The COLABS Blog
Articles to help you grow!
October 24, 2024
COLABS Pre-Series A
Announcing our $2 million pre-series A funding round led by Shorooq Partners and Waad Investment to fuel expansion into Saudi Arabia.
Read More%20(1).jpg)
March 18, 2024
5 Reasons Coworking Spaces Are Startup Game-Changers
Coworking spaces are designed to optimize productivity and creativity, providing a stimulating environment that fosters collaboration and innovation.
Read More
February 29, 2024
Coworking Spaces: Hubs of Community Engagement
These vibrant hubs of creativity and collaboration have transformed the way individuals work, connect, and grow. With the global coworking market projected to soar to $11.52 billion by 2026, it's clear that these spaces are more than just a trend—they're a fundamental shift in how we approach work and community.
Read More
November 11, 2022
Representing COLABS at the Future Investment Initiative (FII)
This year, the 6th FII was hosted in Riyadh from the 25th-27th of October 2022, which saw some of the most well-known, top-tier CEOs, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and young leaders on one platform to pave the way for the future of the world economy and global investment. Hosting more than 7,000 delegate attendees, the 6th edition included over 500 speakers under the theme of ‘Investing in Humanity: Enabling a New Global Order.’
Read More
November 8, 2022
Young & Spirited – Shahrukh Hamid
With COLABS’ newly launched Johar Town site up and running in 2020 – offices needed to be sold quickly – but Shahrukh was unfazed by the empty building. In fact, he found the prospect of roping in new clients both challenging and exciting. Within his first month alone, Shahrukh sold one of the largest offices in the building. It was a big win. He was finally in his element. And the rest, as they say, was history.
Read More
November 3, 2022
De-Stress Day at COLABS!
An invisible killer, stress is one of the main causes of some of the most deadly diseases. From cancer and heart disease, including mental health issues, it is imperative that organizations plan stress management initiatives to provide a sense of relief and relaxation to their employees.
Read More
October 31, 2022
COLABS Goes Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness All Through October!
In a country where it is estimated that 1 out of every 9 women are at risk of breast cancer during their lifetime, Pakistan has the highest incidence of breast cancer in comparison to other Asian countries. According to the International Agency of Research on Cancer 2018 report, 34,066 new cases of breast cancer had been reported in Pakistani women.
Read More
October 25, 2022
Living with Purpose
Standing as the first Bachelors and Master’s degree-holder in his family, 27-year-old Adeel Ismail, has accomplished what many his age haven’t yet been able to. For one, the People & Culture Lead at COLABS (in Gulberg), has over ten years of work experience under his belt, not to mention the life experience and wisdom that comes with it.
Read More
October 19, 2022
Salahuddin Khawaja – The Optimistic Realist
46-year-old Salahuddin Khawaja is a man who wears many hats. The founder of Hypermode, an NY based crypto consulting firm, Salahuddin also heads a 50+ member team at his digital agency, Decklaration, housed at COLABS, Gulberg.
Read More
October 4, 2022
A Mentor for All Seasons
“There’s such a big gap in our society between the haves and the have-nots. It has been my life’s mission to bridge the class divide. One way for people like me to do that is to adopt the role of a mentor. If employees don’t have mentors in organizations they’ll always be directionless. And when employees are directionless, there’s zero growth.”
Read More
September 20, 2022
“Women Shouldn’t Shy Away From Leadership Positions” – Shahla Lal
In work cultures, there’s a misconception that one needs to ‘crack the whip’ often, primarily if one is in a leadership position. But over the past few years, an authoritarian approach in the workplace is fast losing its steam. Instead, empathetic leadership, one that is inclusive, seems to be a far more effective, long-term approach in both team-building and team-leading.
