Chicago hosted Pakistan–US Tech Connect 2026 on 25 October, bringing Pakistani technology companies together with businesses from across the American Midwest. The gathering was framed as a commercial forum rather than the announcement of a particular investment or contract. Its sessions considered how technology providers based in Pakistan could build relationships with US enterprises and respond to their business needs.
The conference was co-hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, the Pakistan Software Export Board and OPEN Global. It brought together technology firms, policymakers and business leaders around opportunities in the digital economy. The focus was on connecting companies that may be looking for partners, rather than on presenting a completed set of commercial transactions.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, opened the event and spoke about the scope for closer technology cooperation between the two countries. Faisal Jeddy, chief executive of the Pakistan Software Export Board, outlined the country’s technology sector and its business opportunities. Bilal Abbasi, chief executive of Ignite, addressed the startup ecosystem, while OPEN Global president Tariq Khan discussed routes for collaboration.
Illinois figures also took part. State Representative Justin Slaughter and State Senator Laura Murphy addressed the conference, alongside Daniel Bellefleur, vice president for foreign direct investment at the Illinois Economic Development Corporation. Their participation placed the meeting in a Midwest setting, where the organisers sought to introduce Pakistani providers to prospective American business contacts.
Presentations from Pakistani companies formed a substantial part of the programme. The firms named as participants were Strategic Systems International, 10Pearls, Abacus, Systems Limited, Nextbridge, Addo AI, Excellence Delivered, Folio3 and TMC. The presentations were intended to show the services and capabilities those businesses could offer to American customers.
Panel discussions addressed practical questions for companies attempting to establish or expand a presence in the United States. They considered how Pakistani providers can form and scale enterprise partnerships, how the American middle market approaches buying decisions, and how businesses can develop market-entry strategies. Another session explored what enterprise customers and investors may look for when assessing technology companies from Pakistan.
The programme also examined the difference between transactional outsourcing work and longer-term commercial relationships. That distinction matters for firms seeking a broader role with overseas customers, where trust, understanding of procurement processes and a clear view of the customer’s needs can be as important as technical capability. The event offered a setting for those issues to be discussed directly with potential counterparts.
Networking sessions allowed Midwest businesses and the visiting delegation to compare business needs, identify possible partners and consider follow-up engagement. Zaman Mehdi, Pakistan’s consul general in Chicago, closed the conference. Aamir Chalisa, chairman of OPEN Chicago, also gave concluding remarks.
No signed commercial agreements were announced at the event. The immediate outcome was therefore the creation of contacts and discussions around potential partnerships, not a confirmed package of new deals. Whether those conversations lead to contracts, investment or continuing collaboration will depend on later negotiations between the companies involved.
For the participating firms, the Chicago meeting provided an opportunity to present themselves beyond a conventional outsourcing model and to engage with buyers and partners in a major US regional market. For Midwest companies, it offered a direct introduction to a group of Pakistani technology providers and to the organisations supporting cross-border business links. The conference highlighted the interest in building those links while leaving the commercial results to be demonstrated over time.
