Pakistan has gained international recognition for its talented youth who have made it to the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Over the years, several young entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives from the country have made their mark in the international arena. From healthcare to finance, a diverse range of Pakistanis have been celebrated for their outstanding achievements.

This article will explore these success stories. It will also focus on how these individuals were able to make it onto the prestigious list.

Pakistan’s Talented Youth: The Biggest Asset

Forbes, Forbes 30 Under 30, Pakistani Youth

Pakistan’s youth is an invaluable asset for the nation, with intelligent and talented individuals that have achieved great success.  Young people in Pakistan are doing incredible things, from contributing to technological advances to making achievements in the arts. This generation of bright young minds is being internationally recognized for their hard work and dedication.

The potential of Pakistan’s youth should not be underestimated. They are passionate about their studies and determined to excel and make a difference in the world. They are eager to learn new skills and use them in innovative ways, pushing boundaries both within Pakistan and beyond its borders. With ambition and ambition comes great success; through support from government initiatives, it is possible to see how our youth can achieve this.

What is Forbes?

Forbes, Business Magazine, Pakistani youth

Forbes is an American business magazine that focuses on financial news and analysis. Founded in 1917 by B. C. Forbes, the magazine has been a leader in business information for over 100 years. It is the go-to source for entrepreneurs, investors, and executives to stay informed on the latest market trends and business opportunities.

The magazine covers all aspects of finance from stocks to mutual funds to venture capital investments. It also provides insights into industry leaders and emerging companies through interviews with CEOs and other prominent figures in various sectors of the economy. In addition to its print publications, Forbes also has an online presence with content tailored specifically for digital users such as podcasts, videos, webinars, and newsletters.

What is 30 Under 30 Listing?

Young entrepreneurs, Business, Forbes

The “30 Under 30” list is an annual feature that Forbes magazine publishes since 2007. This list highlights the accomplishments of young entrepreneurs who are under the age of 30 and have achieved incredible success within their respective fields. 

Every year, Forbes evaluates thousands of candidates from all over the world to identify those who have made exceptional contributions in their chosen field and have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills. The selected individuals are typically successful CEOs, influential artists, top-notch athletes or innovators who have risen to prominence despite the challenges posed by their youth. 

The “30 Under 30” list serves as an inspiration for many young people around the world, demonstrating that they too can achieve greatness if they remain committed to achieving excellence in whatever they do. It is also a testament to how powerful idea generation, hard work and dedication can be when combined together.

Benefits of 30 Under 30 Listing

As this list recognizes the accomplishments of young entrepreneurs, innovators and game-changers in various industries across the globe. Being named to this prestigious list can come with a variety of benefits both professionally and personally.

Most notably, a listing on the Forbes 30 Under 30 helps boost one’s reputation, providing invaluable recognition for up-and-coming professionals. Featuring on this prestigious roster gives individuals a noteworthy platform to showcase their work and build their personal brand. It also serves as a confirmation that they are at the top of their field and helps set them apart from other contenders in their industry.

Moreover, the recognition provides recipients with fame and respect within their professional circles as well as opportunities to collaborate with like-minded professionals who have aspirated on the list. With such an honor comes increased visibility among peers, current and potential employers, and even investors looking to back promising startup ventures. It also provides a platform to be featured in press articles or speak at events and conferences among some of the biggest names in any given field.

Who gets Featured in Forbes 30 Under 30?

business, technology, finance, entrepreneurs

Every year, Forbes releases its highly anticipated list of 30 game-changing young entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders under the age of 30. Dubbed ’30 Under 30′, this list is a who’s who of the world’s rising stars in business, technology, finance, manufacturing and media. But who actually gets highlighted on this exclusive list?

It’s basically a mix of up-and-coming entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, industry veterans with a host of successful ventures under their belt, and some truly inspiring individuals who have used their creativity to make positive changes in the world. In order to be selected as one of the 30 Under 30s, applicants must demonstrate exceptional talent within their respective fields and prove they’re destined for greatness.

