Meet Maha, an entrepreneur from Pakistan

After meeting so many wonderful people at the Global Start-Up Youth (500+ youth from 100+ countries), we - the French team - have decided to share those people’s stories. Each day, we’re going to discover the entrepreneurial ecosystem of a new country through the eyes of a local. 

After India, let’s visit Pakistan with Maha. Maha was on my team at the GSY  and has impressed me with her social skills: she even managed to ask 100 people if they were single for the sake of our project :) Big up for Maha!   -Penelope

Hi Maha, can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do? 

Hello all :) I am Maha Yusuf, a 22-year old Pakistani girl from a very small town of Pakistan named Jhang. I am a Chemical Engineer from National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad Pakistan and The University of Mississippi, United States where I went under ‘Cultural Ambassador Scholarship’ by US Department of State last year. I graduated just a month ago with a GPA of 3.92/4.00.

But, I have been working in the field of ‘science, technology and tech-entrepreneurship’ for over 2 years and am the inventor of a ‘Piezoelectric Shoe’ (a customized engineered shoe that converts the daily mechanical energy of the walk into electrical energy) along with my team in NUST, Islamabad. The shoe charges low voltage mobile batteries up to 3-4 volts. The social mission of the business idea/concept revolved around low-middle class and labor section of community who experience high power cuts, aiming at fueling the demands of low-middle class and labor section of community who cannot afford expensive generators.

I presented ‘Piezoelectric Solution to Pakistan’s Energy Crisis’ in an entrepreneurship competition, GISTech-1 in December 2011 and, was among 25 semifinalists from over 43 countries when I wasn’t even done with half of my engineering coursework. I got a chance to present my work in Second Global Summit on Entrepreneurship in Istanbul, Turkey hosted by the Prime Minister of Turkey and US Vice President, Joe Biden. There, I experienced mentors and people from MIT, Stanford, Silicon Valley and all the amazing places of the world. This is how my entrepreneurial journey started two years back!

To be honest, I am from a conservative farming family where females weren’t very much encouraged for schooling, let alone for careers in fields like engineering or entrepreneurship. But, I have struggled, believed in self and, made my way through. Thanks to my persistence and hard work, my parents started understanding me, my dreams, my ambitions, and above all, who am I.

Thus, when I came back over-loaded with ideas, hopes, and aspirations and, tapping my potential to the fullest, I continued the work with greater intensity. Mentored by Stephanie Marrus, a corporate advisor in Silicon Valley, I became the regional semi-finalist of Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) at London Business School, presenting my work in the EMEA Finale the same year. I was selected as an Ambassador/Spokesperson of a Malaysian company, SecQ.me, became a Global Shaper at World Economic Forum for Islamabad Hub, represented NUST with the Rector on an Official Dinner by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and participated in an Internship at Engro Fertilizers – Daharki. I was then selected for the ‘Cultural Ambassador Scholarship’ by U.S. Department of State for a one-semester cultural exchange at The University of Mississippi last year.

Fortunately, my work, leadership qualities, and the spirit of giving back to the community has been recognized at various International forums. Recently, I have been selected on International Mobile Statusby Schlumberger asField Trainee Engineer for Latin American Geo-Market and placed at Bogota, Colombia for my first offshore drilling assignment – one of the very few Pakistani females selected for such a challenging role.  I have also been awarded FulBright Scholarship for Graduate Studies in United States by the US Department of State.

What is the start-up ecosystem like in your country? 

Umm, the startup ecosystem in my country is improving with the passage of time with increased funding, awareness, and startup accelerators. I know that my country is not very famous for startup culture and is usually perceived dangerous, conservative and, ridden by infinite problems by the media especially in West and United States but, the situation has improved over the past couple of years with its citizens especially young people taking responsibility of making a difference to their communities.

MIT Enterprise Forum Pakistan, an arm of MIT Enterprise Global is seen to have done a revolutionary work in initiating and, creating entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country over the past 5 years. Now, there are many organizations, forums, chapters, incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Incubators/VC firms: Plan@9(Pakistan’s first largest tech startup incubator in Lahore, Technology Incubation Centre in NUST university Islamabad, Cloud9, Mini Ventures,TIE Islamabad, DYL Ventures, Invest2Innovate, and others.

Events for the promotion of entrepreneurship in Pakistan have also both evolved and, increased over the past few years for example, IBA Invent competition, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), Indo-Pak Young Entrepreneurs Conference, MIT BAP Competitions, DISCOVER NUST – Prime Minister’s Entrepreneurial Challenge, Nutshell Forum, and others. Regarding co-working spaces, trend is not very common but it is changing gradually with Dot Zero being the first co-working space in Karachi which is soon to be replicated in Lahore and Islamabad.

Regarding business angles, there are people from organizations like Google P@SHA innovation fund, I2I, etc. though it is true that foreign angels/investors are scared of coming to Pakistan and, investing. When it comes to mentorship, there are mentors from organizations like MIT Enterprise Forum Pakistan, P@SHA, TIE, OPEN Pakistan, Plan@9.

