We exist to be the first believer.
The most important things are often built by young people the world hasn't noticed yet. We find them first — and we back them with money and belief, no permission required.
Pakistan is full of talented young people who never get a first cheque. Brilliant inventors, founders, and scientists with the drive to build something real — and no one willing to bet on them early. We exist to change that: fast, no-strings money for a person with a bold idea and the will to chase it.
We bet on people, not plans. Beyond the cheque, what we're really giving is belief and momentum, at the exact moment they matter most. The first yes is the hardest one to get. We'd like to be yours.
Drive over credentials.
Inventors, builders, scientists, founders. Aged 14–30, based in Pakistan, already building something — or starting within three months.
We don't care about your GPA, your university, or your CV. We care what you've made, and what you'll make next.
A grant to build with, and people in your corner.
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01
Up to
A grant — no equity, no repayment, no IP claim. The money is yours.
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02
A handpicked cohort of exceptional peers
A few people, as serious as you are, building alongside you.
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03
Warm introductions to what comes next
Mentors, incubators, and national funds — the doors that open after the first one.
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04
People who genuinely believe in you
Not a logo on a deck — people who want you to win and will say so.
One short application. Twenty minutes.
Write in English or Urdu, or send us a 90-second video — whatever lets you say it best. We read everything ourselves — you'll hear back within 10 working days. Here are the four questions:
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Ⅰ
Tell us your story — who are you, and how did you get here?
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Ⅱ
What's the most impressive thing you've built, made, or made happen?
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Ⅲ
Name one thing you believe that most people around you think is wrong.
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Ⅳ
What do you want to build — and what would a grant let you do in six months?
First light, soon.
Open
Review
Cohort 1
The honest answers.
Is it really no-strings? +
Yes. It's a gift — no equity, no repayment, no claim on what you build. We win when you do.
Who can apply? +
Anyone aged 14–30, based in Pakistan, who is building something or about to start.
Do I need a registered company? +
No. A person and an idea is enough. No company, no incorporation, no paperwork required.
I'm under 18. Can I still apply? +
Yes — if you're building something real, we want to hear from you. Reach out with a parent or guardian and we'll figure out the rest together. Your age won't hold you back from a strong application.
How is it funded? +
The Simone & Aftab Family Trust — with angels and supporters who believe in the same mission. No outside investors, no strings attached, and nothing to sell.
A family bet on a generation.
The Aftab Fellowship comes from the Simone & Aftab Family Trust (SAAF), founded in 2020 — not as a fund that waits for proof, but as a family willing to believe first.
Aftab means the sun: not brilliance at noon, but first light — the kind that shows you the path before anyone else is looking. That's what we want to be for Pakistan's young builders: early believers, and a light on your path.
It carries a name, too. The fellowship is named for Dr. Mian Aftab Ahmad — a teacher who believed in his students long before they believed in themselves, and who saw entrepreneurship as one of the surest ways to build a stronger Pakistan. We carry his name forward to be that same first light for a new generation.