LAHORE: In the run-up to the Momentum Tech Conference to be held in the third of week of February in Karachi, Abacus Consulting and Momentum Pakistan are launching the first ever API (application programming interface) hackathon – APIthon - in Lahore on January 13 and 14 where startups will be tasked with consuming Pakistan's major companies’ open APIs.

The event, where startups can register and participate free of cost and try their tech skills to build innovative products and services, will have access to open APIs of Telenor Pakistan, Apigee, JS Bank, Easypaisa and Telenor Bank.

Shoaib Khan, vice president of Abacus Consulting financial services and digital, said: “By harnessing the power of open APIs coupled with the intelligent, secure API management system, startups and corporations will have endless opportunities to mutually design and explore an ecosystem focused on disruption and experimentation – an ecosystem that will continue to grow long after the APIthon.” The APIthon expects the participants to come up with an upgraded or new service(s), by consuming partner companies’ APIs, in their existing app and/or revenue stream(s). The best three services will get the winner prizes. World-class companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon have opened their APIs’ access to other vendors the world over for the advancement of technology. Shoaib Khan said Google maps’ open APIs had revolutionised ride-sharing applications like Uber and Cream, and the APIthon would also come up with such wonderful products. Global Social Entrepreneurship Foundation founder Muhammad Siqqique says innovative Apps and service solutions originating at the APIthon would get more exposure at the upcoming Momentum Tech Conference being held in Karachi on February 19 and 20. –PRESS RELEASE

 The mega event will feature tech giants like Facebook, Amazon Web Service, IBM and Microsoft besides many other international and national enterprises who would mentor and adopt Pakistani startups and entrepreneurs.