During the recent Google Apps Growth Lab Graduation event, Google celebrated the graduation of 94 Pakistani game and app development studios from the second edition of the App Growth Lab program. In a significant expansion, the initiative included app developer studios and companies aiming to boost their growth with Google for the first time in 2023. This year, the total number of participating studios increased to 254, up from 54 the previous year, highlighting the program’s growing impact on Pakistan’s app and gaming ecosystem.
Throughout the program, the participating studios had the exclusive opportunity to learn from Google experts in various domains, such as Google Ads, AdMob, and Play. Immersive educational workshops and mentoring sessions offered valuable insights. Industry leaders and peers from around the world shared their expertise on navigating the journey from app development to launching apps and scaling their app business to reach a global audience.
Farhan Qureshi, Google Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, addressed the attendees, stating:-
“The rise of Pakistan’s app economy is a story of inspiration for the world. Apps developed in Pakistan were downloaded 4 billion times globally in 2022. In the same year, 65 apps from Pakistani developers reached the top 10 charts in Gaming and Apps verticals on Play Store and App Store. Pakistani developers, who held the 27th position in terms of global downloads in 2018, now constitute the 16th largest developer market by downloads, making Pakistan the fastest-growing developer market globally.”
Shoaib Ali, CEO of Al Basirr Technologies Private Limited and a participant in the 2023 Apps Growth Lab, shared his perspective, saying:-
“The impact of the training and support received from Google Apps Growth Lab is reflected in the record growth we have experienced in the last couple of months. The growth achieved in this short span surpasses what we were able to accomplish in the past six years. For this, we are extremely thankful to the entire Google Apps Growth Lab team for their firm commitment to our success.”
Graduates of the Apps Growth Lab have the opportunity to extend their partnership with Google by applying for the Google App Acceleration Program (GAAP), where they can continue to receive support from Google specialists. Many former GAAP participants have now become priority Google partners.