTawk, a pioneering Pakistani startup committed to improving the lives of deaf people, and Sightsavers, a globally renowned organization dedicated to preventing preventable blindness and promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities. This joint venture is proof of the transformational power of cross-sector cooperation in promoting inclusion, innovation, and social change..
The first cohort, which was selected after careful screening, had a platform on Demo Day. The companies run by young people with disabilities from all four provinces of Pakistan had the chance to exhibit their creative approaches to problems in a variety of fields, including education, automotive, the arts, food and hospitality, and food and transportation.
The event attracted significant attendees from the startup ecosystem, government, business sector, and development groups, highlighting the need of maintaining an inclusive atmosphere that fosters the skills of all people.
In his remarks to the attendees, Ali Shabbar, CEO of DeafTawk, said, “We at DeafTawk have first-hand understanding of how innovators with disabilities confront hurdles while launching and developing their firms. I am very happy to have partnered with Sightsavers for this fantastic initiative; together, we have provided young disabled entrepreneurs a strong platform to further their concepts and solutions.
We commend DeafTawk for their role in making this initiative successful and anticipate that our partnership will help create a movement where entrepreneurs with disabilities not only thrive but also serve as beacons of inspiration for countless others, said Munazza Gillani, Country Director of Sightsavers Pakistan. She also expressed her gratitude to other partners for their support. She also thanks the Standard Chartered Foundation and its employees for their significant financial support on a national and international level throughout this time.
The head of community impact and engagement, corporate affairs, and brand & marketing at Standard Chartered Bank, Tasneem Mirza, said, “At Standard Chartered, it is our mission to empower people with disabilities and support them on their path to starting profitable businesses. We’re dedicated to creating a future in which these young businesspeople control their own companies and create jobs for people all around Pakistan.
Ignite CEO Asim Shahryar Husain said, “I think that efforts like this are essential for fostering an inclusive startup environment in Pakistan. My confidence is based on these social entrepreneurs’ capacity to not only have a significant positive social and economic impact but also to function as a spark for long-lasting change.”
The Innovation Challenge Futuremakers (ICF) Demo Day stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, showcasing the remarkable potential of persons with disabilities to drive transformative change across industries and services sector.