This whitepaper summarizes the discussions and recommendations put forward in the second Investor Roundtable- IRT 2.0, organized by the National Incubation Centre as a completely virtual event, on the 27th of July 2020. The Roundtable brought emerging investment challenges to the forefront and explored possibilities for collaboration amongst various players to take the ecosystem forward.
Recent developments in the regulatory regime were discussed, and bottlenecks were identified, that complicate the investment processes, for both local and foreign investments. A set of recommendations were put forward to resolve regulatory hurdles, to open avenues for investments in Pakistani startups.
Key Issues identified at IRT 2.0
- Regulatory policies by the State Bank of Pakistan and other regulators are not conducive to attracting FDI in the country
- Clauses in the Foreign Exchange Manual issued by the SBP inhibit Pakistani tax residents from acquiring shares in foreign companies
- Commercial banks, lack a thorough understanding of the startup investment ecosystem
- An overburdening of regulatory policies from different regulators is forcing local companies to register themselves abroad
- Regulatory burdens hinder locally registered funds from partnering with international funds.
- A central database for both startups and investors is required to provide visibility for both parties, and a medium for collaboration
The National Investor Roundtable 2.0 Whitepaper
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