Pakistani start ups win GSMA grant of £668,000

The GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion announced three Pakistani startups as winners out of the 597 applications received from 44 countries.

The winning Pakistani startups Vceela, Knowledge Platform and Orenda Pakistan — will receive a total grant of £668,000 (Rs146 million).

Addressing the occasion virtually, GSMA Head of Asia Pacific Julian Gorman said digital technologies are set to transform the way people live and work in Pakistan.

By 2023, the economic contribution of the mobile industry in Pakistan is expected to reach $24 billion, accounting for 6.6 per cent of GDP, he added. In an effort to stimulate this growth, Pakistan has recently moved forward with significant mobile services tax reforms.