She Loves Tech comes back to Pakistan for sixth time

Women-led startup CIRCLE is bringing She Loves Tech 2022, a women-centric global technology startup acceleration competition, back to Pakistan for the sixth time.

This year CIRCLE will be hosting She Loves Tech Pakistan in 15 cities which will also include second-tier cities like Sukkur, Hyderabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, Jamshoro, and Gilgit Baltistan etc. in addition to major cities ie Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

In 2021, CIRCLE hosted the competition virtually because of the ongoing pandemic and had a chance to extend it to 13 cities. Last year more than 200 applications were received from all over Pakistan. 60 startups from the local rounds pitched in September 2021 which was followed by the country’s top 10 competing in the finals.

Expressing her inspiration behind bringing She Loves Tech to Pakistan, CIRCLE’s founder Sadaffe Abid said: “At CIRCLE we are committed to promoting digital and financial inclusion of women along with creating an enabling ecosystem for women startups and women in tech.”

Aiman Bashir of “Outclass” an EdTech startup hailed as the winner for Pakistan She Loves Tech National competition in 2021 and represented Pakistan at the Global finals with 40 other startups from all over the world. Out-Class has recently raised $500,000 seed funding in a funding round.

“She Loves Tech Pakistan has been an inspiring experience!” Bashir said. “It is a truly unique experience to have connected with the industry experts and with so many brilliant women entrepreneurs having some incredibly innovative ideas to deliver change in Pakistan,” she added.

Dr Saira Siddique — the first solo female startup founder to raise $1.8 million for health tech venture, medIQ — was the finalist for She Loves Tech 2021.

“She Loves Tech was one of the best experiences for me. I was mentored by the most powerful women in technology and learnt from amazing fellow women entrepreneurs. By participating in the She Loves Tech competition, my pitch was perfected and the fundraising strategy was laser focused. SLT has been a partner in my journey so far and will remain an integral part for future disruption in the health tech sector.” Dr Saira said.

Closer look at She Loves Tech 2022

This year, CIRCLE is hosting nine local rounds in 15 cities and unlike the previous two years, all the activities for She Loves Tech 2022 will be conducted on the ground. The goal is to reach and inspire 25,000 young women across Pakistan through pitches, panels, inspiring talks, digital boot camps, and workshops specially designed for them.

The activities will also include round table conferences with government officials for designing policies that focus on better financial inclusion of women.

The 2022 edition of She Loves Tech will be happening in 70+ locations in six continents.