Pakistanis who made it to Forbes '30 Under 30' Asia list

Seven Pakistanis have earned a spot on the prestigious Forbes '30 Under 30' Asia list, celebrated as "changemakers" transforming their industries across 10 categories, from technology and science to social impact and media.

Syed Ismail, cofounder of the Karachi-based company Saraaf, was recognized in the 'consumer and enterprise technology' category. Founded in 2021, Saraaf aims to digitize commodity sourcing and enhance transparency. The company is preparing to launch a mobile app offering real-time pricing, shipment tracking, digitized contracts, and live chats for businesses sourcing materials like onyx and cotton from Central and South Asia. In 2024, Saraaf also secured a significant $5.3 million investment commitment from Shark Tank Pakistan.

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Researching next-generation semiconductors at Cambridge University, innovating deep-tech technologies and working at the intersection of science, innovation, and leading impact has been an amazing journey filled with immense joy.

In the 'finance and venture capital' category, Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai and Sarfraz Shahid Hussain were honored for co-founding Singapore-based Plouton AI. This venture is described as an "agentic automation platform" designed to help midmarket companies streamline finance workflows. Plouton AI utilizes auditable browser-based agents to manage tasks such as invoicing, payroll processing, and month-end reconciliation within existing tools like Xero, QuickBooks, and Excel, thereby saving companies the expense of purchasing new software.

Maheera Ghani, who completed her PhD in materials science at Cambridge University in 2025 and is currently pursuing postdoctoral research there on ultra-thin semiconductors, was highlighted for her leadership of the WinSci Pakistan education project. This initiative received the Nature Inspiring Women in Science award from The Estée Lauder Companies and Springer Nature for Ghani's efforts to promote women's careers in science. Ghani expressed her gratitude, stating, "Researching next-generation semiconductors at Cambridge University, innovating deep-tech technologies and working at the intersection of science, innovation, and leading impact has been an amazing journey filled with immense joy. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride to represent my country on such a prestigious platform and this recognition means so much to me personally."

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I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride to represent my country on such a prestigious platform and this recognition means so much to me personally.