Seed to Scale: The Founder–VC Journey at SDSB-LUMS

On October 14, 2025, the Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB), LUMS, hosted a panel discussion titled “Seed to Scale: The Founder–VC Journey.” The session featured Lolita Taub (General Partner, Ganas Ventures, USA), Adil Naseem (Co-Founder, PostEx), Fatin Tariq Gondal (CEO, Smartlane), Abbas Yousafzai (CEO, Conrad Labs), Yaser Awan (Director Innovation, Takhleeq), Iftikhar Hussain (Director, Startup Grind Lahore), and Dr. Hassan Rauf Chaudhry (Programme Director, MBA at SDSB).

Moderated by Yaser Awan, the discussion brought together founders, investors, and academics to share experiences on navigating startup growth, addressing scaling challenges, and fostering strong founder–VC relationships.

In his address, Iftikhar Hussain highlighted the value of collaboration and community building in advancing Pakistan’s startup landscape. Throughout the session, panellists shared practical insights drawn from their professional journeys. Lolita Taub spoke about inclusive investing and the potential of early-stage ventures in emerging markets. Adil Naseem discussed PostEx’s evolution as a fintech and logistics solution provider, while Fatin Tariq Gondal reflected on Smartlane’s mission to support e-commerce businesses through technology. Abbas Yousafzai shared his experience as a serial entrepreneur bridging Silicon Valley and Pakistan, and Dr. Hassan Rauf Chaudhry connected the discussion to SDSB’s broader commitment to developing entrepreneurial leadership through its academic programs.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A session and a vote of thanks, followed by a group photo capturing the collaborative spirit of the evening.

Seed to Scale: The Founder–VC Journey reaffirmed SDSB’s commitment to fostering dialogue between entrepreneurs and investors and to supporting innovation and venture growth in Pakistan.