UNIDO Investor Connect

UNIDO Investor Connect 

Al-Bab Report

Islamabad: An Investor Connect event was held in Islamabad by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to help startups and entrepreneurs to grow and commercialize their idea at large scale. The Cleantech innovators met with investors and got an opportunity to sign agreements to commercialize ten startups during the first ever Investor Connect in clean technologies. The activity was organized under the auspices of Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) for SMEs and Startups in Pakistan.

In Pakistan many innovations in the area of Clean Technologies are not commercialized but remain in various academic and research institutions due to lack of investments opportunities. This Investor Connect session is panacea to this problem; which has been introduced for the first time focusing on clean technology in Pakistan. This will go a long way in promoting and commercializing innovations at SMEs level.

The event is a part of GCIP programme of UNIDO, GCIP is a global competition aimed at promotion of Innovations in the area of Clean Technologies. This competition is simultaneously been carried out in twelve countries around the world, the main aim of this competition is to foster innovations in Renewable energy, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency,  Waste to Energy and Green Building. The target market of GCIP competition is SMEs and Startup companies.

Speaking at the occasion, the chief guest Mr. Syed Abu Ahmed Akif, Federal Secretary of Climate Change inaugurated “Industry Challenge Award” together with Mr Alois Mhlanga from UNIDO HQ, to resolve industry specific issues of pharmaceutical and steel industry in Pakistan. He appreciated the achievements of GCIP programme highlighted significance of the new initiative to mitigate harmful impact of climate change. He assured his ministry’s continued support in creating this culture which is helping entrepreneurs as well as promoting the environmentally friendly products. 

Mr. Niel Buhne, the Resident Coordinator of United Nations in Pakistan marked this day as a landmark in the history of industry-academia linkage for commercialization of innovative technologies. He wished that this effort goes a long way in promoting this culture and will help in the growth of entrepreneurship in Pakistan.

The event provided an opportunity to the women participants and change agents of the  DRT-F project to present their green industry focused innovations to the investors. Mr Mhlanga highlighted UNIDO efforts in bringing gender parity in the industrial sector by raising awareness and empowering women. He distributed certificates to the women completed their training in green industry startups under DRT-F initiative.

Mr Esam Alqararah shared that more than 50 Investors from all five categories of clean technologies dedicated their time to assess potential of GCIP innovators for possible investments and joint ventures. He highlighted that based on the joint interest of supporting startups in Pakistan, UNIDO and Islamabad Chamber decides to organize such Investor Connect together in future on regular basis.