Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) is set to organize Industrial Edge 2025 on September 4, 2025, in Karachi. The event, themed “Where Industries Meet Startups,” will bring together business leaders, startup founders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the future of industrial innovation in Pakistan. The program aims to highlight emerging technologies and encourage collaboration across sectors, particularly in areas of AI-based industrial automation, sustainable green industries, development of import substitution sectors, and strategies to enhance exports.
The gathering will feature a special talk with Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director of NIC Karachi, as well as multiple panel discussions designed to explore how startups can integrate with Pakistan’s industrial base. One of the key sessions, Developing Startup Ecosystem in Pakistan, will include prominent voices such as Syed Mohammad Shabbar Zaidi, former Chairman of FBR; Muhammad Ghazral, Chief Operating Officer of Saylani Welfare International Trust; and Karim Teli, Managing Director of IGLOO Pakistan. Syed Farrukh Ali Qandhari, Director of Qandhari Group of Companies, will also be part of the panel, with moderation by Maheen Salman, CEO of Global Innovatrix Pvt Ltd.
A second panel discussion, Technologies for Industries, will focus on practical applications and innovation for industrial growth. Speakers include Syed Ali Askari, Chief Executive Officer of CEMCON Engineering Services; Dr. Mahwash Akhtar Khan, Director of OPHTH Pharma Pvt Ltd; and Nasir Shaikh, Chief Executive of Dynamic Tube Ice. These sessions are expected to address how technology adoption and innovative solutions can strengthen industrial productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness in global markets.
S. M. Tanveer, Patron-in-Chief of KATI, along with Mohammad Zubair Chhaya, Deputy Patron-in-Chief, and Junaid Naqi, President, will lead the hosting committee. Maheen Salman, who also chairs KATI’s Incubation & Startups (R&D Cell) Standing Committee, will play a central role in shaping discussions. The event will see participation from the executive committee of KATI and will welcome Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Energy, Planning & Development, Government of Sindh, as the chief guest. Scheduled to take place at the Haji Moosa D. Desai Hall in Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi, the event will begin at 3:00 PM and conclude with a hi-tea session.
KATI Industrial Edge 2025 is positioned as a platform to bring Pakistan’s industries closer to emerging startups, offering opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of “Made in Pakistan” initiatives. By aligning industrial needs with technological solutions, the event seeks to contribute towards building resilient local enterprises that are globally competitive while supporting sustainable growth.
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