
Organization · Venture Capital
Invest2Innovate (i2i)
Invest2Innovate (i2i) is a dual-entity organization based in Pakistan that supports early-stage startups through investment, mentorship, and community infrastructure. It operates i2i Ventures, Pakistan's first female-founded institutional VC fund, focusing on technology startups.
Overview
What Invest2Innovate (i2i) does
What Invest2Innovate (i2i) is
Invest2Innovate (i2i) is a dual-entity organization based in Pakistan that supports early-stage startups through investment, mentorship, and community infrastructure. It operates i2i Ventures, Pakistan's first female-founded institutional VC fund, focusing on technology startups.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community and event host and publisher capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Venture Capital
- Founded
- Founded in 2011
- Approximate age
- About 15 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community · Event host · Publisher
- Last reviewed
- April 25, 2026
Official channels
Find Invest2Innovate (i2i) elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Invest2Innovate (i2i) as a funder
Investment thesis
Invest2Innovate (i2i) focuses on building resilient entrepreneurship ecosystems in growth markets, particularly in Pakistan. It emphasizes capital mobilization, gender lens investing, and supporting founders addressing large market opportunities.
Focus narrative
i2i invests in and supports pre-seed and seed-stage startups, providing hands-on support to help them grow. The organization emphasizes capital mobilization, gender lens investing, AI and future skills, climate action, and responsible business practices. It aims to strengthen entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers across various sectors.
Value beyond capital
i2i adds value beyond capital by providing fundraising support, strategic guidance through its operator bench, talent sourcing and optimization, and user insights via its research arm, i2i Insights.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $250,000–$500,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Regions
- AsiaSouth Asia
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 13
Portfolio context
Notable portfolio companies include: EZ Wage: Provides earned wage access and payroll financing solutions. Sehat Kahani: A telemedicine platform connecting out-of-work women doctors with patients. Hakeem: An Islamic digital nano-financing platform offering Shariah-compliant financial solutions. Other companies include CreditBook, Abhi, Safepay, and Truck It In.
Capability profile
Invest2Innovate (i2i) as a community
Community overview
Invest2Innovate (i2i) is an organization founded in 2011, based in Pakistan. It focuses on building resilient entrepreneurship ecosystems in growth markets, particularly in Pakistan, through initiatives that promote innovation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship. i2i operates as a dual-entity organization, comprising both ecosystem programs and an early-stage venture capital fund, i2i Ventures, which was launched in 2019.
Community focus
i2i invests in and supports pre-seed and seed-stage startups, providing hands-on support to help them grow. The organization emphasizes capital mobilization, gender lens investing, AI and future skills, climate action, and responsible business practices. It aims to strengthen entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers across various sectors.
Member value
Members benefit from various programs including accelerators, coaching for women-led businesses, and investment readiness training. i2i provides access to a network of mentors, partners, and investors, along with insights and reports on the entrepreneurial landscape in Pakistan.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- online
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Builders
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- accelerator and community
- Selection criteria
- open and application
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Regions
- Asia
Community activity
Events and activity
i2i organizes various events, including the Innovate Lab, a hands-on workshop for early-stage founders to embed AI into their businesses, and Build Up 2025, an annual conference for founders to reflect, learn, and connect.
Notable members
Notable team members include Kalsoom Lakhani, the founder and co-founder of i2i Ventures, and Misbah Naqvi, co-founder and GP. The organization has been recognized for its pioneering role in gender-lens investing in Pakistan.
Capability profile
Invest2Innovate (i2i) as an event host
Event focus
Invest2Innovate (i2i) focuses on building resilient entrepreneurship ecosystems in growth markets, particularly in Pakistan. The organization promotes innovation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship through various initiatives, investing in and supporting pre-seed and seed-stage startups with hands-on support to help them grow.
Format narrative
i2i organizes various events including workshops and an annual conference aimed at founders and entrepreneurs. These events are designed to foster learning, networking, and growth opportunities within the startup ecosystem.
Participant value
i2i provides significant value to its portfolio companies through fundraising support, strategic guidance, and access to a network of mentors and investors, enhancing their growth potential in the market.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- workshop and conference
- Recurrence
- annual
- Modality
- in-person
- Startups can present
- Yes
Availability
- Registration state
- Not currently accepting
Audience and fit
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Corporate Innovators
- Sectors
- Artificial IntelligenceFintechHealthcareBiotech & Life SciencesConsumerCreator EconomyCommerce & RetailEducationReal Estate & Property TechWeb3 & Blockchain
- Regions
- Asia · South Asia · Pk
Speakers and past editions
Speakers
Notable speakers include Kalsoom Lakhani, Founder and Co-founder of i2i Ventures, and other prominent figures from the startup and investment community.
Past editions
Past events have included the Innovate Lab workshop for early-stage founders and the Build Up 2025 annual conference, which provided a platform for founders to reflect, learn, and connect.
Capability profile
Invest2Innovate (i2i) as a publisher
Editorial focus
Invest2Innovate (i2i) focuses on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Pakistan. The organization supports pre-seed and seed-stage startups by providing hands-on assistance and capital mobilization. i2i emphasizes gender lens investing, AI and future skills, climate action, and responsible business practices to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Audience value
Invest2Innovate provides significant value to its portfolio companies by offering not just capital, but also strategic support, mentorship, and access to a network of investors and industry experts. This holistic approach helps startups refine their business models and connect with essential resources.
Format and cadence
- Content formats
- blog and research-report
- Primary platform
- invest2innovate.com
- Cadence
- quarterly
Availability
- Guest pitch state
- Not currently accepting
Audience and focus
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Regions
- AsiaSouth Asia
Flagship work and coverage
Flagship properties
i2i offers several key programs including i2iScale, a 12-week online accelerator for post-revenue startups, and the WeRaise Program, which coaches women-led businesses to enhance their fundraising readiness. Additionally, i2i publishes Startup Ecosystem Reports and Quarterly Updates that analyze funding trends in Pakistan.
Notable coverage
i2i has been recognized in various media outlets for its pioneering role in gender-lens investing in Pakistan. Notable coverage includes features in MENABytes, PropPakistani, and ImpactAlpha, highlighting its impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.
Connected ecosystem
Continue from Invest2Innovate (i2i)
These links use structured organization type, sector, and regional relationships. They do not imply endorsement or commercial similarity.
Same organization type
Structured sector focus
Structured regional focus
Common questions
What to know about Invest2Innovate (i2i)
Upseed classifies Invest2Innovate (i2i) under the Venture Capital organization type. Its current public profile includes funder, community, event host, and publisher capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 25, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.