CEID Archives - Page 5 of 8 - DHA Suffa University

Session on “7 Emerging Technologies Disrupting Our Future and Career Planning”

April 23, 2021/in CEID, events /by Danyal Mohiuddin

The exploding growth of technology has shifted the dynamics of the world. The imminent technologies have put every resource, all the information, on the tips of our fingers. As the future is in the hands of our youth, it is crucial for them to equip themselves with the upcoming technologies. To cater this need, on 1st April 2021, DHA Suffa University took an initiative to discuss such technologies and their impact on future career opportunities.

Mr. Hassan Syed, CEO of Bir Ventures USA and the founder of IdeaGist was invited to have an edifying conversation on “7 Emerging Technologies Disrupting Our Future and Career Planning”. Mr. Hassan is also one of the founding directors of the Institute for Innovators and Entrepreneurs at Hamline University Minnesota. Further, he sits in the advisory committee for the Minister of Information Technology and Telecom on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Emerging Technologies. Last but not least, he is part of the President’s National Committee on the Emerging Technologies under the Digital Pakistan Initiative.

Hassan expressed that the communities worldwide are about to face major job losses due to automation and emerging technologies like AI, 3D Printing, Smart Robots, and Intelligent Vehicles. Without proper planning to retrain and develop capacity, it will be chaotic. Many communities will be facing the devastating financial and social impact of these changes. He emphasized in the ability to think or recognize the future by looking at this change. Further, Hassan accentuated that the youth must explore and be aware of their competencies as the world is evolving rapidly.

In this event, the students gained knowledge about how the world has shifted from industrial age to a knowledge age, how the world economies are changing via the emerging technologies and how the world is having technological advancement hence how significant for an individual it is to be aware of their leadership and entrepreneurial qualities to survive and thrive in this age. The highlight of this event was the interactive sessions with the students where the students were able to take part in short activities to push their limitations and overcome their self-limiting beliefs.

Concluding the event, Engr. Prof. Dr. Afzal Haque, Vice-Chancellor of DHA Suffa University, presented a vote of thanks to the speaker. He stated that there’s no doubt that emerging technologies are becoming increasingly pertinent in businesses and they are geared towards making our lives more comfortable, easier, better, and faster. The phenomenal growth in technologies is so rapid, that it is envisioned that they will change the world in the years ahead. This makes it increasingly important for youth to be equipped with these modern trends to prepare them for the future business world. Dr. Afzal also presented a souvenir to Hasan Syed as a gesture of appreciation for taking time out for the students and the University.

MOU Signing between DSU and Hamm Innovation Center

February 15, 2021/in CEID, events /by Danyal Mohiuddin

On 2nd Feb 2021, DHA Suffa University (DSU) and the Hamm Innovation Center in Germany (The Innovationszentrum Hamm GmbH – IZH) signed an MOU for the development of an Incubator at DHA Suffa University (DSU), which would be managed by DSU’s CEID (Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Development) and will oversee the recruitment of start-ups, facilitating their growth by connecting them with relevant mentors. The Hamm Innovation Center (IZH) in Germany will be responsible for supporting the project ideas of selected start-ups and providing them a gate way to the German market. The objective of this MOU is to promote Entrepreneurship in Pakistan at national level, giving start-ups a launch platform to grow bigger.

At the MOU signing ceremony, IZH was represented by Professor Dr. (PHD) Karl-Georg Steffens, CEO Innovation Center Hamm GmbH (IZH) and Dipl. Kfm. Lutz Fissenewert, SES Consultant; Advisor International Collaboration, while DSU was represented by its VC, Engr. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Afzal Haque & its Pro VC, Brig. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas. Mr. Asadullah Siddiqui, Director, office of International Education Resource Center (IERC) at DSU and Ms. Eram Abbasi, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Development (CEID) at DSU also attended the ceremony. Mr. Shahid Zaki (Former CEO Phillips), who will be mentoring the selected start-ups, was also present at the occasion.

Due to COVID situation, the ceremony was held online and COVID SOPs were maintained.

