Startups

i2c vows to hire 500 people in Pakistan as part of its exponential Growth Statistics

Published

4 years ago

February 13, 2022

i2c has recently hired Jon-Paul Ales-Barnicoat to lead its human resources development as the organization plans to massively scale and hire 500 resources in the next 12 months majorly from Pakistan making the total organizational headcount to over 2500.

Jon Paul is an industry veteran with experience of working at Silicon Valley tech companies including Fandom, Pixar, GE. Joining i2c is a new experience because the company is majorly driven by the workforce in Pakistan and most of the human capital too is based here. With the ongoing conversation about the future of remote work, we felt it would be interesting to understand Jon Paul, the new Chief Human Resource Officer’s perspective and how he visualizes that for i2c, given the organization has been working remotely before the rise of the term ‘future of work’ and ‘remote working’.

So, we sat with Jon Paul during his recent visit to Pakistan to discuss the tech ecosystem, i2c, and how the organization plans on scaling effectively right from the heart of Pakistan, Lahore.

Founded in 2001, and headquartered in Silicon Valley, i2c’s next-generation technology supports millions of users in more than 200 countries and territories. It is a common name in the tech circles of Pakistan. Specially fresh graduates in Computer Sciences, Software Engineering and other IT related fields are aware of the organization because of its large scale hiring drives in the north and center of Pakistan.

Jon tells me how he is excited to be visiting Pakistan for the first time and working from i2c’s Lahore office. I ask about how his experience has been so far. Jon tells me, “Pakistani people in particular have been very welcoming and sincere in their intention. The value system is very precious. The sense of community, and the family values are permeated into professional relationships as well. And there’s a tremendous amount of loyalty and respect for one another.” I was curious how i2c is unlocking that value system in the workplace.

Jon says ,

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“You see i2c is built on the shoulders of Pakistani employees. We understand their contributions and provide benefits which are very nurturing for our employees.
We give our employees cars. We have a daycare center. We feed our employees twice a day. Our medical benefits are amazing. And we have education benefits for our employees’ children. And now we have created a real cash plan where our employees are going to get a share in the success of the company. We contribute to the retirement fund as well. Very few companies of our size do that.”

i2c has been quietly setting its foot in different regions of the world. Right now the Pakistani offices have almost 1000 employees in total whereas outside the country, there are over 600 employees based in US, Canada, Europe, Latin America. The organization will be expanding across all regions with specific plans to hire over 500 employees in Pakistan in the next 12 months. I was curious if there is a process for rotational assignments, and internal transfer of employees between different countries. Jon told me that Amir, the founder, and he have been working on it and believe that this is a great differentiator and advantage for their employee base in Pakistan. Due to COVID situations, this program is on halt but there have been several examples of employees moving from Pakistan to the US and later to Canada.

Pakistani tech space is growing tremendously and startups have been raising big financing rounds to attract the right talent and provide them ample opportunities for growth. These startups are built with entrepreneurial DNA and give employees the autonomy to build things, solve problems and learn fast. How is i2c evolving to keep up with the changing work dynamics? Jon has gone through the experience in previous roles in Silicon Valley where for the last 20 years talent has been poached, and retained with the right kind of culture, incentives and growth opportunities. Jon tells me,

“Yes, we understand that the workforce of today want different things. They want quality of life. They want to be paid a premium wage and they want to be able to decide the work that they’re working on. They want to feel like they’re respected and they have equal access throughout the ranks of the organism. And so it’s incumbent upon companies like i2c to embrace that and provide a platform for the workforce to really express what they need.

And we are constantly having a sincere conversation around this internally. How we can change our management style and have effective conversations with employees around career development and career aspiration.”

i2c has 65% of its workforce based in Pakistan and the Pakistan office is reflective of all of the different functions of i2c’s business including product, engineering, security, business, support etc. Naturally, the ongoing hiring involves recruitment for all the departments as well.

The organization plans to bring the facilities of a silicon valley company for its offices in Lahore, including private offices, sleeping pods, zen rooms, outdoor container offices, with cafes and places to hangout and network with other employees.

