رنگRang
Brand & consumer
Products and brands made for how Pakistanis actually shop, talk and live, from Liberty Market to the Instagram storefront.
Cohort 01 applications are open
Founders are built, not found.
Karkhana is a venture builder in Lahore. Selected founders spend 90 days at Coconut Studio, DHA Phase 6, building companies with Pakistan’s best brand builders, capital and co-founders in the room.
- Venture builder ✦
- Accelerator ✦
- Incubator ✦
- 90-day live build ✦
- Made in Lahore ✦
- Founders are built ✦
Ideas, capital, operators and co-founders. All under one roof in Lahore, for 90 days.
A 5-day bootcamp to get in90 days, full time, in personBuilt with you as co-foundersDemo day at the end
№ 01The model
You don’t start from zero.
Most founders lose their first year hunting for an idea, money and a team. At Karkhana those pieces are already moving when you walk in. You bring the drive. We build the company with you.
From our vault of ideas
№ 02What we build
Three tracks, one market.
Every company in the cohort sits in one of three areas where Pakistan is moving fastest, and where our builders have done it before.
رفتارRaftaar
AI & technology
Software and AI tools that make decisions sharper and execution faster, for Pakistani businesses and well beyond.
بنیادBunyaad
Scale & infrastructure
The rails companies grow on: payments, logistics, talent and operations built for this market.
№ 03Ideas
خزانہ
The vault
Need an idea before you apply? Start here. These are some of India’s biggest direct-to-consumer brands, and the version of each that could be built for Pakistan. Pick one and it goes straight into your application.
BeautyFounded 2016
Mamaearth
Toxin-free baby and personal care that grew into one of India’s largest beauty groups.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Toxin-free baby and mother care for Pakistani families, sold on Instagram and through pharmacies.
BeautyFounded 2020
Minimalist
Ingredient-led skincare with the actives and percentages printed right on the bottle.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Honest, ingredient-first skincare made for Pakistani skin and weather, under Rs 2,500.
BeautyFounded 2015
SUGAR Cosmetics
Bold, long-wear makeup built for Indian skin tones and humid summers.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Long-wear makeup in shades made for South Asian skin that survives a Lahore June.
GroomingFounded 2016
Bombay Shaving Company
Made shaving and men’s grooming a modern, giftable ritual.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Shaving, beard and body care kits for Pakistani men, built for gifting at Eid.
FashionFounded 2013
The Souled Store
Officially licensed pop-culture merchandise for fans of shows, films and sport.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Licensed merch for cricket, music and drama fans, from jerseys to tees.
FashionFounded 2019
Snitch
Fast-fashion menswear with rapid weekly product drops.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Weekly-drop menswear for under-25s, steered by what sells on Instagram that week.
FootwearFounded 2018
Neeman’s
Lightweight everyday shoes made from natural and recycled materials.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Comfortable everyday shoes made locally, priced for students and office-goers.
EyewearFounded 2010
Lenskart
Vertically integrated eyewear with virtual try-on and its own stores.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Affordable glasses with home eye tests and delivery in three days.
JewelleryFounded 2019
GIVA
Everyday silver jewellery at accessible prices, made for gifting.
پاکستانThe Pakistan play
Certified silver jewellery for daily wear and gifting, sold online first.
The brands shown are independent Indian companies, used here only as examples of what’s possible. Karkhana isn’t affiliated with them.
№ 04The people
Who you build with
The founders behind Pakistan’s biggest e-commerce, DTC and fashion brands, alongside the operators who run Karkhana day to day.
Cohort 01 · Mentors
Revealing soon.
The people you’ll build alongside. Meet our mentors here as they’re confirmed for Cohort 01.
Become a mentor- 01Brand & commerce
- 02Product & technology
- 03Company building
№ 05The build
Inside the 90 days
Full time, five days a week at Coconut Studio. Each phase ends with a real decision about the company, not a slide.
Days
01–30
Pick and prove
Form teams, choose an opportunity, talk to customers and earn the right to build it.
Days
31–60
Build and ship
Brand, product, sourcing and first sales, with the ustads checking your work every week.
Days
61–90
Launch and grow
Go to market, find what works, set up the company to raise and scale.
Day
90
Demo day
Present to investors and the Lahore startup community.
№ 06The road
The road to Cohort 01
From your application to day one of the build.
Applications open
Applications close
Evaluation task and interviews
Bootcamp shortlist announced
5-day bootcamp in Lahore
Final cohort announced
90-day venture build begins
Dates are indicative and will be confirmed with shortlisted applicants.
№ 07The place
Where the work happens
The bootcamp and all 90 days run in person at Coconut Studio, in the middle of Lahore’s DHA Phase 6.
Coconut Studio
Building 115, 4th Floor
Raya Fairways Commercial
DHA Phase 6, Lahore
- ✦Dedicated desks for every founder
- ✦Workshop rooms for ustad sessions
- ✦Open five days a week through the build
№ 08Apply
Apply for Cohort 01
Four short steps, about 15 minutes. Be specific and honest. A real person reads every word.
- 01About you
- 02Your background
- 03In your words
- 04Commitment
№ 09Questions
Questions, answered
Anything else on your mind? Visit us at Coconut Studio, DHA Phase 6.
How is this different from an accelerator?+
An accelerator backs a company that already exists. Karkhana builds new companies from the ground up, with you as a co-founder, inside a 90-day live build.
Do I need an idea to apply?+
No. Many founders choose from our vault of researched opportunities. If you have your own idea, tell us about it in the application.
Who should apply?+
People with real work experience and the itch to build: operators, engineers, marketers, designers and repeat founders. What matters most is what you’ve shipped and how you think.
Do I have to be in Lahore?+
Yes. The bootcamp and the full build run in person at Coconut Studio, DHA Phase 6. Applicants from other cities are welcome if they can relocate for the programme.
How are applicants selected?+
We read every application, then invite a shortlist to an evaluation task and interview. The strongest candidates join the 5-day bootcamp, and the final cohort is chosen from there.
What happens at the bootcamp?+
Five intense days of working sessions with the builders and other shortlisted founders. It’s how both sides find out whether we should build together.
Is there an application fee?+
No. Applying to Cohort 01 is free.
What are the funding and equity terms?+
Funding, equity and co-founder terms are shared in detail with founders invited to the bootcamp, before anyone commits.
What happens on day 90?+
Each company presents at demo day to investors and the Lahore startup community. Karkhana keeps building with the companies after the 90 days.