Three Pakistani start-ups have been selected for the GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion award, local media reports said.

597 applications had been received from 44 countries for the grant.

The winning Pakistani startups — Vceela, Knowledge Platform and Orenda Pakistan — will receive a total grant of £668,000 (USD 942,254.08).

Addressing the occasion virtually, GSMA Head of Asia Pacific Julian Gorman said digital technologies are set to transform the way people live and work in Pakistan.

By 2023, the economic contribution of the mobile industry in Pakistan is expected to reach $24 billion, accounting for 6.6 percent of GDP, he added. To stimulate this growth, Pakistan has recently moved forward with significant mobile services tax reforms.

“As we saw in the GSMA 2020 Digital Societies Report, which tracks the progress of 11 focus countries in the Asia Pacific, Pakistan is advancing its societal, economic and digital ambition, as outlined in Digital Pakistan Vision,” Gorman said.

(SAM)