Google celebrated the graduation of 94 Pakistani game and app development studios from the second edition of its App Growth Lab program during an event last week. In a notable expansion, the initiative included app developer studios and companies for the first time in 2023, showcasing a significant impact on Pakistan’s app and gaming ecosystem. This year, 254 studios participated, a substantial increase from the 54 participants in the previous edition.
Running from June to September 2023, the program featured two key phases: an educational phase followed by extensive support. This edition saw enhancements for a more tailored learning experience, with customized training sessions addressing the unique needs of gaming and app developers at different business stages.
Throughout the program, participating studios had exclusive access to learn from Google experts in domains such as Google Ads, AdMob, and Play. Immersive workshops and mentoring sessions provided valuable insights, while industry leaders and global peers shared expertise on app development, launching, and scaling businesses to reach a global audience.
Farhan Qureshi, Google Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, highlighted the inspiring story of Pakistan’s app economy. He mentioned that apps developed in Pakistan were downloaded 4 billion times globally in 2022, and Pakistani developers now constitute the 16th largest developer market by downloads globally.
Ehtisham Malik, Head of Marketing at MicZon, emphasized the importance of the Growth Lab program, stating, “The Growth Lab program is an important initiative that will take Pakistan’s gaming industry to the next level.”
Shoaib Ali, CEO of Al Basirr Technologies Private Limited, a 2023 Apps Growth Lab participant, expressed gratitude for the impact of the training and support, noting that the record growth achieved in the last few months surpasses their accomplishments of the past six years.
Graduates of the Apps Growth Lab have the opportunity to extend their partnership with Google through the Google App Acceleration Program (GAAP), where ongoing support from Google specialists is available. Former GAAP participants now hold priority status as Google partners.
