The 9th edition of Women Tech Quest (WTQ) was recently held in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore, drawing attention to the growing presence of women in Pakistan’s technology and e-commerce sectors. This flagship initiative by 10Pearls University not only showcased the technical abilities of female participants but also provided a platform for networking and professional growth. The event featured contests, enlightening sessions with industry leaders, and valuable discussions aimed at empowering women to take the lead in driving the country’s digital transformation.
The WTQ competition was hosted in three major cities, with each venue providing a state-of-the-art environment for participants to showcase their skills. In Karachi, the event took place at the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP), while in Islamabad, it was held at the NUST School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Lahore’s University of Central Punjab (UCP) served as the venue for the third leg of the competition. These locations offered an excellent backdrop for the women competing in design, testing, and coding categories.
As part of the event, several industry leaders shared their insights into the evolving tech and e-commerce sectors. The sessions focused on how women can leverage their digital skills to break barriers and succeed in traditionally male-dominated fields. One such session in Karachi featured Hira Khalil, Senior Lead for e-commerce at Dawlance, who emphasized that the e-commerce sector in Pakistan was booming and offered tremendous opportunities for women. She explained that women, who were once hesitant to use the internet for shopping due to safety concerns, can now run successful businesses from the comfort of their homes.
Sohail Zindani, an entrepreneur and author, also addressed the participants, urging them to lead the digital disruption in Pakistan. He encouraged women to embrace leadership in tech and business, stating that they should succeed on their own terms, not by trying to emulate male leadership styles. His session, titled “Future-Ready Leadership: Why Women Should Pioneer the Tech Disruption,” inspired the women to tap into their unique strengths to drive change and innovation.
The WTQ event was structured into several categories, with winners emerging from both the student and professional sections. From Karachi, the winners included Umme Shara, who won in the design category for students, and Muntaha Memon, who took the professional prize. Memon, who developed an online dashboard for a school system, described her project as simple but impactful. In the testing software category, Rabeeha Ali and Nida Ramzan triumphed, while Noori Shaukat and Maryam Nasir emerged as the top coders. Each winner received a cheque for Rs25,000, along with a Rs5,000 voucher from one of the event sponsors.
In addition to the competition, the post-contest sessions offered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in the tech and business landscapes. Anne Bracegirdle, Senior Director at 10Pearls, kicked off the conference with a keynote address, followed by a session with Dawlance’s Hira Khalil, who discussed the role of e-commerce in Pakistan’s economic growth. She highlighted how the Covid-19 pandemic had accelerated the adoption of online shopping, making it easier for women to engage in business and commerce from home.
Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram, CEO of Sehat Kahani, also delivered a powerful speech, detailing the achievements of her telehealth startup and its role in addressing healthcare challenges in Pakistan. She pointed out that mental health services were severely lacking in the country, with only 500 psychologists and psychiatrists available to serve over 240 million people. Dr. Khurram underscored the importance of accessible mental health services and shared her plans to expand Sehat Kahani’s services internationally.
Another notable speaker, Javeria Siddiqui, CFO of Feroze1888 Mills, focused on financial habits that women should develop for long-term career success. She stressed the importance of budgeting, saving, and investing wisely. Siddiqui encouraged the women to build multiple income streams and emphasized the need to be patient and persistent in their careers.
The day-long event concluded with a group photo of participants, speakers, and organizers, marking the successful completion of this year’s Women Tech Quest. As the competition wrapped up, Sarah Peracha, CEO of Peracha Ventures and Futurist Valley founder, offered a motivational speech, assuring all participants that they were winners for their hard work and determination, regardless of their final position in the competition.
The 9th edition of Women Tech Quest served as a reminder of the incredible potential of women in the tech and e-commerce sectors in Pakistan. By providing a platform for women to showcase their skills, gain mentorship, and expand their professional networks, the event is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of digital entrepreneurship and innovation in the country. With more women entering these fields, the path forward for Pakistan’s tech and e-commerce industries looks brighter than ever.