The role of US Embassy Islamabad in accelerating Pakistan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is especially appreciated in this regard.

With this, I will be honest with the point of foreign investors investing in Pakistan. They are scared of coming and investing here! But, I am optimistic and believe that the young people of my country will lift Pakistan out of the dilemma of marred International image and other real issues.

What is it like to be an aspiring entrepreneur and a girl in Pakistan?

Umm, if you want a dead honest and straight answer to this question, then I will be daring enough to say that to be a female entrepreneur in Pakistan, it’s really hard. Women and girls in Pakistan face issues women in other countries take for granted. A girl right from the start has to fight for some of her basic rights like education, choice, etc. though it depends on which part of the country you come from. For example for me, yes I had to fight for theright to continue my education, to go to college, then to choose chemical engineering as my major and, not medicine, then to travel outside Pakistan, to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams, then to work in a male-dominated fertilizer industry, and, now to go to Bogota to start my career right after graduation but my family has been very supportive throughout my journey. Hadn’t it been the will of my mother and father, I wouldn’t have typing this Interview for the French startup about my country!

But, by this I don’t mean that women haven’t broken the cement walls around them in my country. There are many strong, inspirational females who have and, are breaking the cement walls and, making a difference to the way live in Pakistan now, e.g Benazir Bhutto, Jehan Ara (CEO P@SHA),Rabia Garib, Sabeen Mahmood, Maria Umar, etc.

You can read more about top 12 Pakistani inspirational females in business and technology here.

What would be the three main challenges for entrepreneurship in your country? 

Pakistan is a country that’s ridden by infinite problems like education for all especially girls, terrorism, drone strikes, floods, earthquakes, and other and I know that there are a lot of challenges for entrepreneurs in my country but like I already said I am optimistic! I have a firm belief that good things are sure to happen and they will.

But, the main challenges for entrepreneurship right now in Pakistan are:

- Global connections or I should say connecting young Pakistani entrepreneurs to the world.

- Less Government Support in promoting entrepreneurship in the country.

- Less funding from investors both local and foreign.

The three assets?

- Young people of my country who are willing to take responsibility and, bring the country out of economic instability.

- Huge Market : Since foreign investors are scared to come to Pakistan and, invest, this leaves a huge domestic market ready to be untapped and touched

- Opportunities: By ‘opportunities’, I mean that there is a huge room in every area which is waiting to be filled for example, education, environment, health, women empowerment, internet domain, etc.

 How do people feel about entrepreneurs in your country? Is there a specific role model? 

Umm, to be honest entrepreneurship is not very sought after thing in Pakistan and, young people mostly go after jobs preferably multi-national ones right after graduation. But, the trend is changing with the increasing awareness of startups, importance of starting a business, and by a series of workshops by organizations like MIT Enterprise Forum Pakistan.

When it comes to big guys, there are many young entrepreneurs who have done amazing work and, are a role model for the young people of my country. It’s difficult to choose any one model hence, I am listing here as many as I can: Kalsoom Lakhani (CEO I2I), Farhan Masood (CEO SoloTech Group), Maria Umar (CEO Women Digital League), Ali Raza Randhawa(Founder Pak-Energy Solution), Kamal Afridi (Founder 22 FOUR International Corp), are the next big names!

What has been the most successful start-up in your country in the past 5 years?

I guess the most successful startup in Pakistan in the past 5 years isSoloTech founded by Farhan Masood who is though a college dropout but recognized as one of the brilliant minds of the year by MIT! SoloTech is a dedicated leader in technological innovation providing fastest multi-model biometric device based on Dual Retina and Face Identification/verification in 3D space.

Starting with a modest living in Lahore, Farhan has now offices in London, UK, Chicago, US and Australia. 

 What’s a young Pakistanese dream today? 

Being a young Pakistani female entrepreneur, I can safely say that a young Pakistani’s dream is Pakistan’s stability both economic and strategic. Young Pakistanis dream of safer, securer Pakistan with positive International image in International media with education for all, jobs, and an ecosystem to nurture young entrepreneurs of the country.

We dream of making Pakistan a safe land for our families, and for our foreign friends to come and share our happiness. Plus, an economically stable country with a fertile soil for everyone to live a happy contended life with a freedom of doing whatever they want.

 Do you have a message for French youth? 

I have always believed in one thing which is finding the thing you love to do and, then doing it so well that somebody pays you to do it. My message for my fellow young people from France is to never settle and, keep on searching that one thing they love to do! And if possible, follow progress, not success!

With this, I would tell them about a cool platform on facebook that’s aimed at connecting people passionate about science, technology, startups and entrepreneurship across the globe: bRaIns. You are most welcome to join it, connect with fellow like-minded people from over 40+ countries and keep yourselves updated on what’s new going on in your field of interest.

Shukriya! (Thank you in Urdu)

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 To get in touch with Maha, you can e-mail her (myusufolemiss@gmail.com), or contact her on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin (she’s very active on Facebook!)