LAHORE: The second edition of Startup Lahore will start from March 30 at the Arfa Software Technology Park under the auspices of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) project “PlanX”, which is touted as the nation’s largest technology accelerator. According to details, the two-day event is aimed at bringing together investors, mentors, entrepreneurs, speakers, tech companies, accelerators and media to one platform. Startup Lahore is an initiative organised by PlanX, the technology accelerator of the PITB that highlights what the Pakistani entrepreneurial ecosystem has achieved in the past few years, and provides an opportunity for them to learn from the industry experts that are part of the talks and panel discussions. According to a statement, “The previous edition of Startup Lahore held in January 2017 was a huge success with a footfall of more than 3,000 individuals within two days. This included more than 150 entrepreneurs, over 30 investors and 50 mentors. It provided new startups with the much needed opportunity to showcase them, get feedback regarding their products and services and gain exposure.” “Pakistan holds a lot of potential for startups and has become an emerging market with international investors funding local startups and PlanX is an organisation, which is committed to seizing this opportunity, said Plan X Programme Manager Mughees Tahir. He added, “I see a lot of great things on the horizon in the next 10 years. The focus of entrepreneurship is already shifting to hardcore technology. With new startups jumping in the domains of e-commerce, IoT, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the market growth will be huge. I am sure there will be a significant number of unicorn companies coming out from the country which will mark Pakistan as the technology startups hub in Asia.” When asked about the participating criteria, Tahir said: “Our criteria are simple… you must be motivated, self-driven and enthusiastic.” “It is a great opportunity for budding entrepreneurs as they can win cash prizes, which can be of great help in improving financial footing of these ventures. Moreover, the participating startups will also have access to mentors who will be present at the event and can consult them to improve their ideas,” Tahir added. “I would highly encourage students, entrepreneurs, startups, and hobbyists to attend the startup. Startup Lahore is the biggest event of its kind in Lahore and promises to have something for everyone.” Published in Daily Times, March 21th 2018.