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Key people at Invest2Innovate.
Invest2Innovate is an accelerator and startup support organization primarily focused on funding and mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs in growth markets, particularly Pakistan. Operating since 2011, it provides training, mentorship, and investment support to build entrepreneurship ecosystems across countries including Nepal, Cambodia, Ireland, Bangladesh, Kosovo, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Its sister organization, i2i Ventures, launched a $15 million venture capital fund in 2019, making its first investment in Pakistani startup Mauqa Online. This fund, co-founded by Misbah Naqvi and noted as the first female-founded institutional VC fund in Pakistan, focuses on seed and early-stage technology startups. Invest2Innovate was founded in 2011 by Kalsoom Lakhani. Its business model centers on invest2Innovate operates as an accelerator providing startup support services. The organization also founded i2i Ventures, a $15 million venture capital fund that invests in Pakistani technology startups at the seed and early stages.
Invest2Innovate (i2i) is a research-first ecosystem builder founded in 2011, dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation in Pakistan and other emerging markets through business support, investor connections, market insights, and research.[1][2][3] It operates as a sister entity to i2i Ventures, a standalone early-stage VC fund launched in 2019 that invests $250K–$500K in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, focusing on bold founders tackling large market opportunities in Pakistan across sector-agnostic domains like fintech and logistics.[2][3][4] i2i Ventures emphasizes post-investment support in fundraising, strategy, hiring, and user insights, bolstered by recent $3M backing from IFC's Startup Catalyst Program, amplifying its impact on underserved startups and women-led ventures.[2][3]
The duo's mission centers on addressing talent shortages, providing data-driven decisions, and fostering gender diversity, with a philosophy prioritizing great founders who think big and collaborate.[2][3] Their work has shaped Pakistan's startup ecosystem by bridging early-stage capital gaps, supporting portfolio firms like Oraan (fintech for women), Abhi (salary advances), and Truck It In (logistics), while Invest2Innovate's Insights team fuels research-led growth.[2][3]
Invest2Innovate was founded in 2011 by Kalsoom Lakhani, a pioneer in Pakistan's startup scene, initially focusing on business support for entrepreneurs, investor matchmaking, and market research to tackle ecosystem challenges.[2][3] Lakhani's decade-plus experience with local startups informed this launch, positioning i2i as one of the earliest players in a nascent market.[2][3]
In 2019, Lakhani co-founded i2i Ventures with Misbah Naqvi, both leveraging their deep insights from Invest2Innovate to create Pakistan's first female-led VC fund.[2][3][4] This evolution separated VC investing (i2i Ventures) from ecosystem programs and research (Invest2Innovate), with the fund closing its debut vehicle in July 2024.[2][4] Early traction included deals like Oraan, highlighting their hands-on role in scaling startups amid limited early-stage capital.[3]
Invest2Innovate and i2i Ventures ride Pakistan's booming startup wave, fueled by fintech, logistics, and inclusion trends amid a young population and rising digital adoption.[2][3] Their timing aligns with acute early-stage capital shortages in emerging markets, where they fill gaps via research, support, and female-led investing—critical as Pakistan's ecosystem matures post-2011 pioneers.[1][3]
Market forces like talent scarcity and fragmented industries (e.g., trucking) favor their hands-on model, influencing the ecosystem by de-risking founders, boosting women entrepreneurs (e.g., Oraan's 2M+ users), and attracting IFC-scale validation.[2][3] They amplify local innovation, connecting global capital to homegrown solutions for big problems.
i2i Ventures eyes fund expansion post-2024 close, doubling down on pre-seed/seed bets amid Pakistan's talent and traction growth, while Invest2Innovate scales Insights for deeper ecosystem mapping.[2][4] Trends like AI-driven fintech, logistics digitization, and gender-lens investing will propel them, potentially evolving into regional players as emerging markets converge.
Their founder-first ethos—born from 2011 grit—positions them to lead Pakistan's next unicorn wave, turning research into enduring ecosystem impact.
Key people at Invest2Innovate.
