Pakistani-founded AI startup Jams joins OpenAI

In a major milestone for Pakistan’s tech ecosystem, generative AI startup Jams, co-founded by Asad Awan and Hamza Aftab, has joined OpenAI, the world-leading artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT.

The announcement was made by Awan in a LinkedIn post, where he wrote, “Excited to share that we are joining OpenAI. Hamza Aftab and I started Jams to explore the best AI experiences for the masses, and we are thrilled to continue this vision with the best product and AI builders of our time at OpenAI.”

Founded by two former Meta engineers, Jams builds authentic video experiences using generative AI. The startup had previously raised funding from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in 2022 and from Pakistan-based venture capital firm Indus Valley Capital (IVC).

The acquisition also marks Indus Valley Capital’s first exit, a significant achievement for the VC that has backed several leading startups in Pakistan and abroad.

Sharing the news, Indus Valley Capital founder Aatif Awan congratulated the Jams team, calling it “proof that Pakistani talent continues to go global.”

He wrote, “Thrilled about Indus Valley Capital achieving its first exit as Jams joins OpenAI. Jams creates video experiences that stay authentic while leveraging the best of generative AI. Congrats and kudos to Asad Awan and Hamza Aftab, exceptional founders we’ve been fortunate to partner with.”

He added that Jams was the firm’s first investment under its new model, which involves small participating checks in Pakistani founders building globally, especially those based in the United States.

“This exit validates our ability to spot exceptional Pakistani founders anywhere and earn allocations in competitive rounds,” Awan said, noting that the firm plans to double down on this strategy.

The development highlights the growing global footprint of Pakistani entrepreneurs in cutting-edge technologies, as talent from Pakistan continues to contribute to the world’s most advanced AI innovations.