Forbes has made it clear that any person nominated for the ’30 Under 30′ must have achieved something extraordinary in their respective field by the age of 29. Whether it’s inventing a revolutionary product or founding an innovative startup or leading a team to commercial success – these are just some of the accomplishments that qualify someone for selection. Candidates should not only be prodigiously talented but also demonstrate social responsibility through their work.

Young Pakistanis Who Made it to Forbes 30 Under 30

Pakistani youth, Pakistani entrepreneurs, Talented youth

Pakistanis have achieved significant success in the international arena and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list has, in the recent years, acknowledged the accomplishments of several young individuals from Pakistan. These young entrepreneurs include:

Iman Jamall & Hasib Malik

CreditBook, Iman Jamall, Hasib Malik

Iman Jamall and her husband, Hasib Malik, are 28 years old entrepreneurs from Pakistan. They are the founders of CreditBook – a business that works to improve financial outcomes for small and medium businesses in the country.

Having identified a massive gap in the digital payments industry of Pakistan, Iman and Hasib founded CreditBook in 2020 with an ambition to help small businesses access capital through their innovative technology platform. The couple has witnessed their startup grow significantly. Through CreditBook, Iman and Hasib have been able to provide easy access to financing options for thousands of small businesses, which has improved their ability to manage cash flow efficiently.

CreditBook is a revolutionary app that aims to help entrepreneurs and small business owners manage more than one business in a single app. It is available in six different languages; English, Urdu, Roman Urdu, Pashto, Punjabi, and Sindhi.

Related: LUMS Alum, Hamza Ayub, Gets Featured in Forbes 30 Under 30

With its robust security measures such as two factor authentication and data encryption, users can be sure that their information is safe from prying eyes. CreditBook is making bookkeeping and accounting easier than ever. With CreditBook, users can receive money 3 times faster, while they can also connect to EasyPaisa and JazzCash accounts to easily send and receive money and to keep track of their transactions. What’s more, the app offers automatic reminders via SMS or Whatsapp that keeps users updated on payments due for them and payments made by them. 

It allows users to add different types of notes against individual expenses or assets in order to help manage their finances better. The user-friendly interface also helps customers quickly access reports which provide detailed information about the current financial situation of their business or personal account.

Shayan Mahmud

Shayan Mahmud is a multi-disciplinary creative professional with a broad range of expertise in many sectors. With several years of experience, he has established himself as a reliable source for social media marketing, web design, graphic design, video editing, videography, advertising and public relations. His clients respect his commitment to excellence and know they can always rely on him to deliver the highest quality work. He is currently the Managing Partner at Eikon7, a multinational digital advertising agency based in Pakistan, U.A.E, Romania and Rwanda.

Shayan created the business strategy for his multi-awarded startup, Eikon7, as part of his dissertation work on international business. Shayan co-founded the advertising and digital marketing firm Eikon 7. He established it with partners he met while participating in a Regent’s study abroad programme. Eikon 7 has locations on all seven continents. Shayan is also in charge of Trademor, an Eikon7 company that assists SMEs manage sales and marketing on significant e-commerce platforms like Alibaba. He was selected as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia for Media, Marketing, and Advertising in 2021, earning him the coveted honor.

Shayan Mahmud is a business leader with a wealth of experience in both the online publishing and B2B online service industry. He is currently the Chief Brand Officer for ProPakistani. It’s one of the biggest independent publishers based in Pakistan. Additionally, he is the CEO of Trademor, a B2B online business service partner with Alibaba. His work has been recognised internationally with numerous awards.

Dur-e-Aziz Amna

Dur e Aziz Amna, Writer, Forbes

Originally from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Dur e Aziz Amna presently resides in Newark, America. Among other publications, her writing has been published in the New York Times, Financial Times, and Al Jazeera. She earned the Financial Times/Bodley Head Essay Prize in 2019. Furthermore, she was chosen as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2022. She is a Yale College and University of Michigan Helen Zell Writers’ Program alumna. Her first book is titled American Fever.

Her first book, The American Fever, explores themes of racism and Islamophobia, tradition and translation, language and loss, memory and migration, the United States and Pakistan, with grace and ease, wit and irreverence, warmth and wisdom, comedy and heart. She relates a tale of coming of age and immigration to America, but she does so in a style that is distinctively her own.

