Startup Guide Issue 16 | Page 19

DR. UMAR SAI F ON STARTUPS, I NNOVATI ON AND ENTREPRENEURSHI P I N PAKI STAN Me e t Dr . Uma r S a i f - be hi nd t he f a c a de of a v e r y s e r i ous pe r s on, t he r e i s a v e r y l i v e l y pe r s on wi t h a l ot of i nt e r e s t a nd pa s s i on f or Pa k i s t a n. I t ha s be e n i nt e r e s t i ng t o f i nd out f r om f i r s t ha nd a bout hi s s t or y ; wh y he ’ s i n Pa k i s t a n a nd wha t he ha s be e n doi ng , c omi ng ba c k f r om MI T a nd he a di ng one of t he pr e mi e r i ns t i t ut i ons i n t he Punj a b g ov e r nme nt , he a di ng a l ot of i nnov a t i v e i ni t i a t i v e s f or Punj a b I nf or ma t i on T e c hnol og y Boa r d ( PI TB) . He ha s done a l ot not onl y f or t he g ov t , f or t he ma s s e s a nd f or t he f a c i l i t a t i on of pe opl e , but a l s o s e t t i ng up Pl a n 9 t o r e a l l y e nc our a g e e nt r e pr e ne ur s hi p a nd i nnov a t i on i n t he c ount r y whi c h t o be hone s t s t a r t e d t hi s wa v e of i nc uba t i on c e nt e r s a nd e nt r e pr e ne ur s hi p r e l a t e d a c t i v i t i e s i n t he c ount r y a nd now ha v i ng hi s own s t a r t up s o he ’ s r e a l l y be e n wa l k i ng t he t a l k , s o we be g i n b y a s k i ng hi m how i t a l l s t a r t e d out . Thi s i nt e r v i e w i s ba s e d on a f i r e s i de c ha t be t we e n Dr . Uma r S a i f a nd Khur a m Ra ha t who i s Di r e c t or Da a S & Cl oud a t T e l e nor Pa k i s t a n - t he f i r e s i de c ha t t ook pl a c e a t Da f t a r k hwa n L a hor e .