In a ground-breaking initiative to nurture young talent and foster an entrepreneurial spirit, the Shahjehan Syed Karim Incubation Center (SSKIC) at the Institute of Business Management (IoBM) organized a first-of-its-kind "Pitch Deck Competition" exclusively for high school students. It was held on Monday, July 24, 2023. The event was conceived and executed by the interns of IoBM's Summer Internship 2023 studying at Karachi Grammar School (KGS). This event was held under the guidance of Mr. Raza Abbas, Head of SSKIC. This program provided a unique platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas and compete for recognition. It was also an opportunity for the intern’s skills in team building and event management.
Pitch That Startup: Pitch Deck Competition aimed to inspire the next generation of business entrepreneurs and provide high schoolers with an opportunity to experience the thrill of entrepreneurship in a university setting. The event highlighted IoBM's commitment to fostering creativity, engaging with the community, and empowering young minds to think creatively.
Mr. Talib Karim, President IoBM congratulated the IoBM summer interns for their commendable commitment to executing this event. He was hopeful that such events will create an inclusive environment to foster the thoughts to create future entrepreneurs.
Present on this occasion were Dr. Seema Ansari, Advisor to Rector IoBM; Dr. Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik, Dean CBM, IoBM; Mr. Muhammad Misbahuddin, Head of HR; Ms. Juveria Baig, Head of Internship, Placement and International Office; Mr. Salman Beg- IoBM Board member and President of Old Grammarians Society. Representatives from the corporate sector were also present.
"Our team was excited to organize this competition as a means of giving back to the community and empowering high school students," said Aneeqa Iftikhar Tunio, one of the student organizers. "We believe everyone should have the chance to explore their entrepreneurial potential, and this competition allowed us to provide that opportunity."
Despite the summer break, the competition saw an overwhelming response from high schools across Karachi, with almost 80 students participating from up to 10 schools including Alpha, Bay View Academy, Bay View High, Cedar, Happy Home, Indus Academy, Karachi Grammar School, the Lyceum, and Nixor. Each team was tasked with crafting a compelling pitch deck within 2.5 hours using a business idea that they were given on the spot. The business ideas targeted Pakistan’s emerging and thriving sectors including technology, consumer goods, education, travel, tourism, and e-commerce.
The panel of judges for the competition comprised SSKIC's resident startup owners and experienced industry experts including Mr. Aurangzaib Alamgir, Ms. Maira Siddiqui, and Mr. Hamza Rasheed.
Aurangzaib Alamgir, the Founder of Porter Pakistan, heads an online platform dedicated to leisure and travel planning and booking. Notably, it secured victory in three startup contests, including the coveted World Bank Group's IS grant fund. Moreover, Mr. Alamgir had the honor of representing Pakistan in a global competition held in Morocco last year.
Maira Siddiqui is the visionary behind Chiragh Education Technologies, an indigenous EdTech startup based in SSKIC-IoBM. Chiragh's mission is to revolutionize Pakistani education through engaging cartoon and game-based learning. Having secured substantial funding of over 5.5mn PKR, mainly from Morocco and Scotland, Ms. Siddiqui has proven her fundraising prowess.
Hamza Rasheed, the mastermind behind Hacktastic Solutions, specializes in delivering cutting-edge solutions to businesses, enabling digital growth. As a resident startup at SSKIC, Hamza's remarkable critical thinking skills excel in solving complex challenges, making him a formidable competitor in the market. His startup journey since 2017 includes ventures in 3D printing, E-commerce, and IoT-based parking solutions.
After an intense evaluation process, the distinguished panel of judges selected Team Pehn Lo as the winner of the inaugural competition and Team Hifazat as the runner’s up. Teams Academate and Pawfect Match were recognized as Honourable Mentions. Pehn Lo’s idea is an app that links professional stylists with consumers seeking wardrobe design assistance and outfit recommendations. One of the judges, Maira Siddiqui, attributes Team Pehn Lo's victory to their effective teamwork, thorough research, and excellent leadership.
"This is the first entrepreneurial competition I have ever participated in, and it was a great first," said Anushae Mansoor, a high school participant from Karachi Grammar School." As a science student, I thought I wouldn't be interested in this sort of thing, but this event proved me wrong. I learned a lot about my strengths, weaknesses, and entrepreneurship in general. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!"
Mr. Raza Abbas said that "We must promote entrepreneurship early amongst students to cultivate and promote an entrepreneurial mindset. It was inspiring to witness aspiring entrepreneurs compete with passion and zeal at IoBM’s 1st Pitch That Startup competition and ensure a great experiential learning experience for our IoBM summer interns."
To conclude the IoBM SSKIC news article with a focus on relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the entrepreneurship initiative aligns well with several key SDGs:
SDG 4 (Quality Education): The "Pitch Deck Competition" provided high school students with experiential learning opportunities, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and practical business skills, contributing to equitable and inclusive education.
SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): By promoting entrepreneurship among youth, the event encourages sustainable economic growth and productive employment. It instills an entrepreneurial mindset, which is essential for creating jobs and fostering innovation.
SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The competition stimulates innovation by challenging students to develop business ideas that address real-world problems, leveraging emerging sectors like technology, e-commerce, and education.
These SDGs reflect the broader impact of initiatives like IoBM's Pitch Deck Competition, driving progress toward a more educated, innovative, and economically sustainable future.