In the pictures:

Front Row Sitting: (lft to rt) –

Brig Prof. Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas, Pro-Vice Chancellor DSU

Engr. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Afzal Haque, Vice Chancellor DSU

Mr. Shahid Zaki, Guest Mento

Back Row Standing: (lft to rt) –

Ms. Eram Abbasi, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Development (CEID) at DSU

Engr. M. Asadullah Siddiqui, Director, International Education Resource Centre (IERC) at DSU

On Screen: (lft to rt) –

Mr. Lutz Fissenewert, SES Consultant; Advisor International Collaboration, IZH

Dr. Karl Georg Steffens, CEO IZH

Boss Women – Entrepreneurship Training

November 18, 2020/in CEID, events /by Danyal Mohiuddin

The Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development (CEID) at DSU, in collaboration with Commonwealth Business Women Network, organized: Boss Women – a Commonwealth Certified Entrepreneurship Training for women entrepreneurs. Other collaborating partners for the training were PINE global and INJAZ Pakistan.

Female entrepreneurs from all over Karachi participated in this training to learn the tools necessary to establish their business and pursue their dream of becoming a successful startup owner.

During the event, participants shared their business plans and got feedback for mobilizing their business. Director CEID; Eram Abbasi guided participants on how to build their business model, developing customer relationships and identifying the resources necessary for their startups. Erum Masood, CEO PINE Global with enriched the participants with marketing tools & techniques. Ms.Saba Haider, from Injaz Pakistan discussed the financial aspects of businesses.

Among the DSU participants, Asma Abdul Latif an undergraduate student who runs an online food and craft business, shared her startup journey. Her work was not only praised and appreciated by the audience but the chief guest at the event, Dr. Farhan Essa, CEO Essa Labs, applauding her work, presented her with a seed money to further grow her business to new heights.

Ayesha Zaheer, CEO INJAZ Pakistan, Fatima Ali, CEO Sew Sole, and Adnan Faisal, CEO FHM embraced the event as guest speakers and enlightened the participants with their experience. The esteemed guests appreciated the efforts of DHA Suffa University, stating that their efforts to promote entrepreneurship is a valiant effort.

Charter Installation Ceremony

October 27, 2020/in CEID, events /by Danyal Mohiuddin

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development (CEID) at DSU has been proving virtual incubation and mentoring services to DSU community as well as budding entrepreneurs outside DSU. “Entrepreneur’s Den” (ED) is one such startup that has been groomed/mentored under CEID.

“Entrepreneur’s Den” (ED) is headed by Mr. Asad Ayaz Ansari, an energetic and passionate youth of our society. ED is purely a youth led non-profitable & non-political association providing a platform for Entrepreneurial development within our society at large. ED is on a mission to create a learning environment for aspiring entrepreneurs by bringing in experiences of successful entrepreneurs. Hence, ED aims to create a pool of leaders who can support the economic system of the country by their unfailing determination to learn.

ED has recently achieved a milestone and has collaborated with Rotary Club Karachi for promoting Entrepreneurial services for the youth and formed “The Rotary Club of Karachi Entrepreneurs” (RCKE). RCKE is an extended club under the Rotary Club of Karachi that is affiliated with Rotary International. The organization aims to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a non-political and non-religious organization open to all.

As the journey of a startup is never smooth. Despite seeing many ups & downs Mr. Asad remained consistent and under the umbrella of “Entrepreneur’s Den” have successfully organized many Entrepreneurial activates within their one year journey. Moving ahead Entrepreneurs Den, recently achieved a milestone and has collaborated with Rotary Club Karachi for promoting Entrepreneurial services for the youth and formed “The Rotary Club of Karachi Entrepreneurs” (RCKE). RCKE is an extended club under the Rotary Club of Karachi that is affiliated with Rotary International. The organization aims to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a non-political and non-religious organization open to all.

To celebrate this milestone DSU-CEID celebrated their “Charter Installation Ceremony” on 13^th October, 2020. The ceremony was attended by leading business tycoons like: Hamza Tabani (CEO Tabani Group), Abdullah Akhtar (Chairman, Schole International Academy), Prof Dr. Farhan Essa (CEO, Essa Laboratory and Diagnostic Centres), Mirza Ishtiaq Baig (Vice President, Baig Grop), and Ambassador Jamil Ahmad (Former Ambassador UAE), Junaid Naqi (Vice President, KATI), Syed Turab Shah (Chairman, AZB Global Trade) who inspired and imparted their wisdom to young minds through enlightened discussions. The ceremony was covered by Radio Pakistan, Karachi, and Daily Ausaf.

The esteemed panelists discussed the challenges that a young entrepreneur face when they want to make their way in the business world and what are the necessary measures that they should take to overcome those obstacles.

