Biography of Kalsoom Lakhani: Founder & CEO of Invest2Innovate - Entrepreneur
Biography of Kalsoom Lakhani:
Early Life and Global Upbringing
Born on September 24, 1982, in Dubai,
UAE, to a Bangladeshi mother and Pakistani father, Kalsoom
Lakhani’s multicultural background profoundly shaped her worldview. She spent
her formative years in Dhaka and Islamabad,
experiences that gave her a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and social
challenges across South Asia. Her father’s international career and her
exposure to multiple societies instilled in her an early sense of curiosity,
empathy, and a desire to build bridges between different communities.
Education and International Exposure
Kalsoom pursued her undergraduate studies in Foreign
Affairs and Middle East Studies at the University of Virginia,
followed by a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Conflict
Resolution from George Washington University’s Elliott School
of International Affairs. During her academic journey, she cultivated a
global perspective on development and governance and gained a deep
understanding of how emerging markets evolve. Her education in the United
States laid the intellectual foundation for her later work in investing, social
innovation, and cross-border entrepreneurship.
From Strategic Communications to Advocacy
Kalsoom began her professional career in strategic
communications and defense contracting in Washington, D.C., during a
critical geopolitical period. Working as a young Muslim woman in an industry
dominated by uniform frameworks of power and security, she became more aware of
the deep cultural biases shaping narratives about the Global South.
Disenchanted with traditional policymaking, she turned to blogging and
storytelling as more human approaches to transformation—one that could
amplify grassroots voices instead of just policy reports.
Founding CHUP: Changing Up Pakistan
In January 2008, Kalsoom founded CHUP
(Changing Up Pakistan), one of the earliest independent blogs focused on
Pakistan’s political, cultural, and social transformation. CHUP became a
digital forum where young Pakistanis could discuss governance issues,
entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. Her writing and commentary were soon
featured in leading publications like The Huffington Post, The
Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Dawn, NextBillion, and The
Express Tribune. CHUP’s influence made her one of the leading voices in
Pakistan’s early digital advocacy movement, positioning her as a
forward-thinking communicator blending policy, media, and social impact.
Biography of Kalsoom Lakhani: Founder & CEO of Invest2Innovate- Entrepreneur/ Pakistan/Inspire young entrepreneurs/partner at i2i Ventures/Investor
A Shift Toward Social Impact and Venture Philanthropy
By 2008, Kalsoom transitioned into the social
impact and venture philanthropy sector, joining ML Resources,
LLC, an investment firm based in Washington, D.C. As the Director
of Social Vision, her role focused on identifying and financing early-stage
social enterprises in developing markets. This experience gave her valuable
insight into scalable innovation models and showed her the immense untapped
potential in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Vietnam—areas
often dismissed by conventional investors but rich with entrepreneurial
resilience.
Build, Adapt, Empower: Founding Invest2Innovate (i2i)
In 2011, Kalsoom founded Invest2Innovate
(i2i), a startup accelerator network and impact investment
organization in Pakistan. Her bold vision was to unlock opportunities
for entrepreneurs in frontier markets through mentorship, funding, and
institutional support. Under her leadership, i2i expanded
across Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, empowering over 120
startups by 2025 and supporting thousands of founders via workshops,
training programs, and investment connections.
The organization’s success drew global recognition—in
2013, the University of Cambridge listed i2i among the World’s
Top 50 Innovators. Later, in 2019, Kalsoom co-founded i2i Ventures,
the organization’s seed-stage venture capital fund, which actively invests in
high-growth Pakistani startups such as Tajir, Taza, and CreditBook.
Her investment philosophy blends purpose and profit—anchored in sustainability,
inclusion, and real-world problem solving.
The Hero Project and Community Building
Kalsoom’s deep belief in local leadership and storytelling
led to the creation of The Hero Project, a platform celebrating
Pakistan’s unsung heroes—ordinary citizens achieving extraordinary impact.
Through social media, particularly Facebook and LinkedIn, Kalsoom
uses The Hero Project to highlight stories of compassion, social innovation,
and perseverance. These narratives inspire a growing network of changemakers
committed to shaping Pakistan’s future from the grassroots.
Global Training and Mentorship
Kalsoom extends her impact globally by conducting training
sessions for entrepreneurs, youth leaders, and social innovators across Cambodia,
Ireland, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. She is also the co-founder of ThinkChange-Pakistan,
a knowledge-sharing platform spotlighting social entrepreneurship trends and
best practices. As Washington D.C. Co-Ambassador for Sandbox, a
global community of changemakers, she continues to connect South Asian
entrepreneurs with international collaborators and investors.
Thought Leadership and Public Advocacy
Kalsoom’s expertise in social innovation, women’s
entrepreneurship, and startup resilience has made her a sought-after speaker at
top conferences—ranging from the World Bank Youth Summit to Techstars
Global Summit and Forbes Under 30 Asia events. Her
insights into emerging markets and sustainable venture growth have been
featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, TechCrunch, and Stanford
Social Innovation Review. She consistently advocates shifting narratives
about Pakistan, emphasizing innovation, creativity, and opportunity over crisis
and constraint.
Recognitions and Accolades
Kalsoom’s leadership and global influence have earned
numerous honors. She was recognized among Diplomatic Courier’s Top 99
Foreign Policy Leaders under 33 (2012) and as an Ashoka
Changemakers/American Express Emerging Innovator (2013). In 2020, she was
highlighted by Forbes Middle East as one of the Top
Regional Voices in Social Impact, and in 2023, she received the Female
Frontier Award for Leadership in Venture Capital for her ten years of
impact investing through i2i Ventures.
Her combined portfolio of startups has collectively raised
over $25 million as of 2025, reinforcing her
position as one of Pakistan’s most influential venture ecosystem builders.
Social Presence and Philanthropy
Beyond her business work, Kalsoom actively collaborates with
impact-focused organizations, mentoring female founders, climate-tech
innovators, and inclusive fintech startups. Her philanthropic affiliations
include initiatives with Acumen, UNDP’s Youth Co:Lab Program,
and World Bank’s Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi).
Her digital presence continues to inspire audiences worldwide through regularly
updated insights and reflections.
- Instagram: @kalsoom82
- LinkedIn: Kalsoom
Lakhani (Founder & GP, i2i Ventures | CEO, Invest2Innovate)
- Twitter/X: @kalsoom82
- Website: invest2innovate.com
| i2iventures.co
Timeline of Kalsoom Lakhani’s Journey
- September
24, 1982: Born in Dubai, UAE.
- 1980s–1990s: Childhood
in Dhaka and Islamabad; exposure to multicultural environments.
- 2000–2005: Earns
B.A. from the University of Virginia; M.A. from George Washington
University.
- 2006–2008: Works
in defense contracting and strategic communications in Washington D.C.
- 2008: Launches
CHUP (Changing Up Pakistan) blog.
- 2011: Founds
Invest2Innovate (i2i) in Pakistan.
- 2013: i2i
named among Cambridge’s “World’s Top 50 Innovators.”
- 2019: Launches
i2i Ventures as Pakistan’s first female-led VC fund.
- 2020–2024: Champions
women founders; portfolio startups secure international investment.
- 2023: Awarded
Female Frontier Leadership Award.
- 2025: Continues scaling i2i Ventures and mentoring social impact entrepreneurs across South Asia.
