More than 400 tech and business enthusiasts, 37 national and international speakers attended Google Business Group (GBG) Peshawar’s BizFest 2019. The festival, also featuring 8 panel discussions, 6 Keynotes, and 6 very exciting workshops, was organized by Impact Dynamics in collaboration with NIC Pesharwar. BizFest is an annual conference that offers Google product trainings, startup workshops and entrepreneurship talks. Participants can learn how to use Google products and technologies to start and scale their businesses, and develop themselves through capacity building workshops from top experts and entrepreneurs. BizFests are organized all around the globe by the local chapters of Google Business Groups.

Kamran Khan Bangash, KP’s Minister for Information Technology, during his opening remarks announced that,

“We are planning to launch a government backed VC Fund to facilitate the growth of Startups in Pakistan.”

Murtaza Zaidi, Director NIC Peshawar, while talking about his own experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of KP said,

“There is great untapped potential of tech entrepreneurship in KP as compared to elsewhere in Pakistan.”

GBG Peshawar is ranked amongst the top ten chapters of the world (as of 2016 by Google Inc). This year BizFest was organized by Impact Dynamics in collaboration with NIC Peshawar. The other supporting partners included Rehman Medical Institute, City University, and Peshawar Model Schools, Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, KPK and KPIT Board.

Speaker lineup included representatives from Engro Foundation, State Bank of Pakistan, RNNR, Bykea, Martin Dow, GDG Kolachi, Optera Digital, Nutshell Forum, Food Panda among others. The event featured workshops on Ul/UX Design, Designing Games, Firebase Analytics, and Growth Hacking amongst others.

According to Maryam Arshad, founder of Impact Dynamics,

“GBG Peshawar’s BizFest was a great technology conference that housed over 37 international and national speakers and promoted the cross pollination of ideas in relation to technology, business and innovation.”

NIC Peshawar hosted the local and national business leaders and speakers attending BizFest for a networking session the following morning. Our startups got an opportunity to network with all of these community leaders. The aim of BizFest is to equip the aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders with the right skill set and to provide them a platform for their professional and personal growth.