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Green & White is happy to announce an exciting initiative that we are starting in joint partnership with P@SHA called Startup Insiders — think of them as Coffee Sessions in your city. This is something I’ve been trying to setup for a long time.
The thought process started with the recent spree of business plan competitions - while those activities have their place to support entrepreneurship, we feel that there’s a big gap the needs to be addressed still.
A lot of bright, energetic and passionate entrepreneurs have great ideas but want to figure out how to take their brilliant idea and convert it into a business - how do they think about product strategy, packaging, distribution, marketing, hiring a multi-disciplinary team?
Whats the best-mix approach to protecting intellectual property, of pitching, options for new venture financing, etc etc.
How do I find answers to everything I needed to know about startups but was afraid to ask?
We think one of the best ways of mentoring people on these ideas is by meeting very informally and very frequently with mentors and people who can truly help them.
We dont want to do this as a big grand activity - we want to take this down to grassroots and meet wherever a group of 15-20 people can get together, relax and think and talk startups - Coffee Sessions, if you will.
Here is the format we will be adopting
- We organize a Startup Insiders meetup in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad atleast once every month. The meetups could be organized anywhere from Coffee Houses, to Restaurants, to Board Rooms.
- We’ll bring CEOs, senior leadership and possible investors (i.e. the actual “startup insiders”) to those sessions. Oh and I’ll be there too in case you want to show me demos.
- You bring the entrepreneurs, friends, students, ideas, questions, myths, fears, product demos and pitches.
- We all have coffee and share insight and make everyone a dreamer, just like we’ve been doing in G&W.
- Each event will be sponsored by one software company which picks up the check. The company’s reps will also be present to talk to everyone who shows up.
I’m very very excited so lets get this going!
I’ve been trying to put this together for a few months now and I’m very excited about this.
This is a model that has been proven to work in helping entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, and P@SHA and G&W is bringing this home to Pakistan for the first time.
I’m very excited that the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) thought of formalizing this into events on chose G&W as their partners.
I’m very excited that ALL OF YOU will be there.
We’ll be kick starting this in Karachi — wait for the announcement of date / time / attendees here.
| Written by Osama A. on 01/15/08 in PakStartup |
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January 15th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
[…] PASHA and Green and White host a two hour, free for all, ask what you want […]
January 15th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I think this is a great idea and would help so much to people who are need of questions. Count me in
January 16th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
This is something really good. I would like to be a part of this.
I hope that this program/vision gains momentum, and it sure will, if held on a consistent basis along with a good amount of ‘buzz’ about it.
So I hope this doesn’t turn out to be a one-night affair of sorts.
Best of luck Osama! And count me in.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
guru,
If all of you keep on our case to push us to keep doing these events, we will!
January 17th, 2008 at 9:46 am
P@SHA wants this to be a regular event on its calendar and will continue to work with Green & White to make sure it happens in all 3 cities. We will be announcing dates for Lahore and Islamabad tomorrow. Watch out for it! Hope to see the Karachi walas this evening.
January 18th, 2008 at 12:11 am
[…] Silicon Valley, when people started events like Startup Insiders, 30-50 odd people showed up on the first […]
January 18th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Hi Osama..just thought ..would you be interested in giving me a feed about these startup events on startup-asia ?
I building a link for asian businesses who want contact with UK businesses….THE WEBSITE IS NEARLY READY TO ROLE ACROSS UK THEN GLOBAL.
Let me know if interested …ian
January 31st, 2008 at 6:09 am
Very proactive and “now thinking,” PASHA. Are you adding these events on Facebook and Linkedin? A few people have asked me about the Coffee Sessions, especially, will they need to bring their business plan?
I’ve responded: “You bring the entrepreneurs, friends, students, ideas, questions, myths, fears, product demos and pitches. A business plan per typical process will be needed if you’re serious. If you don’t know how to make one, get a free template online: i.e., marketing summary, financials, predictions, etc.” Am I right? This is very cool.
January 31st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Suzanne, you are right, the session is informal, we would like the aspiring entreprenuers to connect to the successful ones and the VCs, so tell every one to come in if they have business plan bring it if they have product demo bring it there will be no formal slots but they can grab some one and start talking about the idea/plan/demo people who are there will be helpful in pointing to the right direction and thrashing your product
the Lahore event is in face book
February 1st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
[…] those of you who want to know what Startup Insiders sessions are, here is an excellent introduction by Osama: Think of them as Coffee Sessions in your […]
February 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
This is a great initiative!! I have been in PK for over a year now and have been trying to meet other entrepreneurs like myself, I was beginning to feel like it was a rare breed here. I would love to be at the meetup(s) in Islamabad, whenever they take place, and would try to bring as many likeminded people as I can.
Onward and Upward!
NK.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:17 am
[…] for it). Attend any one session from the most energizing, motivating and constructive series of Startup Insiders Sessions being organized in three major cities (Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad) every month since January […]