
Forbes - 2019
Published in the list of “30 under 30” as the only Pakistani to be featured in Social Entrepreneurs Category, 2019
31 was born and raised in Gujranwala. He is a social entrepreneur, Business executive, and philanthropist. Mr. Zain graduated in 2011 from the University of Miami USA with a major in Entrepreneurship and returned to Pakistan to do something good for his country and its people. Upon his return, he worked on his vision of providing quality and no-cost microfinance services to the poor and vulnerable segment of society.
31 was born and raised in Gujranwala. He is a social entrepreneur, Business executive, and philanthropist. Mr. Zain graduated in 2011 from the University of Miami USA with a major in Entrepreneurship and returned to Pakistan to do something good for his country and its people. Upon his return, he worked on his vision of providing quality and no-cost microfinance services to the poor and vulnerable segment of society. Taking note of the death of financial services available for the poverty-stricken masses, Mr. Zain Ashraf started Seed Out.
Seed Out, a Non-Profit Organization, was founded in 2013. As the founder and President of Seed Out, Zain Ashraf works on providing interest-free loans to deserving individuals living below the poverty line. Seed Out is one of the first interest-free crowdfunding platforms in Pakistan to leverage technology to fulfill its developmental aims and as a result, it has established a unique nexus between financial inclusion and technological advancement. The main mission of Seed Out is to provide self-enabling and inclusive entrepreneurial opportunities in an attempt to alleviate poverty and enable beneficiaries to live their lives with dignity via developing micro-enterprises. To date, Seed Out has supported the establishment of 1450 micro entrepreneurs (60% males/40% females, including 43 differently-abled people & 4 trans persons) across 4 districts (Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala & Bahawalnagar), while impacting 7040 lives overall. Not only has this but Seed Out also enabled these families to send 4224 out-of-school children to school.
Published in the list of “30 under 30” as the only Pakistani to be featured in Social Entrepreneurs Category, 2019
First Pakistani to be awarded with prestigious Commonwealth Youth Award (2018)
Jönköping published a chapter on Seed Out in their book...
Featured as “Proud Alumni” in the University of Miami magazine (2017)...
Launched Pakistan’s 1st Social Entrepreneur Program taking a 100 students on board .
Represented Pakistan at OIC (Organization of Islamic Corporations) - youngest speaker at the summit.
Represented Eccountant (Pakistan’s 1st Online Clouding Web App) at Dublin Web Summit.
Awarded with “The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Programme Award” for Seed Out.
President at Seed Out, Pakistan’s first online not for profit crowd funding platform working to end poverty by establishing micro-entrepreneurs through interest-free micro-financing.
Credited with founding and managing Eccountant, Pakistan’s first online cloud accounting software for companies of all sizes who wish to have complete financial control over their business.
Heading operations at the Super Asia Group, one of Pakistan’s leading home appliances manufacturers with over 3000 employees. Founded in 1975.
Serving as CEO of Safeline Insulation, Pakistan’s leading insulation technology company, dealing with polyethylene and polyurethane foam for all insulation needs.
Director at Hardee’s Pakistan, one of the leading chains in the global fast-food industry having 16 outlets across the country.
Whirpool is one of the world’s leading multinationals producing home appliances with its headquarters in the United States.
State of the art housing society project in Sahiwal based on 200 acres of land.
Mr. Mughal is awarded the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work in London at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. This honor was given to him for his work to help alleviate poverty in Pakistan by raising micro-entrepreneurs through the platform, Seedout. – 2018
Mr. Mughal (University of Miami alumni) places 2nd in the University of Miami’s year-long Business Plan competition Out of several participants, he wins the prize in recognition of his work at SeedOut. – 2018
Prince William speaks to Mr. Mughal and fellow Commonwealth awardees and philanthropists at the CHOGM 2018. Not only was His Highness impressed by the work Seedout is doing in order to alleviate poverty, but also wishes to replicate this platform in other Commonwealth countries. – 2018
Recognized for his efforts in alleviating poverty with crowdfunding platform, ‘Seed Out’, Mr. Mughal has been shortlisted as 1 of 20 innovative, young minds for the prestigious, Commonwealth Youth Awards. He has been nominated for having proven his contributions towards a fairer and more prosperous future for the Commonwealth. – 2018
Blended in the theme of TEDxBNUTarogil that was to reach creative minds of Pakistan and honor them on enabling brilliant ideas on its forum, Mr. Mughal was the speaker on the event to share this journey. 2015
An Article by the ‘Express Tribune’ detailing Mr. Mughal’s achievement of becoming a finalist for the Commonwealth Youth Awards; an award that recognizes his philanthropic ventures into a more prosperous Pakistan. -2018
Mr. Mughal also became the youngest speaker from Pakistan at OIC (Organization of Islamic Corporations) by giving a brilliant session on “HarnessingYouth Human Capital Capabilities” – 2015
After graduating from University of Miami, Mr. Mughal’s achievements have made him a proud alumni by getting featured in the University of Miami magazine 2017.
