ECP is a national competition held in more than 30 cities across Pakistan that aims to inspire business acumen and entrepreneurial skills in students aged 14 to 18. Through business simulation games, one-on-one mentorship, coaching and peer support networks, the competition is designed to give students a better understanding of business models and financial literacy. Finalists will later compete for seed money to help start their own businesses.

More than 80 schools took part in the 2022 competition. Aga Khan School, Garden presented three projects, one of which was selected as a Top 10 Finalist. Grades 9 and 10 students Hardik Govind, Anjiya Amin, Aaniq Zulfiqar, Mushtaq Fareed and Hasan Ali pitched an online platform called Carsircar, an application and website they plan to design that will consolidate Karachi’s supply and demand of mechanical services to a single platform. The project was designed to contribute to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals of Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

The students were mentored by teachers Mr Asad Siddqui, Mr Shahzad Khan and Ms Sahar Damani, who were trained as facilitators by ECP. Working closely with their teachers allowed the students to fine-tune their business models and improve their presentation skills. Currently, the students are working on bringing their business idea to life.

Anjiya Amin said that taking part in the competition helped her to better understand the skills required to become an entrepreneur: “It has been an honour to participate in ECP because the competition has made me more resilient towards my goals. This competition helped me in challenging myself and exploring the skills that are required to become an entrepreneur. I have always dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur, and applying for ECP was the right decision as it gave me an insight into how entrepreneurship works. The skills that I learned include teamwork, presentation and communication skills which will be beneficial for my future education.”