As we end the conversation Jon adds that i2c will be a game changer with massive opportunities for growth and financial freedom for anyone who joins its family.

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A to Z of Startup Terms: Essential Glossary for Founders

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2025

Abdul Rahman

Master startup lingo with this A–Z glossary — from Angel Investors to Zero to One

A — Angel Investor

An early-stage investor who provides capital, mentorship, and network access.

Example: Naval Ravikant is a well-known angel investor in Silicon Valley.

B — Bootstrapping

Building a startup using personal funds or revenue without external investment.

Example: Mailchimp scaled to millions without VC funding.

C — Cap Table (Capitalization Table)

A breakdown of ownership stakes, including founders, investors, and option pools.

Used in: Fundraising rounds, equity negotiations.

D — Due Diligence

A thorough review of financials, legal docs, and team before investment or acquisition. Includes: IP audits, revenue validation, founder background checks.

E — Exit Strategy

A plan for founders/investors to realize returns via IPO, acquisition, or secondary sale. Example: Instagram’s exit via Facebook acquisition.

F — Founder’s Agreement

Outlines equity splits, vesting schedules, decision-making rights, and dispute resolution.

Tip: Always include a vesting clause to protect against early departures.

G — Growth Hacking

Rapid experimentation across marketing channels to find scalable growth tactics.

Tools: A/B testing, viral loops, referral programs.

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H — Hackathon

Time-boxed event where teams build prototypes or solve problems.

Outcome: MVPs, new features, or hiring opportunities.

I — Incubator

Supports startups with mentorship, office space, and resources.

Example: Y Combinator (also an accelerator).

J — J-Curve

Visualizes initial losses followed by exponential growth — common in VC-backed startups. Used in: Investor pitch decks to show long-term potential.

K — KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

Metrics that track progress toward business goals.

Examples: CAC, LTV, churn rate, monthly active users.

L — Lean Startup

Methodology focused on validated learning, MVPs, and iterative development.

Book: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.

M — MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

The simplest version of a product that solves a core problem.

Goal: Validate assumptions before scaling.

N — Network Effect

Product becomes more valuable as more users join.

Examples: WhatsApp, Airbnb, LinkedIn.

O — Onboarding

Process of introducing users or employees to your product or company.

Includes: Tutorials, welcome emails, walkthroughs.

P — Pivot

Strategic shift in product, market, or business model.

Example: Slack pivoted from a failed game to a workplace chat tool.

Q — Quick Ratio

Formula: (New MRR + Expansion MRR) / (Churned MRR + Contraction MRR).

Used to: Measure SaaS growth efficiency.

R — Runway

Time left before cash runs out. Formula: Cash / Monthly Burn Rate.

S — Seed Funding

First institutional funding round, often from angels or seed-stage VCs.

Used for: MVP development, early hiring, market validation.

T — Term Sheet

Outlines investment terms: valuation, equity, liquidation preference, board rights.

Tip: Negotiate founder-friendly terms early.

U — Unicorn

Startup valued at $1B+ while still privately held.

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Examples: Stripe, ByteDance, Canva.

V — Venture Capital

Equity-based funding from firms investing in high-growth startups.

Stages: Seed, Series A, B, C, etc.

W — Wireframe

Low-fidelity design mockup showing layout and user flow.

Tools: Figma, Balsamiq, Sketch.

X — XaaS (Anything as a Service)

Cloud-based delivery of services: SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.

Trend: Rise of vertical SaaS and niche XaaS models.

Y — Yield

Return on investment, often used in financial modeling.

Formula: Income / Investment Cost.

Z — Zero to One

Creating something entirely new vs incremental improvement.

Book: Zero to One by Peter Thiel.

