UN Women Pakistan, supported by KOICA, convened a district-level Digital Startup Roundtable at Women University Swabi to bring together government, private sector, academia, commerce representatives, tech startups and young women entrepreneurs to discuss how women are driving digital transformation and innovation in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The event was organized to create a forum for local stakeholders to exchange experience and identify opportunities to support women-led digital enterprises. Organizers emphasized the importance of district-level coordination to strengthen the local startup ecosystem and expand pathways for women’s economic participation in the technology sector.
Representatives from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board joined officials and practitioners from private-sector MSME support organizations including Durshal and SMEDA. Faculty and leaders from Women University Swabi and the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute provided an academic perspective on skills development and research-driven innovation. The Swabi Chamber of Commerce’s women’s wing, local tech startup founders and a cohort of young women entrepreneurs also participated, offering first-hand accounts of challenges and successes in launching and scaling digital ventures.
Discussion focused on how women are contributing to digital transformation and leading innovation locally, including barriers they face and potential measures to enhance inclusion. Participants explored themes such as strengthening linkages between education and industry, improving access to mentorship and business support services, and leveraging public-private partnerships to expand market and financing opportunities for women-led startups.
By convening diverse stakeholders at the district level, the roundtable sought to deepen collaboration and surface practical ideas to support an inclusive digital economy in Swabi. The gathering underscored the growing role of women as innovators and entrepreneurs in Pakistan’s digital future and highlighted the need for sustained, coordinated action across government, academia and the private sector.
