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Pakistani startups raised $21.5 million in disclosed funding across four deals in August. Two Pakistan-based tech companies got acquired. And one startup acquired a local business in a vertical merger.
This brings the total funding raised by startups in 2022 to $337 million - around $13 million shy of 2021.
🤯 $350 million
Let’s forget about funding this month. August was about acquisitions.
First, DigitalOcean acquired Cloudways for $350 million, PostEx acquired Call Courier for an undisclosed amount, and TecBrix acquired DevOps Pakistan for $1 million.
DO’s acquisition of Cloudways is a BFD.
Acquisitions are not common in Pakistan’s tech ecosystem but are crucial for the liquidity and growth of alumni ventures. It also helps validate talent and operations.
And it’s turning out to be a good year for acquisitions - six already.
Did I mention Peter Thiel invested in PriceOye?
Probably nothing.
Okay, let’s do the numbers.
Funding (disclosed)
OneLoad raised $11 million in Series A funding.
Mahaana raised $2.1 million in pre-seed funding.
PriceOye raised $7.9 million in seed funding.
Funding (undisclosed)
Remoty raised an undisclosed amount in an angel round.
Acquisitions
DigitalOcean acquired Cloudways for $350 million in an all-cash transaction.
PostEx acquired Call Courier for an undisclosed amount.
TecBrix acquired DevOps Pakistan for $1 million.
📰 Learn
Safepay gets pilot approval as a Payment Service Provider (PSP). Enhance Ventures announces $30 million fund for MENAP region. Five more companies headed to the GEM board on PSX. IT exports decreased 27% compared to April 2022. SBP orders TAG to refund customers. Webx launches Webx Pay and Bykea launches Bykea Car. More startups will emerge from the downturn. CarFirst shuts down. Internet goes down.
🧠 Read
The mystery of the missing seths. Micro and macro indicators are encouraging. Pirates of khadda market. Cautious optimism from a Pakistani technologist. Certain factors help a startup succeed. Bykea’s battle for survival.
🎙️ Listen
Hassan Bhatti, operator and angel investor, talks to Alex Banks on Through the Noise.
misaal podcast: Conversations with Shershah Hassan, CEO of KalPay, Mutaher Khan, Co-founder of Data Darbar and writer at DAWN, Sennen Desouza, co-founder of Investors Lounge, and Sarfraz Hussain, co-founder and CEO of YPay.
📺 Watch
Fireside chat with Abrar Ul Haq, co-founder of Tazah.
misaal podcast: Conversations with Shershah Hassan, CEO of KalPay, Mutaher Khan, co-founder of Data Darbar and writer at DAWN, Sennen Desouza, co-founder of Investors Lounge, and Sarfraz Hussain, co-founder and CEO of YPay and Shehryar Hydri, managing partner at Deosai Ventures.
Techshaw Notes is a monthly newsletter covering Pakistan’s startup ecosystem, focusing on startup funding. If you haven’t already, please subscribe and join 384 readers.
Check out Pulse to keep an eye on startup funding in Pakistan. Subscribe to Bytes for a clear and concise summary of noteworthy startup-related news.
Until next month, ✌️