Four Pakistani entrepreneurs became the reason of pride for the entire country as they made their way to the Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Asia list for 2022.
The business magazine Forbes features Zain Ahmed, Dur-e-Aziz Amna, Muhammad Saad, and Shawana Shah. They have been selected for their contributions in the fields of e-commerce, enterprise technology, and others. Likewise, the entrepreneurs have featured in the categories of art and style, industry and manufacturing, media and marketing, and social impact, respectively.
According to Forbes, over 4,000 candidates applied to be on this year’s list, of which 300 young game-changers got recognition across numerous fields.
Zain Ahmad got his place in Forbes in the category of art, style, food, and drink. Muhammad Saad featured in the category of industry and manufacturing. Dur-e-Aziz Amna featured in the category of media, marketing, and advertising, while Shawana Shah made a name for herself in the category of social impact.
Zain Ahmad is a co-founder of Rastah. It is a Lahore-based Pakistani streetwear brand. The brand, according to Forbes, was launched in 2018 and it features “champions sustainable and artisanal designs, with items being designed, sourced and produced by local artisans in limited quantities in Pakistan.”
Therefore, Rastah’s clothes have been spotted being worn by Bollywood producer Karan Johar, rapper French Montana, and Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed, besides being featured in Vogue.
Over 4,000 candidates applied to be on this year’s Forbes list. And as a result, 300 young game-changers got recognition across numerous fields
Dur-e-Aziz Amna is a Pakistani-born Yale graduate. Her writings got inspiration from her cross-cultural experiences in South Asia and the US. Her debut novel, American Fever, tells the coming-of-age story of a Pakistani Muslim girl in rural Oregon. Amna is an award-winning author who has written for Dawn, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, and New York Times.
Muhammad Saad is the co-founder of BridgeLinx. It’s a Lahore-based startup that helps manufacturers and exporters in Pakistan. It moves goods more efficiently by connecting them with truckers and private fleets through a marketplace. It also provides technology solutions to ensure document validation, timely pickups, and cargo safety.
BridgeLinx raised $10 million in the largest seed round in Pakistan. It is led by Harry Stebbings’ 20 VC, Buckley Ventures, and Indus Valley Capital in September 2020. In conclusion, it was just nine months after its launch.
Meanwhile, Shawana Shah made her place in Forbes for her social impact work on gender equality. She is the co-founder of Da Hawwa Lur. It is a platform that provides political, social, and economic support to girls, women, and transgender persons in Pakistan.
Besides this, Shah has launched several feminist movements certainly. And she became the first Asian to win the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in 2016. Moreover, she later got selection to join the UN Women’s Beijing+25 Youth Task Force in 2019.
In short, these young entrepreneurs have made the nation proud certainly.