Read More
August 29, 2022
The Birth of Pakistan’s Silicon Valley
Despite Pakistan’s tumultuous economy and uncertain socio-political scenario, the start-up sector has continued to grow at a rapid pace. According to a report published by Al-Jazeera, in the year 2021, 83 start-ups managed to raise a whopping $350 million. At the start of 2022, the community raised $136 million to achieve a higher target than the previous year.
Read More
August 11, 2022
Why Coworking is Perfect For Gen Z
In line with the research conducted by Business Insider Intelligence, they found Gen Z to be more proactive in workspace preferences and conscious of being more sustainable in their choices than the previous generations. They demand a fun and socially stimulating environment to work in, which frees their creativity and doesn’t restrict them in any way.
Read More
March 25, 2022
COLABS Fundraise
COLABS becomes Pakistan’s only venture-backed collaborative workspace with a $3 million investment. The round was led by Indus Valley Capital, Zayn Capital, and Fatima Gobi Ventures. It is the first time these three leading Pakistan-focused VCs are investing together in a startup. The round was also joined by Shorooq Partners, Kinnow Capital, and some key angels, including Turner Novak, William Hockey, and Teddy Himler.
Read More
January 21, 2022
Pakistan’s startup ecosystem, Zayn Capital Investment thesis, Future projections and more | COLABS in conversation with Faisal Aftab
Team COLABS spoke to Faisal Aftab, Co-founder & Managing Partner – Zayn Capital’s Frontier VC Fund focused on Pakistan. Faisal is also the Founder of BitRate Digital Assets, a US-based Crypto Fund. We sat down with him for an insightful conversation and this is our take on how Pakistan’s ecosystem has evolved over the past few years, what is the investment thesis of Zayn Capital and his exciting projections for the years to come.
Read More
September 22, 2021
How are the women of COLABS redefining our #FutureOfWork
Currently, female labor force participation in Pakistan is at 29%, well below rates for countries with similar income levels. However, the current boom gives our economy a chance to change this statistic. COLABS is one such initiative in Pakistan that not only provides working access for women, but also hopes to redefine what it means for women to work.
Read More
September 21, 2021
Why COLABS Enterprise is perfect for your company
The COLABS Enterprise is located inside the heart of Lahore; Gulberg. Both the flagship site and the new COLABS Enterprise constitute of the COLABS campus, making one of the largest workspaces in the city. Get the ease of access for your employees to get to work without a hassle!
Read More
September 20, 2021
The Future of Hybrid Coworking Spaces after COVID
Companies have been experimenting with different modes ever since the COVID-19 restrictions have eased down, testing what is working for their employees and what isn’t. Oftentimes, it gets complicated to get the workforce to join offices after a year of working from home. Hence, to mediate between the shift back to work, coworking spaces seem like a workable solution.
Read More
September 15, 2021
Consumer Experience Guide for Choosing a Coworking space
The customer journey experience plays an integral part in ensuring the success of your business; it translates into the perception of your brand. The better the perception, the better the business. Therefore, curating a seamlessly tailored experience for your customers is pertinent to inducing a positive influx of business — every minuscule detail matters.
Read More
August 31, 2021
How to Avoid a Workplace Burnout
Stress triggers can be infinite, but the solutions are just a handful. Failure to execute stress management solutions or healthy coping mechanisms will eventually lead towards the burnout stage.
Read More
August 20, 2021
Airlift raises $85M in Series B Funding, now valued at $275M
Airlift raised the largest ever funding round, and this year has been a stellar year for the Pakistani startup ecosystem. 21 Pakistani startups have already raised a million dollars or more this year and the Airlifts round takes the total startup investments in 2021 to $170M.
Read More
August 16, 2021
Women In Entrepreneurship
It’s said we live in a man’s world, and sometimes it definitely feels that way. Have you ever struggled to reach a high bookshelf?
Read More
May 27, 2021
Impact of COVID on Coworking Spaces
While the future of remote workforce looks very promising and is expected to grow, many of us still want a place to connect with others in person and coworking spaces are uniquely positioned to fill this void.
Read More