Mirza Ishtiaq Baig emphasized that how important it is to have a specialized team when you want to start your venture. He said, “Most ventures fail as they lack team development. You cannot hire an unprofessional in your team, even though he’s your relative.”

Abdullah Akhtar was asked whether a person is an inborn entrepreneur, to which he replied,” You learn with time and though it’s something that a person has in itself, you cannot discourage anyone who wants to start their venture.”

Prof Dr. Farhan Essa advised the youth to take an active part in community service and make sure you spread happiness where ever you get a chance. Sharing his involvement in this direction he mentioned that, “We run an organization with the name ‘Make a wish’, the prime objective of this organization is to fulfill the wishes of children having terminal diseases. We recently organized a meet up of Engin Altan Guzyatan with two children who are fighting with cancer. I’ll like to encourage youngsters to be a part of such activities.”

The role of female entrepreneurs became a hot part of the discussion on how they have changed the corporate world, and now making mark in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The country needs their input and hard work to lift the status of the country across the globe.

The panel appreciated CEID and it’s hard work to change the core of studies from a conventional way to an entrepreneurial mindset where engineering and management students are jointly engaged in developing entrepreneurial projects that further turned into successful business.

The recent plan of setting an Incubation Center in the vicinity of DSU was applauded by the guests where students would be allowed to use the services free of cost so that they can settle their business with ease.

Along with this, the Rotary Club of Karachi Entrepreneurs under Rotary International held their oath-taking ceremony, where young enterprisers solemnly swear to work for the betterment of the entrepreneur’s sector in Karachi and Pakistan.

A journey that started with a single step is now taking leaps and bounds on a path to success. We wish Mr. Asad Ayaz Ansari success in his future endeavors.

DSU partners with Built By Her

October 16, 2020/in CEID /by Danyal Mohiuddin

Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development at DSU joined hand as an academic partner with Built by Her, a 48-hour long online hackathon that focuses on empowering young women between the ages of 18 and 35 in building solutions for 12 developmental challenges that fall under the Asia Foundation’s key themes, offering prize money of 1.65 million.

The event was conducted in collaboration with the Asia Foundation and the US Department of State. Director CEID, Miss. Eram Abbasi was also invited as a judge and tech mentor for the event.

The event commenced on 23.Oct to 25.Oct where different teams across Pakistan participated to showcase their talent. Multiple teams from DHA Suffa also participated in the event and displayed their skills. The event focused on expanding economic opportunities for women by Increasing female economic participation through Innovation and digitizing tourism and culture. The agenda that this year’s event took in hand was Technology and Development through Innovating access to quality healthcare technology and enabling access to education.

Due to COVID-19, the event was scheduled online focusing on Improving Institutional performance in tackling COVID19 through Data and the Internet as a tool for civil society and government partnerships in relief efforts. It also enlighted the need for technology for Improving disaster management and planning.

At the end of the event, 20 teams were shortlisted from which 2 teams were selected as winners. On 5.Nov,2020 team Elletech and team Barricade were declared winners of the competition.

International Cooperation (MoU) Signing between DHA Suffa University and Bir Ventures USA Ltd. (IdeaGist)

February 18, 2020/in CEID, events /by Danyal Mohiuddin

To foster entrepreneurial culture in the university, on 14^th February, 2020 DHA Suffa University entered into an international collaboration with Bir Ventures USA Ltd. (IdeaGist). IdeaGist is a virtual incubation platform for people of every walk of life but with especial focus for the students. This platform trains them and connects them with innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and students globally to help them launch their dream business. It is an online community of students, alumni, researchers and industry to work together towards a better future by developing innovation-driven enterprises.

The MOU was signed by Brig. Muhammad Rafiq Ahmed (Registrar) representing DHA Suffa University, in the presence of Mr. Muhammad Afzal Haque (Vice. Chancellor), Engr. Dr. Johar Khurshid (Dean) and Ms. Eram Abbasi (Director Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Development – CEID). Mr. Hassan Syed the CEO of IdeaGist himself was present to sign the MOU.

This main purpose of this collaboration is to support the Prime Minister’s Startup Pakistan program by establishing strategic partnerships with the university and to offer virtual incubation to their students and alumni by offering entrepreneurship as a carrier choice. So, the idea is to work together under the initiative by starting, mentoring and supporting ‘business incubation programs’ and provide access to investment and funding for innovative new products developed by aspiring entrepreneurs especially by DSU faculty and students.