All seven Pakistani tech startups participating in this year’s Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference (GISEC) reached the semi-finals of the prestigious pitch competition, making a notable impression at one of the world’s leading cybersecurity gatherings.
The startups were sponsored by Ignite – National Technology Fund, an initiative under Pakistan’s Ministry of IT and Telecom, which supports innovation through incubation and grants focused on Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. While none of the teams advanced to the final round, several secured key partnerships and global visibility.
Waqar Ahmed, CEO of cybersecurity startup Securitanium, shared that his company signed a deal with a Gulf-based IT distributor with operations in Bahrain, the UAE, Ireland, and New Zealand. “We’re onboarding with them as a vendor for email security, and we hope to expand our offerings to their clients in the near future,” he said.
Securitanium’s AI-powered platform detects phishing emails not only by analyzing sender credentials, but also by scanning email content—a capability often missing from conventional gateway protections. “More than 80% of cyberattacks stem from phishing,” Ahmed added.
Another standout participant, Muhammad Ali Inayat, founder of ComplianceMachine.ai and CEO of its parent company Kinverg, highlighted how data protection laws in the Gulf, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are driving demand for innovative compliance solutions. “Our platform reduces compliance costs by 50% by offering pre-built, regulation-mapped controls,” he explained, noting the rapid growth of the global data protection landscape over the past decade.
Thingzeye, another Pakistani startup, showcased smart device protection through its Smart Home Firewall—designed to safeguard connected home and medical devices. “It offers parental controls and even analyzes children’s online behavior,” said CEO Ghalib Asadullah Shah, adding that the firewall can identify and profile every device on a home network, including those handling sensitive health data.
Reflecting on the event, Shah called the experience empowering. “GISEC gave us the confidence to believe we can compete globally. It’s not just a stage—it’s a launchpad,” he said.
Adeel Aijaz Shaikh, CEO of Ignite, emphasized the importance of supporting such talent. “We are committed to enabling Pakistan’s tech ecosystem and fostering a knowledge economy. GISEC is also our partner in the Digital Pakistan Cybersecurity Hackathon, and we’re planning to bring more teams to future editions.”
The startups also encouraged Pakistani youth to explore opportunities in cybersecurity. “Pakistan has deep roots in this field—the world’s first computer virus was written in Lahore,” said Inayat. Shah echoed the sentiment, urging young innovators to take their ideas to global platforms like GISEC.
Khalid Yacoob, a Dubai-based visitor and director of business development at HiveMind Global, expressed pride in seeing a Pakistan pavilion at the event. “It’s encouraging to see Pakistan playing a visible role in the global cybersecurity space,” he said.
Held from May 6 to 8, GISEC 2025 hosted over 750 cybersecurity companies and 250,000 visitors from more than 160 countries. The event featured hackathons, panel discussions, and set 11 Guinness World Records, including the “most nationalities in a simulated Dark Web training session” and the “largest ransomware awareness session,” according to the UAE Cybersecurity Council.