The novel’s premise—a young woman traveling on an exchange programme from urban Pakistan to rural America—has its roots in autobiography. In 2008, while still in high school, she participated in a comparable exchange programme. Ten years had passed, and she felt that it had well enough solidified in her mind to be converted into fiction. She knew she needed to compose about that experience when she decided to dedicate herself to her debut novel in 2018. This was partially because it felt so peculiar and divergent from the majority of her life.

Hannia Zia

Hannia Zia has had an inspiring career in product management. She is senior product manager at Ponto. Ponto offers worldwide businesses the regulated payment network systems they need to provide their consumers with financial services. It eliminates the risks associated with providing financial services globally.

She has taken her talents to the next level as Entrepreneur in residence at Entrepreneur First. It’s a leading talent investor and startup generator. It aids in bringing together and funding extraordinary people. It helps them quickly develop an idea, find a co-founder, and obtain capital from top investors. The businesses founded at Entrepreneur First are currently valued at over $10 billion. Among them are Tractable (a unicorn with computer vision), Cleo, Omnipresent, Aztec, Transcelestial, Airbank, and numerous others.

Hannia Zia served as one of the principal product managers for Pakistan’s Digital Pakistan initiative’s pandemic tech response. She also released a Covid-19 ringtone, that had been listened to by 113 million people in Pakistan. Moreover, she developed a WhatsApp bot that linked to 500,000 users. It shared information about Covid-19 in seven regional languages. Both of these initiatives received support from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.

Zia also increased the Facebook following of the Health Ministry by 100 times, reaching 1.8 million. She received a WHENTK award from Prime Minister Imran Khan in appreciation of her achievements. Zia, a former product manager for Google, holds numerous patents. She attended Yale where she double-majored in computer science and psychology.

Misha Japanwala

Misha Japanwala, Rumours, Cardi B

Japanwala was raised in Islamabad in a liberal family and was born in London to a Karachian family. She earned her degree in 2018 from the Parsons School of Design in New York and currently works there. She served as an accessories assistant at Elle after graduating. Later, she joined the Proenza Schouler atelier, where she was later fired because of COVID-19.

Misha Japanwala is a visual artist and fashion designer of Pakistani descent. Japanwala produced artwork honouring Pakistani women’s rights, and both Vogue and V Magazine have published examples of her work. Breast plates created by Japanwala were featured in the music video “Rumours” by American rapper Cardi B in June 2021. 

Related: Salman Lakhani, CEO Cubix, Featured in Forbes Next 1000 List

Misha Japanwala has been met with backlash due to her designs. It is because they run counter to Pakistani culture and religion. Despite being Muslim, many have criticized her work for not adhering to traditional Islamic values. This has led some to argue that she is disrespecting her own faith by producing garments that are seen as inappropriate by many in the Muslim community.

Nabeel Siddiqui, Muhammed Saquib Malik & Yaseen Khalid

ModulusTech was founded by Siddiqui, Malik, and Khalid. Engineer, innovator, and social entrepreneur Nabeel Siddiqui is presently the Chief Executive Officer. Muhammed Saquib Malik is a construction engineer and is currently the Chief Technology Officer at ModulusTech. Yaseen Khalid is also a construction engineer and is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at the company. In 2021, Siddiqui, Khalid, and Malik were featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.

ModulusTech provides a unique flat-packed house that can be assembled in a day by three people using basic hand tools. Compared to concrete structures, their alternative home emits 50 times lesser greenhouse gas.

In the future that ModulusTech envisions, everyone will have access to inexpensive, environmentally friendly housing. And people will live in ways that do not hurt the environment. Building self-sufficient societies for the most marginalised sections of society. ModulusTech has begun this journey by offering better housing options, stability, and economic prospects in addition to better health.

ModulusTech has received recognition from the UN, the Global Cleantech Award, and other organisations. It has also received funding from international NGOs, angel investors, and the Islamic Development Bank.

