The Asia Tech Podcast was joined by Kalsoom Lakhani, a co-Founder and General Partner of I2I Ventures. As a daughter of a Bangladeshi mother and a Pakistani father, Kalsoom grew up with a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, which shaped her into a third culture kid adept at navigating diverse environments. This background fueled her curiosity and empathy, key traits that have significantly influenced her professional life and her approach to investing in Pakistan’s nascent but growing startup landscape.
Some of the topics Kalsoom covered in detail:
- The evolution of the Pakistani startup ecosystem, which was still nascent when I2I was started in 2011
- The challenges of ecosystem building requires the convergence of multiple elements—entrepreneurs, investors, regulatory frameworks, and support systems.
- The resilience and ingenuity of Pakistani founders, who often operate with limited resources in challenging environments.
- The growing influence of artificial intelligence and the importance of addressing its ethical and societal implications.
- A recurring theme was the importance of embracing nuance and complexity. Whether in cultural identity, ecosystem building, or technology, Kalsoom advocates for a deeper, more empathetic understanding.
Read the best-effort transcript
Read the best-effort transcript below (This technology is still not as good as they say it is…):
