Pakistan’s startup ecosystem continued to attract investor interest during the third quarter of 2025, securing $15.2 million across six disclosed deals, according to a report by Invest2Innovate (i2i). While the total represents a sharp decrease from $58 million in Q2, the quarter reflected notable diversity in sectors, deal structures, and startup profiles. The largest funding round went to Trukkr, which raised $10 million through a mix of equity and debt, followed by BusCaro’s $2 million hybrid deal, Myco’s $1.5 million Web3 funding, Metric’s $1.3 million fintech seed round, and ScholarBee’s $350,000 convertible note. Smaller but significant contributions included Pakhtun Wardrobe, which secured $31,000 in equity. In addition, three startups from the i2i Scale accelerator raised undisclosed amounts, bringing the total number of deals for Q3 to nine, marking it as one of the busiest quarters since late 2024.
Unlike previous periods dominated by single large deals, Q3 displayed broader sectoral engagement with activity spanning logistics, mobility, fintech, Web3, edtech, fashion, and digital health. Logistics led the quarter with Trukkr’s raise, followed by mobility and fintech, indicating both growth potential and investor confidence across multiple verticals. A notable trend was the rise of hybrid financing models, with four of the six disclosed deals — Trukkr, BusCaro, Myco, and ScholarBee — combining equity, debt, or convertible notes. Metric and Pakhtun Wardrobe completed traditional equity rounds. This shift toward hybrid structures reflects a maturing investment landscape, where founders seek to minimize dilution while investors explore flexible instruments balancing risk and long-term returns.
The quarter also highlighted continued support for women-led or co-founded startups, following MedIQ’s $6 million raise in Q2. Although the deal sizes for women-led ventures remain smaller than male-led counterparts, the trend signals gradual improvements in gender representation within Pakistan’s startup ecosystem. Investor participation remained balanced in volume but uneven in value, with local investors such as Accelerate Prosperity, Salt Ventures, i2i Ventures, and angel investors backing early-stage startups like BusCaro, ScholarBee, and Pakhtun Wardrobe. International investors including Yango Ventures, Daman Investments, Cartography Capital, 500 Global, A-Typical Ventures, Plus VC, and Tim Draper led the larger rounds, collectively accounting for most of the disclosed capital.
The report underscores both the achievements and challenges within Pakistan’s startup ecosystem. While six startups accounted for nearly all disclosed funding, demonstrating the country’s ability to produce investable ventures across multiple sectors, there remains a gap in mid-sized rounds that could bridge early-stage funding and larger Series A investments. Analysts note that while global confidence in Pakistani founders remains strong, building a deeper local growth capital base is essential for sustaining long-term expansion. Overall, Q3 2025 indicates a gradually maturing ecosystem characterized by diverse sectors, hybrid funding approaches, and growing inclusivity, providing a foundation for sustained entrepreneurial activity in the months ahead.
Source: ProPakistani
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