A to Z of Startup Terms Essential Glossary for Founders Download

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🌐 The Global Blockchain Show 2025 Is Coming to Abu Dhabi – December 10–11, 2025

Published

3 weeks ago

November 20, 2025

Abdul Rahman

The blockchain world is converging in Abu Dhabi this December for one of the most anticipated Web3 events of the year: the Global Blockchain Show 2025, taking place December 10–11, 2025. With over 7,000+ attendees, 250+ global speakers, and 350+ pioneering companies, this summit promises to be a powerhouse of innovation, networking, and strategic insight globalblockchainshow.com Cointelegraph.

Table of Contents

🚀 A Premier Web3 & Crypto Conference

Organized by VAP Group and powered by Times of Blockchain, the Global Blockchain Show is more than just a conference—it’s a launchpad for the future of decentralized technology. Held at a world-class venue in Abu Dhabi, the event will spotlight the UAE’s bold leap into blockchain adoption across government, enterprise, and finance Cointelegraph.

🔍 What to Expect

1. Global Thought Leadership

Hear from 250+ blockchain pioneers, founders, and policy shapers driving the next wave of innovation. Topics will span:

Web3 infrastructure
Tokenization and DeFi
Blockchain regulation and compliance
Enterprise integration and smart contracts

2. Elite Networking

Rub shoulders with:

Top-tier investors
Tech giants
Startups and developers
Government officials and regulators

This is your chance to forge partnerships that could shape the next decade of blockchain evolution.

3. Immersive Exhibitions

Explore cutting-edge solutions from 350+ companies showcasing the latest in crypto, NFTs, metaverse, and enterprise blockchain applications.

🌍 Why Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi is rapidly emerging as a global blockchain hub, with progressive regulation, strong institutional support, and a thriving tech ecosystem. The city’s commitment to digital transformation makes it the perfect host for a summit of this scale and ambition.

🎯 Who Should Attend?

This event is ideal for:

📅 Save the Date

Global Blockchain Show 2025
🗓️ Dates: December 10–11, 2025
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Ready to be part of the future?
Visit the official website to register, explore the agenda, and secure your spot among the world’s top blockchain minds globalblockchainshow.com.

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The Trinity of Traffic: How to Combine Google Trends, Semrush, and Search Console for Massive Growth

Published

3 weeks ago

November 19, 2025

Abdul Rahman

Stop guessing. Stop throwing content at the wall to see what sticks. And stop thinking that buying an expensive SEO tool subscription is a strategy in itself.

The biggest mistake I see agencies make isn’t a lack of data; it’s data paralysis. They have millions of rows of keywords, but no narrative. Or, they chase viral topics that have zero search volume.

To build a content engine that actually drives revenue, you need a unified workflow. You need to bridge the gap between what people are talking about now, what has long-term value, and how your site is actually performing.

I call this the Trinity of Traffic. It relies on three specific tools working in concert: Google Trends (Discovery), Semrush (Validation), and Google Search Console (Optimization).

Here is how to build the ultimate SEO workflow.

Table of Contents

Phase 1: The Trend Spotter (Google Trends)

The Goal: Catch the wave before it breaks.

Most SEOs start with keyword research tools. The problem? Keyword tools rely on historical data. By the time a keyword shows a massive search volume in a database, the competition is likely already fierce.

Google Trends is your radar for the “now.” It allows you to identify breakout topics and seasonal shifts before your competitors do.

1. Identifying “Breakout” Topics

You aren’t looking for consistent volume here; you are looking for velocity.

2. The Comparative Analysis Trick

Never commit to a topic without checking the nomenclature. The way you describe a product might not be how the market describes it.

Actionable Tip: Use the “Compare” function.

If you are writing about remote work software, compare “Remote Work Tools” vs. “Work From Home Tools.”

Blue Line: Remote Work Tools
Red Line: Work From Home Tools

If the Red Line is consistently higher, that is your primary keyword. If the Blue Line is spiking upward while Red is flat, the market vernacular is shifting. Follow the spike.

Phase 2: The Validator (Semrush)

The Goal: Verify the data and size up the enemy.

You have a hunch from Google Trends. Now you need cold, hard metrics. This is where Semrush comes in. You need to know if that “breakout” topic is a flash in the pan or a viable traffic source with transactional intent.

1. Validating the Trend

Take the winning term from Phase 1 and plug it into the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool.