Abdullah Siddiqui

Abdullah Siddiqui, singer, songwriter, producer

Pakistani singer, songwriter, and producer Abdullah Siddiqui. With his song “Resistance,” he earned his breakthrough on Nescafé Basement season 5. Furthermore, in 2019, he released his debut album, Metannoya. He also issued Heterotopia in 2020, Dead Beats in 2021, and Dead Beats Side B. (2021). He was introduced as a co-producer of Coke Studio season 14 in January 2022. He wrote “Agay Dekh,” the song for Peshawar Zalmi’s 2022 Pakistan Super League team, in the same month. For his song Resistance, he received a nomination for Best Emerging Talent (Music) at the 17th Lux Style Awards (2018).

At the age of 11, Siddiqui started making English-language electronic music. Later, at the age of 16, he started putting it out on his own as an independent artist. The Lahore native has made an appearance on Nescafé Basement. It is a Pakistani TV programme that highlights the music of independent musicians. For certain well-known Pakistani vocalists, such as Fawad Khan, Meesha Shafi, Shamoon Ismail, and Aima Baig, he has written and produced versatile songs.

Muhammad Owais Qureshi & Zohaib Ali

When Qureshi and Ali visited a nearby kiryana shop during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, Abdul, the proprietor, was inconsolable. Abdul was in a difficult situation because the epidemic had caused wholesalers and distributors to stop operating. Consequently, that made it difficult for him to properly acquire inventory. The epidemic made this issue worse. Although it had always existed in Pakistan’s retail supply chain. In an effort to change this circumstance, a pilot for Dastgyr started one month later.

Dastgyr, a B2B retail marketplace in Pakistan, was founded by Muhammad Owais Qureshi and Zohaib Ali in 2020. They did so under tight lockdown with a $300,000 total investment. In an effort to destabilise the already disjointed supply chain, it is on a mission to bring over 2 million underprivileged stores throughout Pakistan directly to producers, retailers, and wholesalers using an app-based marketplace. It’s main goal is to assist them with their inventory sourcing difficulties.

The app offers microloans, next-day doorstep delivery, and a selection of more than 2,000 items that users may purchase. Cofounders Qureshi and Ali have dispatched thousands of purchases to more than 30,000 users in major Pakistani cities in just a few short months. So far, SOSV and other international investors have contributed $3.5 million to Dastgyr. The two previously worked together to establish Airlift, a mass transportation startup. It successfully raised a record-breaking $12M in Series A funding in November 2019.

Related: Forbes Enlists Pakistan IT Company Systems Limited in Asia’s Best Under a Billion Award

Karishma Ali

Karishma Ali, Footballer, AFL

Karishma Ali is the first female football player from her homeland of Chitral, Pakistan. She has represented her country at both the national and international levels. Her team was the first Pakistani women’s team to compete in the AFL International Cup. She has also played for Pakistan at the Jubilee Games in Dubai. The Chitral Women’s Sports Club, and Chitral Womens Handicraft Center were founded by Ali as well.

Her performance is noteworthy enough considering that women in Chitral seemed to have no precedent of participating in the game. She founded the first women’s sports club in her area and walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week. Moreover, she was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for innovation and entrepreneurship before the age of 22. Her accomplishments seem to border on the unbelievable. She has also founded the Karishma Ali Foundation. It helps provide underprivileged women with all the resources to succeed in sports. 

Ali gathered money to feed local residents and give sought-after PPE supplies to the area’s health workers even during COVID-19. It was when the rigorous lockdown could have put a temporary end to her astonishing list of accomplishments.

A Final Thought

Pakistanis who made it to Forbes 30 Under 30 list is a remarkable achievement for the country’s youth. This esteemed list of young personalities is an indication that Pakistani youth has immense potential and ambition. It shows that if given the right opportunities, Pakistani youth can achieve greatness on a global scale. They are inspiring examples of what our young generation can do with passion, dedication, and hard work. They have achieved success by pushing boundaries, setting high standards for themselves, and never giving up despite the odds stacked against them. In conclusion, these individuals prove that when given proper support and resources, Pakistani youth can make a real impact in the world.