Invest2Innovate

Misbah Naqvi is a Co-Founder and General Partner at i2i Ventures and a Kauffman Fellow with over two decades of experience in finance, fintech, and impact investing across emerging markets. He has worked in business development and finance in Pakistan and the United States, with expertise in base of the pyramid markets, social entrepreneurship, and international development. Naqvi maintains connections across business, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors in both Pakistan and the US.

Aleena Khan is a social development professional who has held leadership roles in research, public policy, and program management across education, entrepreneurship, and women's inclusion. She previously served as Deputy Director of Growth and Strategy at Invest2Innovate, where she oversaw capacity-building programs, research, and policy advocacy initiatives, and was nominated by the World Economic Forum as Pakistan's expert on the Future of Education, Gender, and Work. Her career includes designing a $23 million youth internship program for Pakistan's Ministry of Planning, managing a $1 million grant portfolio of peacebuilding projects at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and leading education reform advocacy campaigns, supported by a Master's degree in Comparative Social Research from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow.

Ayesha Faisal is a marketing professional at Toyota Indus Motor Company, where she serves as Brand Manager for Fortuner and works in marketing planning to support product strategy and data-driven decision making. Her background includes consumer research and cross-functional growth initiatives across multiple sectors. She is completing her degree at IBA in 2025.

Duaa Asif is a strategic communications consultant with over 8 years of experience across startups, corporates, and the development sector. At invest2innovate, she led communications and partnerships initiatives, managed relationships with global partners, and spearheaded the Build Up founder conference, which convened over 200 founders and investors. She currently works as a Strategic Communications and Evidence Translation Consultant at Wyeside Consulting Ltd and operates Through Stories, an influencer marketing consultancy focusing on narrative-driven campaigns across digital platforms.

Farwa Zahid holds a PhD in Mathematics and has worked across data analytics, business development, and education. She currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at University of Missouri-Columbia and previously held roles at HUM Network Ltd and Invest2Innovate, where she led data analysis for the Pakistan Startup Ecosystem Report and built an Investor-Founder Discovery Platform. She has trained over 800 professionals in data analytics and Python through various roles and educational programs.

A technology entrepreneur and investor associated with i2i.

Laiba Ahmad is an AI Product Owner and Enterprise Builder who has spent three years designing and leading accelerators, incubation programs, and capacity-building initiatives with organizations including the United States Institute of Peace, Adam Smith International, and the Visa Foundation, engaging with over 500 founders and business owners. At i2i, she works with startups across growth, scale, and fundraise stages, focusing on program design, strategic partnerships, and operational execution, while also contributing to the organization's AI Vertical by developing sector-focused learning experiences for startups and professionals. Ahmad is interested in climate technology and exploring how innovation and monetization can combine to create sustainable solutions.

Saba Kalsoom is AI Strategy and Operations Lead at Tech Valley Pakistan, where she focuses on AI strategy, ecosystem building, and talent development. Previously, she supported founders and startups across the MENAP region through accelerator programs, fundraising preparation, and access to capital and mentorship. She has been recognized as a TechWomen Emerging Leader by the U.S. State Department, received Pakistan's PSL Hamaray Heroes Award, and served as Pakistan's first Google Developers Student Clubs Lead.

Umar Farooq serves as Finance and Accounts Coordinator at Invest2Innovate, bringing five years of work experience in accounting and finance. His responsibilities include management of financial accounts, income statements, balance sheets, and taxation matters, along with logistics and administrative functions.