A unique initiative by Seed Out in collaboration with CCBPL “Zeenat Gari” made headlines after its launch. Female auto-rickshaw were empowered to drive in the city an endeavor to empower women by Mr. Mughal. – 2015
Mr. Mughal meets Prince Harry and Miss Meghan Markle at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The royal family graces the prestigious event to highlight the important work done by the Commonwealth awards. This pool includes Mr. Mughal as the founder of SeedOut. -2018
Mr. Mughal was awarded at Organisation of Pakistani Entrepreneurs Network for representing Seed Out inside North American community; recognizing poverty as a lethal disease in Pakistan and putting forward ways to solve this problem through micro-financing and creation of sustainable economic activity. – 2016
Prince William speaks to Mr. Mughal and fellow Commonwealth awardees and philanthropists at the CHOGM 2018. Not only was His Highness impressed by the work Seedout is doing in order to alleviate poverty, but also wishes to replicate this platform in other Commonwealth countries. – 2018
Serving in Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC), an invitation-only group of the University of Miami’s young alumni leaders, nominated and selected to serve the University on behalf of the Young Alumni Program. (Only international student to be serving in the council in history) – 2017
He also judged at Kinnaird Business Week 2015. Kinnaird Business Week is an annual Event Organized Under Kinnaird Entrepreneurial Club
Impressed by Mr. Mughal’s achievements, Pakwired also featured a story on him as a prodigy in Pakistan – 2016
Mr. Mughal’s web app “Eccountant” was picked by google Pakistan at Startup BBQ for Google Entrepeneurs and was also a hit at start up web summit in Dublin. Mr. Mughal got the opportunity to represent Eccountant at the Dublin Web Summit 2014.
Another article published by DAWN news in 2017 drew attention to the different ways through which Seed Out is breaking the poverty trap in Pakistan
The Seed Out Polo Cup 2015 was a hit through the VIP lounges which attracted several sponsors. The VIP loungers enjoyed an exquisite brunch and an opportunity to network in a typical Lahore winter sunset.
Seed Out’s model with its 100% transparency is one-of-a-kind. Daily Pakistan published an article on Seed Out and the mastermind behind it, Mr. Mughal, highlighting Seed Out’s unique features and Mr. Mughal’s innovative approach towards his organization – 2016
Pakistan’s premier technology platform, TechJuice, acknowledges Mr. Mughal as an award winner for the 2018 Commonwealth Youth Awards for ‘Excellence in Development Work’. – 2018
Dawn News was also attracted by Seed Out’s endeavors and published an engaging and heart-warming article about Seed Out’s efforts through the Polo Cup 2015.
The Seed Out Polo Cup 2015 was also featured on HappeningPK as the most happening event of the year.
With its one-of-a-kind polo match between USA and Pakistan, the Polo Cup 2015 made headlines in the news everywhere. The event was also featured in Pakistan’s biggest print media, The Nation.
The Seed Out Polo Cup 2015 was the perfect blend between glamour and entertainment for Polo lovers. Big donors like New Lahore City were more than happy by their association with the Polo Cup and have supported Seed Out’s endeavors since then.
Shweiki Media Founder and CEO Gal Shweiki—as president of the San Antonio Polo Club—participated in the massive fundraising polo match by Seed Out to benefit this non-profit organization.
The World Polo News also promoted Seed Out’s Polo Cup and published an article talking about Seed Out’s great endeavours.
Jönköping International Business School, Sweden published a chapter on Seed Out in their book, Contexualizing Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies and Developing Countries – 2017
Mr. Mughal was awarded The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Programme Award for Seed Out for leveraging interest free micro-financing through crowdfunding. – 2015
Determination will make you knock every door of opportunity and that’s why Mr. Mughal hosted Seed Out Polo cup 2015 between USA and Pakistan polo clubs with a crowd of 1500+ influential people of the country; all gathered for fundraising. With one polo cup, Seed Out managed to raise 33 entrepreneurs.
Forbes have published in the list of top 30 under 30 Asia 2019 as the only Pakistani to be featured in the category of Social Entrepreneurs.
Mr. Mughal, a serial entrepreneur, represented Seed Out on Pakistan Islamic MicroFinance Network as a speaker. He enlightened the audience by sharing Seed Out journey. Seed Out has the privileged to be known as the world’s first crowd funding platform under his guidance. – 2015
1st ever Pakistani to receive UN Champions of Change award, acclaimed as Champions of Pathfinders SDG16+ Champions of Change series acknowledged by United Nations and New York University
1st ever Pakistani to won Islamic Development Bank Prize for Impactful Achievement in Islamic Economics - 2021. This is the first time in the 32-years Islamic Economics history of the prize that Islamic Fintech start-ups take top spot, which in its previous form was known as the IsDB Prize in Islamic Economics, Banking, and Finance.
Mr. Mughal meets Prince Harry and Miss Meghan Markle at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The royal family graces the prestigious event to highlight the important work done by the Commonwealth awards. This pool includes Mr. Mughal as the founder of SeedOut. -2018
The University of Miami Alumni Associations honors Mr. Mughal with a spot on the coveted, ’30 under 30 list’. Chosen out of over 100 nominees (alumni of the University of Miami), Mr. Mughal was given this honor for his achievements as a young, social entrepreneur. His efforts to create a positive impact on society through his crowdfunding platform, ‘SeedOut’. earned him this award.