ISLAMABAD: Technology is gaining a foothold in Pakistan to a solid degree as startups are using augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) in various sectors to improve business methods.
According to a report of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), around 40 startups used these technologies in eight different sectors in Pakistan.
The PSEB report says that the country saw its first brush with a VR startup when Aiyin, an Islamabad-based ed-tech startup, became the runner-up in the Global Maker Challenge, and won Rs1.65 million.
The report says that Pakistani startups are using AR/VR/XR technologies in the ed-tech, prop-tech, software houses, entertainment, gaming, health-tech, tourism and e-commerce.
Wonder Tree is an AR startup aimed at children that require special education. The startup allows students to access science labs using their tech. Wonder Tree produces games that help enhance children’s motor, cognitive, and educational skills. They have a user base of more than 6,500 children and their gaming solutions are being used in 19 hospitals, 57 schools, and 187 houses.
The report says that Orbit-Ed provides enterprises with a VR platform to optimise the learning and training of their employees. The startup recently announced its pre-seed round in August 2022 led by Boost VC which brings up its total funding to $800,000.
Besides EdTech, the XR industry is also making leaps and bounds in the health-tech sector. In November 2021, Ziauddin University introduced Pakistan’s first VR dental simulator known as Virteasy Dental. The tool was installed at the digital dental lab at the School of Dentistry.
In 2022, famous food and grocery startup foodpanda used VR to introduce a new system for onboarding talent in Pakistan. The delivery giant used VR glasses to give students a feel of the foodpanda workplace during its many job fairs held in numerous universities in Sindh’s capital city of Karachi.
The VR market saw another uptick in Pakistan when Digisol announced its partnership with Zero Density as a channel partner. –INP
