ACCA students participate in Techstartup Weekend

LAHORE (PR): Entrepreneurship is one of the key areas of focus for ACCA as an empowering medium to translate creativity and talent of youth into actions that has social and economic effects. To explore the essence of creativity and innovation among youth in KP, Peshawar 2.0, a social enterprise aimed at building a startup community in Peshawar, under the umbrella of Techstars organised Techstartup Weekend, a 3 day event; 22nd - 24th September 2017. It was a 54-hour event where startup enthusiasts came together to share ideas, form teams, and launch startups.

ACCA was the knowledge partner as it believes that exposing young students to entrepreneurship results in creative freedom, higher self-esteem, and an overall greater sense of control over their own lives. Many of the start-up teams included ACCA students who got a chance to experience what it takes to launch a successful startup and a chance to build upon and strengthen their startup ideas.

“It was a great networking opportunity; we established forever lasting relationship with other young and ambitious minds. The mentors were very helpful and guided us about various business matters. I am thankful to ACCA for providing us this opportunity,” commented Muhammad Mustajab Ali, an ACCA Professional Level student from PAC Peshawar.

Techstars is a part of the global ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs to bring new technologies to market. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur Network, founders and their teams are able to connect to other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners that will help their companies grow.Techstars runs Startup Weekends globally in over 700 cities and 150 countries i-e San Francisco, Dubai, New York, Adelaide, Seattle, London, Berlin, Chicago, Paris and Toronto.

Peshawar 2.0 is a social enterprise aimed at building a startup community in Peshawar. It is a youth-led movement to rebuild and rebrand the City of Peshawar through innovation and entrepreneurship in technology, design and art. The event was specifically segmented for ideas relevant to education, tech, health and food, art and design, social work, science and social awareness.

 Decisive moment for Pak businesses to adopt Big Data and IoT

LAHORE (PR): This is the decisive moment for Pakistan’s organisations to adopt Big Data and Internet of Things solutions to drive business and economic competitiveness, one of the world’s leading digital transformation enablers, SAP announced at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai.

GITEX is one of the world’s largest technology events, with over 100,000 visitors and 4,000 exhibitors – including Pakistan’s leading business executives, technology futurists, and startup entrepreneurs.

The biggest topic of discussion here is the urgency facing global organizations in embracing digital transformation. Every industry vertical is looking to embrace emerging technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, and the Internet of Things.

Digital leaders expect 23 percent more growth by 2019, and already have 85 percent of market share and 80 percent of profitability versus competitors. However, while 84 percent of organizations say that digital transformation is critical, only 3 percent have completed digital transformation, according to the new SAP and Oxford Economics Digital Transformation Executive Study.

“Pakistan’s digital leaders already have a head start in the constantly-evolving digital economy. This is the decisive moment for all of Pakistan’s organizations to undergo digital transformation, and harness the power of Big Data and analytics, Internet of Things, and digital skills. Pakistan’s CIOs need to treat digital transformation as an all-encompassing and knowledge-sharing business imperative to disrupt the competitive landscape, said Gergi Abboud, Managing Director, Gulf, North Africa, Pakistan, and Levant at the digital transformation enabler SAP.

Across the wider Middle East and North Africa, more than three-quarters of digital-leading organizations will invest in Big Data and Internet of Things in 2018. The Internet of Things has the highest current investment, at 76 percent, though it will be supplanted by Big Data and analytics in 2018, with 82 percent, according to the survey. The majority (58 percent) of digital leaders add that digital skills investment is the most important profit growth driver in 2018.

Four multinationals join group committed to 100pc renewable power

ISLAMABAD (PR): Four multinationals have joined the RE100, a global initiative of major businesses committed to 100 percent renewable power.

In an announcement, the RE100 said that AkzoNobel, AXA, Burberry and the Carlsberg Group had joined its ranks, taking the number of companies committed to renewables to 100. International non-profit The Climate Group, in partnership with not-for-profit charity CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), is behind the RE100 initiative.

Dutch paints and coatings business AkzoNobel has set itself the target of being carbon neutral and using 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, while insurance giant AXA has targeted 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025.

Meanwhile, fashion business Burberry wants to procure 100 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2022. Brewing powerhouse the Carlsberg Group will turn to 100 percent renewable electricity at its breweries by 2022, and aims to be carbon neutral by the year 2030.

Helen Clarkson, CEO of the Climate Group, welcomed the new members. "By championing the compelling case for business action, we have reached 100 members three years earlier than expected," she said. "Changes in the market such as the falling cost of renewables have also worked in our favor."

Andre Veneman, AkzoNobel's corporate director of sustainability, said the company had put, "considerable effort into learning how to source renewable energy in a cost competitive way and the opportunities for our business are huge."

"We're convinced that embracing renewable energy is an excellent way to create both short- and long-term value that will enable a true business transition," Veneman added.

Other members of the RE100 include IKEA, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Google and Apple.