Karachi Slush’D, which was held last Saturday on May 17 at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, brought together over 500 attendees and over 50 professionals from different industries who spoke during panels, speaker sessions, fireside chats, and more.

Karachi Slush’D is the brainchild of the evergreen force of technovation, Jehan Ara, under her brand Katalyst Labs and is a local spin on the international event ‘Slush’ which was originally conceived in Helsinki, Finland; it is a global start-up and tech event connecting founders with investors, venture capitalists, and product enthusiasts. A key difference many people noticed between this year’s Slush’D and events like Disrupt 92+ was the notably younger demographic in attendance at the former.

The event’s unifying theme was ‘Builders’ Generation’ – a homage to the formidable force of tech-savvy, AI-loving youth working on innovative solutions to everyday problems.

Topics under discussion included locally driven innovation, potential market gaps and the possible solutions we can look forward to, female-founded ventures, the rapid spread and influence of AI, the shortage of angel investors in Pakistan, the myriad challenges faced by digital banks and the need for inclusive, community-driven tech spaces. Notable speakers included Sara Munir, CEO i2i; Naeem Zamindar, Founder Neem; Mishal Sharif, Country Head Yango; and Ali Rana, COO, Tapmad.

A topic in the spotlight was media democratisation through platforms like Vcast, Nukta and Tapmad. These ventures seem to be a much-needed breather for younger audiences who may not relate to the content on mainstream channels. These alternative content delivery hubs are breaking the hegemony of mainstream media and giving independent content creators a chance to drive innovation in content services (never say no to variety, right?), allowing people to flex their creative muscles and inspire their audiences.

Another theme was the increasing value of data-driven solutions in today’s world; consequently, we now see data taking the spotlight at networking events too. As Muhammad Raza (Chief Growth Officer, Switch) and Gulfishan Shaikh (Head of Treasury & Corporate Finance, EasyPaisa) said at the event, “Data is gold.”

Though the phrase was used in the context of algorithm-based lending, it could easily be the unofficial motto of Pakistan’s tech industry today and the world. Data is helping industries narrow down their target audience and their pain points – eventually reducing costs in marketing and budget spills. Not to mention the customer gets served exactly what they are looking for and eliminates the cognitive load irrelevant marketing brings.

Slush’D also laid the groundwork for aspiring start-ups and enabled them to pitch their products to the right audience. Some of the notable ones included:

• Asani.io tackles water scarcity and mismanagement through smart metering and digital bookkeeping. The automated water management solutions offer water and utilities management through features including Level Indicator, Power Monitor, Motor Controller. The start-up provides solutions for a key problem, especially in Karachi and is being utilised by big names such as Springs, TCS, SAF, Lal Qila, KE, Lucky One and more.

• TB-AI is a cloud-based AI diagnostics platform capable of rapidly identifying infectious diseases such as TB, malaria, E. coli, and more. The venture promises to deliver highly sensitive and specific results, alleviating the burden on healthcare facilities and providers. Such cost-effective solutions enable people from all socio-economic backgrounds to receive timely medical attention without incurring exorbitant costs associated with services and procedures such as tests and transportation from remote and rural areas.

• Knoccs is a customer experience (CX) amplification tool that brings all customer-facing teams on a single platform via email and chat collaboration and provides features like Shared Inbox, Loop In functionality, Real Time Facility and more, which collectively result in reduced turnaround time for customer queries.

Jehan Ara said her belief in the potential of youth is a driving force behind initiatives like Slush’D. These events, she explained, are designed to exchange data-backed insights and unlock investment opportunities for young people across all socioeconomic backgrounds. She encouraged the youth to use these platforms to connect with investors, understand their needs, and fine-tune their products accordingly. After all, identifying the problem is the first crucial step towards solving it and eventually building something scalable.

Overall, Slush’D did a commendable job (as always!) in bringing in young minds and connecting them with thought leaders who can turn their ideas into investments. It’s setting the right tone for the future that is already here.