Seven Pakistanis have been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024 list, leading the transformation of industries and finding innovative ways to navigate new business realities in Asia-Pacific region.
The Forbes ‘30 under 30 Asia 2024’ list features 300 notable listees selected across 10 categories, including The Arts (Art & Style, Food & Drink); Entertainment & Sports; Finance & Venture Capital; Media, Marketing & Advertising; Retail & Ecommerce; Enterprise Technology; Industry, Manufacturing & Energy; Healthcare & Science; Social Impact and Consumer Technology.
The 2024 list features a diverse set of 30 Under 30 listees, with 21 countries and territories represented across the Asia-Pacific region. India had the most with 86 entries, followed by China and Japan (32 each), Singapore (27), Australia (26) and Indonesia (18).
Among those honoured in Forbes list are seven Pakistanis, including Sarkhail Shahid Bawany, (ABHI), Adeel Abid (Linkstar), Aizaz Nayyer (Linkstar), Ali Raza (Linkstar), Aleena Nadeem (EduFi), Kasra Zunnaiyyer (Trukkr) and Bushra Sultan (artist).
Aleena Nadeem – EduFi
“Study Now Pay Later” is the motto of EduFi, a Lahore-headquartered startup run by Aleena Nadeem to help more Pakistanis go to university. The company’s primary focus is to help more Pakistanis fund universities.
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EduFi has partnered with 27 Pakistani colleges (a number that’s doubled in the past six months), who funnel prospective customers its way. It does its own credit-vetting, then pays tuition for approved students who repay the loan on a monthly basis as they study.
Nadeem, an MIT graduate who interned at McKinsey during college and then worked in London for Goldman Sachs and Ventura Capital, has been engaged with educational issues since high school. After a successful pilot launch in 2021, Edufi started disbursing loans earlier this year.
Bushra Sultan – Artist
Bushra Sultan is a filmmaker, creative director and production designer based in Lahore with a special interest in challenging her country’s constraints on women.
Having collaborated with various brands including Pakistan Cricket Board, and been featured in Flaunt Magazine, Sultan’s most notable work is in fashion and beauty.
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A campaign for Demesne Couture called ‘Guria’ depicted two opulently dressed women being controlled like puppets by giant hands pulling strings, a comment on Pakistan’s wedding industry and the demands made on brides.
Sarkhail Shahid Bawany – ABHI
Sarkhail Bawany is the head of product at Pakistan-based fintech company Abhi, which empowers workers to withdraw a percentage of their salary before the next paycheck when they need emergency cash.
Abhi works on a B2B2C model, partnering with companies such as Unilever Pakistan to offer the service as a benefit to employees. Abhi has expanded to the Middle East and Bangladesh. Bawany is also CEO of the startup’s payment services subsidiary, Abhipay.
Kasra Zunnaiyyer – Trukkr
Kasra Zunnaiyyer, featured in the Enterprise Technology category, is the cofounder and CTO of Karachi-based Trukkr, which has developed a management platform for Pakistan’s logistics sector.
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Established in 2020, the startup’s software allows users to obtain financing, track their fleets and connect with customers. As it is one of the first digital services targeting the country’s small- and medium-sized trucking companies, Trukker has caught the attention of global investors.
Adeel Abid, Aizaz Nayyer, and Ali Raza – Linkstar
Adeel Abid, Aizaz Nayyer, and Ali Raza, the cofounders of Linkstar, based in Karachi, were featured in the Consumer Technology category. Linkstar is a platform that “helps freelancers create free portfolio websites that can be upgraded with advanced functionalities,” Forbes stated.
Freelancers can also learn from online courses on the platform. In 2023, the founders acquired Oliv, a Dubai-based career marketplace, which helps companies hire students and graduates.
