For being home to the fifth largest population in the world, Pakistan has a comparatively small startup community. That said, the country is hitting an inflection point, with internet and smartphone usage becoming more and more common. It’s not dissimilar to the technology adoption spikes seen in other countries across Southeast Asia, like Indonesia and Vietnam, that led to a wave of high-flying tech startups. Bykea, a Pakistani startup that offers everything from motorbike hailing to delivery of goods, is set to ride that wave in its home country to become the next local tech giant.
“One of the key differentiators we see for Bykea is a focus on being local,” says Founder Muneeb Maayr. “That is showcased in everything from our use of motorbikes for navigating the tight city streets, to having our app support voice interactions because many of our customers cannot spell or type in their own language on a smartphone.” This strategy has proved successful, as Bykea leads in a market where giants like Uber and Lyft have tried to make headway.