Recognition for what our team built at Datics AI and for my own work as an entrepreneur, from Pakistan's business community and government and an international hackathon, and the councils, boards and competitions I was asked to serve on.
Awarded to me for Datics AI in the category Software Exporter, Mobile App, Animation, Artificial Intelligence & Gaming Software, one of five recipients in the Software House category. I received the award from the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad. The trophy is engraved to me and Datics AI Technologies.
The LCCI Achievement Awards honour high achievers in Pakistan's business community, with the President or Prime Minister of Pakistan as chief guest. In 2021 the Chamber received 197 applications; 81 qualified for evaluation by a panel of judges, and 19 recipients were chosen across three categories. I received the Dynamic Entrepreneur Award in the Information Technology sector for the growth of Datics AI in its first three years. Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood presented the award at the ceremony, and the recipients met President Dr. Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadr the next day. Baaghi TV, Daily Jang and Daily Express covered the awards, and Lahore News HD and Lahore Rang invited me on air to talk about it.
Our teams took first place in the Economy track with Vendito, a platform that helped small businesses hit by lockdowns sell online. I set the product's technical direction and led its development during the 48 hours. Third place in the Crisis Response track with Killing Super Bugs, an IoT platform for tracking UV-C disinfection, where I worked on the infection data analysis.
Excellence Award for Tech Entrepreneur of The Year at Growth Summit'23, where I was also a speaker.
Named among the 100 Tech Heroes of Pakistan. The recognition was presented by PITB's Director General (e-Governance).
Certificate of Appreciation at the Punjab 3.0 launch of Web 3.0 at PITB, Lahore, presented in the name of the President of Pakistan.
Government councils, boards and industry committees I have been asked to join.
The Council was constituted by the Prime Minister's Office in June 2022. At its meeting of July 15, 2022 I was co-opted to the IT Export Working Group, and I sent the Working Group my recommendations that month.
A committee constituted by the Chief Minister's Office, Punjab, with PITB as its secretariat. PITB co-opted me on December 4, 2022.
One of seven members co-opted to the Member Engagement Committee of P@SHA, the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITeS.
Appointed by the Government of the Punjab to the Board of Management that governs TEVTA's Centers of Excellence under the Improving Workforce Readiness in Punjab project, financed by the Asian Development Bank. I serve as the board's information technology member, including review of the IT-sector curriculum. Since then I have reviewed TEVTA's ICT sector skills mapping (2024), the ICT equipment specifications for the Centers of Excellence (2025) and the proposed ICT equipment list (2026).
When I sit on a judging panel, the main thing I look at is impact: how much easier this will make life for the people it serves, and how many people it can reach. It is the same reason we started Datics, to use new technology to make people's lives easier. After that I ask what real problem it solves, whether there is something that works and not only a slide, and whether the team knows its core strengths and builds on them.
I have scored early-stage ventures on four panels for the Punjab Information Technology Board and SEE Pakistan, from the Bahawalpur and Multan launchpads to the international round of the World Startup Championship, and my scores counted toward which ventures moved forward.
Judge for the Elevator Pitch Round of the Launchpad, Cohort 2, which selected the startups admitted to the incubator. Ten startups were admitted.
Judge for the Launchpad of the National Expansion Plan of National Incubation Centers, Rawalpindi, Cohort 5.
Evaluator for the international Online Pitch Round, which covered 60 startups from five countries. I scored four assigned startups, and my scores counted toward deciding which went forward to the final round.
Judge for the Pitch Deck (Final) Round of the Launchpad, Cohort 5. Twenty finalists pitched and ten startups were selected.
Beyond judging, the Punjab Information Technology Board thanked me for LaunchPad sessions guiding its incubated startups.
Panelist at the Computer Science Department's meetup at FAST Lahore on the gap between graduates' skills and industry needs, with FAST's Rector and industry leaders.
Datics AI trained 216 graduates through the TechLift program, and around 300 in artificial intelligence as a NAVTTC partner under the Prime Minister's Youth Skill Development Program.