The US Embassy in Islamabad announced on Friday that nine Pakistani women entrepreneurs had left for the United States as part of a program financed by the US Embassy in Islamabad and organized by the Indus Entrepreneurs Islamabad.
The Accelerator Program for Women Entrepreneurs is an innovative training program and competition that provides American business tools, coaching, and mentorship to women-owned Pakistani start-ups.
450 women-owned companies responded enthusiastically to the program. The top 12 start-ups were chosen for a 15-week Founders Institute Acceleration Program after a rigorous process of mentoring sessions and pitching competitions.
Nine women entrepreneurs were chosen for an in-person acceleration exchange out of the 12 start-ups, according to the US embassy statement.
Women entrepreneurs will get the opportunity to attend important conferences and visit offices of big corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and PayPal during their tour.
They will also pay visits to local incubators in the United States, including 9 Mile Labs, Kiwi Tech, Angel Pad, and Alchemist.
Throughout the eight-week program, the participants will have many networking opportunities and will pitch to selected US-based investors on both the east and west coasts.
Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque, speaking at a ceremony organized by the TIE Islamabad chapter before the departure of Pakistani women entrepreneurs to the United States, said that this program gives Pakistani women entrepreneurs access to international incubators and foreign investors. “I am very pleased about the role that the Pakistani diaspora in the United States will play in helping our women-led businesses,” he said.
“We at the US Embassy have been pleased by the dedication to excellence that all of the initial 500 candidates displayed throughout the virtual program,” stated Raymond Castillo, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy. These efforts will help Pakistan and the rest of the globe to have a brighter future. You should be exceedingly happy to be among the finalists at this occasion. Your perseverance paid off, and you will now represent Pakistan in America. You are Pakistan’s future female entrepreneurs.”
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