Two Pakistani startups, AdalFi and Adlytic AI, have been selected to participate in Google’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy for the Asia-Pacific region, joining 23 companies from across the region, Google announced on Thursday.
The initiative, aimed at enhancing AI solutions and accelerating business growth, marks a significant step in nurturing AI-driven innovation across the Asia-Pacific.
The programme, which kicked off this week with a three-day boot camp in Singapore, includes participants from countries like India, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. AdalFi and Adlytic AI are the only startups representing Pakistan in this prestigious cohort.
Over the course of the programme, these startups will benefit from over 170 hours of mentorship from AI and Cloud experts, along with up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits. Additionally, the participants will have the opportunity to connect with leading AI innovators from across the region.
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Enhancing Pakistan’s AI presence globally
The two Pakistani startups stand out for their innovative use of AI to address critical challenges in their respective sectors. AdalFi is revolutionising financial access in Pakistan through its AI-powered credit scoring system, which aims to promote financial inclusion for millions of individuals and small businesses.
Meanwhile, Adlytic AI is transforming retail analytics by converting CCTV systems into intelligent tools, providing retailers with valuable visual and geospatial data to optimise their business strategies.
Google’s press release highlighted the importance of the AI Academy in driving cross-border innovation and collaboration in AI technologies, positioning the Asia-Pacific as a future hub for AI development. “These startups are pushing the boundaries of AI innovation in Pakistan and contributing to the region’s vibrant AI ecosystem,” the statement noted.
Wave of AI-Driven innovation
Head of Google for Startups Michael Kim expressed enthusiasm about the academy’s potential impact. “AI has the potential to be an incredible force multiplier, and it’s inspiring to see these 23 startups harnessing AI’s potential to tackle tough challenges, from expanding access to financial services and healthcare to building AI collaborators for lawyers,” Kim said.
“Through this programme, we hope to foster a wave of innovation that will have a ripple effect across the entire Asia-Pacific region.”
The AI Academy, launched by Google in August, is designed to support the growth of AI startups in Pakistan and the wider Asia-Pacific region by fostering new ideas, partnerships, and solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges across various industries.
Path to graduation: AI solutions in spotlight
The programme will culminate in December with a Graduation Day event, where the participating startups will showcase their refined AI solutions to investors, entrepreneurs, and AI leaders. This platform is expected to further bolster the visibility of startups like AdalFi and Adlytic AI, potentially securing further investment and partnerships to propel their businesses to new heights.
The inclusion of Pakistani startups in Google’s inaugural AI Academy not only underscores the country’s growing presence in the global AI landscape but also highlights the transformative potential of AI-driven solutions in tackling real-world challenges across the region.