Check Search Volume: Is there enough consistent traffic to justify the resource cost of writing a guide?
Check Keyword Difficulty (KD%): If the KD is 85%+, do you have the Domain Authority to compete? If not, look for long-tail variations.

2. The “Sem rush” Gap Analysis

Whether you spell it Semrush or sem rush, the tool’s power lies in its ability to tell you exactly what you are missing.

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Don’t just look at the keyword; look at who is ranking for it.

Go to Organic Research.
Enter the URL of the top ranking competitor for your target trend.
Filter by “Pages”.

Look at their traffic distribution. If they have a page on this topic driving 10k visits a month, investigate their backlink profile for that specific URL. How many links do you need to win? Semrush gives you the “number to beat.”

Pro Tip: Look for the “Intent” column in Semrush. Even if a trend is hot, if the intent is purely “Informational” and you need “Commercial” leads, you may want to pivot the angle of your article to include a product comparison.

Phase 3: The Optimizer (Google Search Console)

The Goal: Polish the diamond and plug the leaks.

Once your content is live, Google Search Console (GSC) becomes your source of truth. Unlike third-party tools which estimate traffic, GSC tells you exactly what is happening.

1. Hunting for “Low-Hanging Fruit”

This is the fastest way to increase traffic without writing new content. You are looking for pages where Google is showing your content (Impressions), but users aren’t clicking (Low CTR).

Go to Performance > Search Results.
Filter for the last 3 months.
Sort by Impressions (High to Low).
Look for queries with high impressions but a CTR below 1.5% and an Average Position between 8 and 20.

The Fix:

These pages are on Page 2 or the bottom of Page 1. Google likes the content enough to rank it, but the snippet isn’t compelling, or the content lacks depth.

Rewrite the Title Tag and Meta Description to match the query intent.
Add a new H2 section to the article specifically targeting that query.

2. Fixing the Indexing Gaps

Use Search Console to monitor technical health. A page cannot rank if it isn’t indexed.

Check the Pages > Not Indexed report.
Look specifically for “Crawled – currently not indexed.”

This usually means Google saw the page but decided it wasn’t high-quality enough to include in the index. This is a massive red flag for content quality. Revisit these pages immediately—add original data, better images, or more word count.

At a Glance: The Tool Comparison

Here is how each tool functions within the Trinity workflow.

Feature	Google Trends	Semrush	Google Search Console
Role in Workflow	Discovery (Step 1)	Validation (Step 2)	Optimization (Step 3)
Unique Superpower	Spotting real-time “Breakout” spikes before anyone else.	Deep competitor spying and historical volume data.	Exact performance data directly from Google.
Data Source	Anonymized, real-time search logs.	Third-party database & clickstream data.	First-party data from your specific website.
Cost	Free	Paid (Subscription)	Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Search Console free?

Yes. Google Search Console is 100% free and is arguably the most essential tool in any SEO stack. You verify ownership of your domain (usually via DNS record or HTML file), and Google provides you with the data.

Can I use Semrush instead of Google Trends?

Not exactly. While Semrush has a “Trending” filter, its core strength is historical data (averaged over months). Google Trends is real-time. If a news story breaks this morning, it will be on Trends immediately. It might take weeks to reflect accurately in Semrush. You need Trends for speed, and Semrush for depth.

How do I link Semrush to GSC?

Integrating them is a game-changer. It allows you to see all your organic data in one dashboard.

Log in to your Semrush project.
Go to the SEO Dashboard or Organic Traffic Insights.
Click “Connect Google Account.”
Select the Google email associated with your GSC property.
Allow access.Now, Semrush can analyze your “not provided” keywords by cross-referencing GSC data!

Your Next Step

Open Google Trends right now. Type in the core topic of your business. Change the time range to “Past 30 Days” and look at the Related Queries (Rising).

Find one breakout term.

Once you have it, take it to Semrush. If the volume is there, you have your next blog post topic. Executing this workflow once a week will do more for your traffic than checking your analytics daily ever will.

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