ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President, Dr Arif Alvi, on Wednesday urged the establishment of a marketplace to provide Pakistani startups a platform for promoting their indigenously developed products through linkages with investors as well as international markets.
President Alvi, addressing the Angels Investors Summit and Startup Showcase, said the startups needed to market their items effectively and enhance their outreach for the benefit of the local population as well as the innovators.
He commended the eleven shortlisted startups for the way they were developing their intellectual properties. He also appreciated the “tremendous” innovative ideas of the startups who also gave presentations on their items, which are gradually getting recognition in the market.
The president suggested the summit organizers record detailed video messages of the startups so that they could better explain their items to the people as well as the potential investors. He told the conference that initially, the developed nations had also been benefiting from foreign ideas by modifying them in accordance with their local needs.
President Stressed Use of Technology, AI
Stressing the use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector, President Alvi said that telemedicine was the only solution to the healthcare problems in Pakistan as it would save the poor from paying for transport and other hassles, besides reducing the burden on the system.
He also urged for utilizing AI and other technologies to address the problem of mental health, as around 24 percent of the population suffered any form of stress. Around 60-80 percent of college students were also under mental stress, which sometimes leads to violence or suicide.
The president also emphasized the need to address the taboos associated with diseases like breast cancer, which he said was being overcome through frequent messaging and awareness campaigns.
