Overview
The ITCN Asia 2025 Edition served as Pakistan’s premier technology and innovation exhibition bringing together diverse participants, including government representatives, corporate leaders, global investors, and tech entrepreneurs. Held at the Karachi Expo Centre from September 23 to 25, 2025, the event provided a vibrant platform for showcasing advancements in fintech, telecom, AI, and emerging technologies, while fostering collaborations that align with Pakistan’s Digital Transformation Vision 2030. As part of this landmark event, the Pathfinder Group actively participated through its three core entities VRG, iPath, and Citadel each representing a unique dimension of the country’s evolving digital ecosystem.
VRG demonstrated its leadership in financial inclusion and interoperability through products like Asaan Mobile Account (AMA), Raast P2M, and Agent Inter-Op, emphasizing Pakistan’s move toward a cashless economy. iPath (Pvt) Ltd showcased its cutting-edge digital banking platforms iMPACT, iCON, iNOVA, and iDRS designed to empower banks, fintechs, and enterprises with scalable financial infrastructure. Meanwhile, Citadel marked its debut by launching the Davos Startup Challenge 2026, a visionary initiative to propel Pakistani startups onto the global stage at Davos, Switzerland.
Together, these fronts not only reinforced Pathfinder’s position as a key driver of fintech and innovation in Pakistan but also demonstrated the Group’s commitment to building bridges between local capability and global opportunity through meaningful engagements with corporates, startups, and the general public at ITCN.
Virtual Remittance Gateway (VRG)
Initiatives Showcased
VRG showcased its digital financial inclusion ecosystem, focusing on three major initiatives:
● Asaan Mobile Account (AMA): A USSD-based financial inclusion platform allowing customers to open and operate bank accounts without smartphones or internet access.
● Raast Person-to-Merchant (P2M): A cashless payment framework integrated with the State Bank of Pakistan’s Raast infrastructure to enable instant merchant payments.
● Agent Interoperability: A groundbreaking initiative that enables inter-bank cash transactions and biometric verification across multiple banking networks through a unified agent layer.
Engagements & Demonstrations
VRG’s team conducted live demonstrations for both corporate visitors and general attendees, simulating real-time USSD transactions (*dialing 2262#) and merchant payments through Raast P2M. The sessions drew interest from:
Corporate Delegations: Senior representatives from MMBL & BOP explored collaboration possibilities for expanding interoperability USSD platform and agent partnerships. Other fintechs also visited for collaboration for future collaborations in the Pakistani Tech Industry.
Public Visitors
Engaged in awareness sessions highlighting how AMA and Agent Interop eliminate banking barriers, allowing account management and payments directly through feature phones.
Outcome & Visibility
● Positioned VRG as the leading interoperability enabler for Pakistan’s inclusive finance agenda.
● Garnered significant visibility through live booth demos and media coverage during the Fintech Pavilion sessions.
● Earned commendations from SBP representatives for aligning with the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).
iPath (Pvt.) Ltd
Initiatives Showcased
iPath highlighted its digital banking solutions and custom fintech development frameworks:
● iMPACT: A robust payment middleware and transaction management platform for banks and PSPs.
● iCON: A card and e-wallet management engine supporting debit, prepaid, and virtual cards.
● iNOVA: A modular digital app ecosystem for customer onboarding, KYC, and transaction monitoring.
● iDRS: An intelligent data reconciliation system designed for financial institutions.
● PayLite: iPath’s flagship mobile wallet introduced as a secure, user-friendly, and all-in-one money management app.
Engagements & Demonstrations
The iPath booth engaged with corporates, fintech executives, and IT professionals:
● Banking Sector & Insurance sector (NBP Funds, Meezan Funds, MCB Investments): Discussions revolved around core banking modernization, API-led integrations, and migration from legacy systems to modular digital architectures.
● Fintech Startups & HealthTech Firms: Explored white-labeled wallet solutions and medical record ETL systems for data automation.
● General Visitors: Experienced the PayLite demo, showcasing instant top-ups, utility bill payments, and peer-to-peer transfers.
Outcome & Visibility
● Recognized as a comprehensive fintech enabler, bridging infrastructure and user-facing applications.
● Generated strong brand visibility through technical demos and interactive displays that attracted both B2B and B2C audiences.
Citadel (Pathfinder School of Excellence)
Initiative Showcased
Citadel made its public debut at ITCN Asia 2025 in Karachi, marking a major milestone for Pathfinder Group’s innovation ecosystem. The company launched the “Davos Startup Challenge 2026”, a first-of-its-kind national competition designed to provide Pakistani startups with a gateway to global exposure and investor engagement by presenting at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, Switzerland (Business Recorder, 20251).
This initiative reflects Citadel’s commitment to driving entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic diplomacy, in alignment with the Government of Pakistan’s Vision 2030 and the Digital Pakistan Policy. By bridging local talent with global investors, the program focuses on AI, fintech, climate and green tech, AgriTech, and HealthTech, encouraging startups that address critical socio-economic challenges through technology-driven solutions.
Collaborations and Engagements
During ITCN, Citadel’s booth drew attention from corporate leaders, startup founders, and government representatives, including members of P@SHA, Tech Destination Pakistan, and leading fintech firms. Citadel’s team conducted live sessions and discussions highlighting the process and selection criteria for the Davos Startup Challenge, inspiring dozens of startup founders and university-based entrepreneurs to register interest.
A key highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Citadel (Pathfinder Group) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) to formally collaborate on identifying, mentoring, and showcasing Pakistani startups globally (SAMENA Council Daily News, 2025)
The partnership is aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s representation at international innovation platforms and ensuring that selected startups receive both technical guidance and business mentorship before their Davos pitch.
Outcome and Visibility
Citadel’s participation at ITCN 2025 generated significant media coverage and stakeholder visibility, positioning it as a key player in Pakistan’s innovation and startup development ecosystem. The Davos Startup Challenge announcement was widely covered across Business Recorder, The Nation, TechDestination, and SAMENA Council, resulting in over 25+ direct startup applications and partnership inquiries during and immediately after the event. The initiative also reinforced Pathfinder Group’s strategic role in promoting Pakistan’s technology and innovation footprint on global stages, making Citadel one of the most talked-about new entrants at ITCN 2025.
