Aug 28, 2025

In a welcome development, two Pakistani fintech startups have been included in the prestigious Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, which highlights innovative and impactful startups across the Asia-Pacific region. The Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list spotlights a diverse range of high-impact startups—from healthcare wearables and industrial innovations to AI-powered consumer platforms and social-impact ventures. The list serves as an indicator of Asia's next wave of entrepreneurial growth. The 2025 edition features 100 small companies and startups across the Asia-Pacific, including both private firms and emerging entrepreneurs. Now in its fifth year, the list provides insight into the region's dynamic startup landscape. India leads the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025 list with 18 startups, operating across sectors such as enterprise technology, robotics, biotech, healthcare, finance, and consumer tech. China follows with nine startups, many of which are advancing AI-driven biotech innovation. Bangladesh is represented by two startups: Pathao, a multi-service app offering ride-hailing, food delivery, logistics, and fintech solutions, has completed over 70 million orders and 6 million downloads, raising over US$50 million including a recent US$12 million pre-Series B round; and Shomvob, a job-tech platform that helps users create digital profiles for job applications and training, which received a US$300,000 grant from the Gates Foundation and US$1 million in pre-seed funding from Cocoon Capital. According to a KPMG report, India, Japan, and Singapore continue to attract the most venture capital this year. A total of 16 countries and territories are represented in the 2025 list. India leads with 18 companies, followed by Singapore and Japan (14 each), China (9), Indonesia and South Korea (8 each), and Australia (7). Collectively, the selected startups have raised nearly US$3 billion in funding—an increase from US$2 billion in the 2024 edition. Pakistan is represented by two Karachi-based fintech startups—Haball and PostEx, both backed by Zayn VC. Haball, founded in 2017, provides Shariah-compliant B2B fintech solutions including digital invoicing, tax compliance, and working capital financing. It has processed over US$3 billion in payments and recently raised US$52 million (US$5 million in equity and US$47 million in strategic financing from Meezan Bank). PostEx, founded in 2020, offers hybrid logistics and fintech services tailored to the e-commerce sector, including upfront cash payments on delivery to support seller cash flow. The startup acquired Call Courier in 2022 and raised US$7.3 million in a pre-Series A round to support expansion into the Middle East. To qualify for inclusion in the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, companies must be privately held and for-profit, headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region, founded before August 2024, and must not exceed US$50 million in annual revenue or US$100 million in total funding.