Islamabad: Google has announced the launch of its first ‘Apps Growth Lab’ in Pakistan, aimed at helping local app developers accelerate and grow their businesses.
The four-month hybrid education programme is designed to identify high-potential app developers, studios, and companies looking to scale their businesses in the mobile app industry.
Pakistan’s mobile market continued to experience robust growth for the fourth consecutive year, with 3.52 billion app downloads in 2022. This places the country in the 9th position globally, according to a report released by Data Darbar, which tracks the tech scene and startups in Pakistan.
Initiative to boost Pakistan’s app industry
Apps Growth Lab 2023 is most suited for early-stage gaming and tools and utilities app developers who have a company-owned Play store with at least one app published, have a company-owned Google Ads account and are ready to start their user acquisition strategy with their in-house team.
It will offer participants access to more than 25 industry and Google experts as well as valuable resources in areas such as Google Ads, AdMob and Play, Firebase, and gTech and supportive sessions designed to help them in achieving success.
Google said that the launch of the programme demonstrates its commitment to promoting the growth of Pakistan’s app industry both locally and globally. Farhan S. Qureshi, Google’s Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, said that the tech giant’s ongoing efforts aim to support Pakistani developers and help them expand their work.
Four phases
The App Growth Lab is based on four core pillars: build, develop, launch, and scale. The ‘Build’ phase aims to help participants understand the global app and gaming opportunities and set their company’s strategy. The ‘Develop’ phase focuses on user-centric product development and leveraging technology for long-term success. The ‘Launch’ component teaches strategies to win the launch, set up monetisation models, and maximise Google’s data tools for growth. Lastly, ‘Scale’ covers launching the app to the world and leveraging market and platform diversification strategies.
The programme is set to launch in June 2023 and will conclude with a graduation event in Lahore in October 2023. Applications are set to close on May 22, 2023.
Saad Hameed, CEO of Game District, encouraged local app developers to apply saying that his team had “one of the most insightful” experiences with the Gaming Growth Lab Pakistan programme by Google in 2022.
