A Journey of Passion, Pressure and Purpose (Part I)

I recently had the opportunity to be part of something truly special — the Zindigi Prize KPK Regionals, held from August 23rd to 25th, 2024, at the awe-inspiring Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI). Yes, I know… I said “recently,” and some of you readers might be thinking, “Bro, that was last year.”

Well, what can I say? Some memories age like fine wine — and this one’s been swirling in my head ever since.

Even as I write this, a wave of satisfaction, humility, and determination floods over me. Because it wasn’t just another startup event with booths, coffee, and awkward small talk. No — it was Pakistan’s largest entrepreneurial competition. And being part of it — especially as an international student participant — was both an honor and a trial by fire that pushed me far beyond my comfort zone.

A Start with Surprises

We arrived at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute (GIKI) from PAF-IAST, thanks to the transport arranged by the generous GIKI team. The road trip was filled with nerves, scattered laughs, and quiet preparations — we were all carrying something bigger than just a pitch. We were carrying our hopes, our work, and a belief that our startup could spark something meaningful.

As soon as we reached GIKI’s entrance, we were welcomed by a vibrant registration desk. There was a buzz all around — teams arriving from across the region, the organizing team managing every detail with precision, and the kind of energy you only feel at something huge.

We registered ourselves and were warmly handed our souvenir kits — a bag, pen, notebook, and of course, the participant tag that would hang proudly around our necks for the next three days.

Before heading in, we paused for a moment that felt almost symbolic — our group photo at the entrance, tags hanging, spirits high. That snapshot now holds more weight than I can put into words. It was the beginning of something none of us fully understood yet — but were all ready to live through.

From there, we were guided to the main event hall, where it all was about to begin.

The Spark That Ignited the Flame

The event kicked off with an electrifying opening ceremony — an atmosphere buzzing with energy and ideas. Entrepreneurs from all over gathered with their dreams and prototypes, all chasing the same vision: to build something meaningful and scalable.

The highlight of the day was the powerful keynote by Adeel Hijazi, CMO of Zindigi, who spoke with contagious passion about the startup landscape in Pakistan. He emphasized a truth many overlook: building a startup is more than just solving a problem — it’s about creating value, building trust, and being obsessively focused on your customers.

His words stuck with me: “A pitch without a story is just noise.”

And that’s when it hit me — we had a product, we had a vision, but we needed to translate that into a compelling story. The toughest part we had to go through is that, how do we express the necessity of this product in a foreign country. I thought “we could figure it out, we have couple more days to go”

Throughout the day, conversations with mentors and organizers made one thing very clear: Startups are not built in isolation. They require community, feedback, failures, and endless iterations. And above all, they require clarity of purpose and strong execution.

From monetization models to customer acquisition strategies — there were countless takeaways that helped us realize we needed to think not just as problem solvers, but as entrepreneurs looking to make a living and grow a business.

Gratitude to Ibtisam Babar, the incredible organizing team, and the Campus Directors for creating such a welcoming and supportive space. From the very first day, it already felt like we were part of something much bigger than ourselves — not just a competition, but a community.

Once the day’s proceedings wrapped up and the energy began to settle, we were guided to our hostel rooms, generously arranged by the university itself. After completing the room registration, we were handed our keys — and that’s when reality started to feel a little more like an adventure.

The rooms were cozy, neat, and perfect for two people. The only catch? We were four. But hey — you know how boys are. Instead of splitting into two rooms (which were conveniently right across from each other), we ended up crashing in one, dragging mattresses, tossing bags around, and claiming corners like we were moving into a college dorm for the first time. The other room became more of a luggage vault — or a backup plan for when someone snored too loudly.

After a quick but much-needed freshen-up session, the hunger hit us like a delayed slap from all the day’s excitement. Good thing the organizers had already thought this through — we’d been given food tokens for all three days of the event. Dinner was calling, and we didn’t need to go far. I expected a long walk to the cafeteria — you know, like those hostel horror stories — but to my surprise, it was just around the corner. Everything was so well-planned and accessible that we barely had to lift a finger.

Dinner was served in neatly packed boxes, ready for us to grab and go. But by the time we got there, all the tables were already packed with participants from across the region. Being Sri Lankans in a sea of unfamiliar faces didn’t faze us one bit — we casually picked a spot on the floor, laid out our dinner like a picnic, and soon, the circle grew.

Some of our fellow university mates, who were also part of the event, joined us. A few others, whom we’d met earlier during registration or quick hallway chats, tagged along too. Before we knew it, our floor gathering turned into a small dinner party — full of banter, ideas, laughter, and little exchanges about what brought each of us here.

And yes, we did have some interesting conversations that night — the kind that stick with you. But I’ll keep that tucked away for another time. Maybe I’ll share it in a part three or a midnight ramble post. Because trust me — if I start now, we’re in for a long read!

After dinner, we didn’t head straight to our rooms like the responsible participants we were supposed to be. Nope. Instead, we set out to wander around the university, taking in the beauty of GIKI at night. And let me tell you — the campus under the stars was something else. The gentle night breeze, the towering structures lit up in silence, and the stillness of it all — it made the whole place feel like a scene out of a movie. A movie where a bunch of startup dreamers quietly soaked in the moment before a big day.

But then came a universal craving — chai. Not just any chai… the kind that wraps around your cold fingers in a paper cup, makes you pause mid-sip and go, “This. This is life.”

Now don’t get me wrong — I’m a chai lover through and through, but turns out, my whole squad was too. You know how it is: a chilly breeze, a quiet night, and a hot cup of chai? That’s basically heaven in liquid form. Lucky for us, there was a tea shop inside the university, but — plot twist — it was a bit of a walk. And by “bit,” I mean enough to question if we were still within campus limits.

But hey, who complains when the mission is chai?

We walked, we joked, we got a little lost, we walked some more. And finally — finally — the first sip made it all worth it. We sat there for over an hour, just talking about life, ideas, what brought us here, and where we hoped to go. The kind of talks that happen only at 11 PM with a warm cup in your hand and a startup pitch tucked somewhere in your brain.

Eventually, the yawns started creeping in, and we made our way back to the hostel. A quick face wash, a few lazy jokes, and then straight to bed — or well, almost. See, it’s 2024, and no one really sleeps right away when there’s free Wi-Fi and phones in hand. We scrolled, replied to random messages, checked emails we didn’t need to, and somewhere between Instagram reels and LinkedIn stalking, my phone hit the charger.

My roommate had already knocked out, breathing softly like someone with no pitch anxiety. But me? I lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking about our startup — How are we going to pitch it? Will it make sense to the judges? How do we prove we’re not just another fancy idea? My mind kept cycling through the pitch, the deck, the structure, the story…

And the next thing I knew — I was asleep.

So what were you expecting? A big twist here? Nah — not yet.

Because the real twist? That came the next day.

And trust me — I didn’t see it coming.

But that’s a story for the next article — see you on Day 2. 😉