Pakistani entrepreneurs have completed their training at the Alibaba Netpreneur Training (ANT) program which gave them a chance to gain insights into the emerging Digital Technology ecosystem for their businesses.

The training program was organized by the Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI) in collaboration with Daraz, one of the leading online retail stores of Pakistan, and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. A total of 34 entrepreneurs participated in the program. 

ANT program has been developed to train entrepreneurs to make inroads into the emerging digital ecosystem of the modern economies. The first of its kind for Pakistani entrepreneurs ANT program started in July and continued into the month of August to equip the entrepreneurs with skills needed to grow their businesses by adopting the digital technologies of late.

The selection process for the ANT program was very strict and rigorous. After an extensive selection program, 34 entrepreneurs from various sectors of agriculture, e-commerce, healthcare, information and communications technology (ICT), logistics and local services were invited to take part in the program. They represented all kinds of businesses on modern and traditional lines. The entrepreneurs were trained about the emerging technologies being adopted by Chinese companies to move into the digital future.

These technologies and the accompanying best practices were streamlined for the Pakistani businesses so that they could easily integrate them with their business models to improve productivity and profitability.

Dr Mohsin Zahid, head of R&D of Neuron Solutions, also participated in the program. He spoke about his experience during the program and said that “the diversity of the participants made for a very good learning environment. All participants got the chance to learn from each other and from others’ business models. Although each participant represented a different sector with different business outcomes, there was still a uniformity of objective in embracing modern technological solutions.”

“ANT has been particularly designed with all the necessary components essential to imagine the future of a successfully digitized business. This training has helped me to envision the future of my business in a more vivid way. Our three areas of specialization, namely market research, software development, and digital marketing, are poised to develop into separate businesses. This training has helped me to think of developing them as part of an integrated digital ecosystem,” he said.

Sumbul Sameen, Founder of Opportunities, was another participant of the ANT program. Her company is a start-up that provides services in mental health issues related to stress and depression to young and adults from all walks of life.

“This training was a holistic program to explain all the knowledge required by an entrepreneur. The importance of vision, strategy, mission, and values of a company were explained to me during this program. I have learned a lot from this training and I will be able to add value in my business by developing a more inclusive culture of support and growth,” she said.

“I will be updating the mission and vision of my own company after learning from this program. As for the strategy, I am planning to improve it after discussion with my team. More stress will be laid on digitization of the provision of services so that service delivery can be quickened in pace,” she said.

“It has been a motivating experience for me. So many times in life failures put you in a tight spot. But this training has proven the importance of failures and their role in personal and professional development for me,” she added.

Tony Hulton, Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Daraz Group, said that the “program has taught the participants to use digital technology to improve their products and create a more friendly experience for the users. We have trained them to make full use of digital technologies more effectively to uplift their businesses. It was delightful to see that Daraz and Alibaba are enabling the future of the business sector by equipping them with advanced digital learning.”

The participants of the program will attend the AGI entrepreneur community where they will get more chances to network and find like minded entrepreneurs. Moreover, excellent performers will also be invited to Alibaba headquarters in Huangzhou in the next phase of the program.

The ANT Program is one of Alibaba Group’s initiatives to develop talent in digital commerce and business. To date, AGI has trained close to 1,800 entrepreneurs around the world through this program.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk