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About
About me
I'm Umar Hameed.
I run Uptech Institute, a Federal Board college in Islamabad.
For about ten years before that, I built software.
Founder & CEO
Uptech Institute · Islamabad
FBISE-affiliated
College, Matric and Intermediate
Coding since 2016
SZABIST graduate
Computer science
My story
Before the classroom.
I started coding in 2016, as a freelance web developer.
I was already working with real clients while I was at university.
Building something that worked felt good. Not everyone could do it. It was rare.
Around 2018 to 2020 I worked with a Denmark-based company on a digital transformation project.
One module, event scheduling, had logic so complex the client thought it would take a month. I finished it in one week. Their reaction was worth every late night.
In 2020 I started a software company, Uptech Sol. I started it from a 600 sqft apartment. No funding. Just consistency and effort.
We built web and mobile products for clients. A lot of our work came through freelancing platforms. At one point one freelancing account brought in 60% of our revenue. Then it got banned.
I made mistakes I am not proud of.
“Keeping team members on payroll when there wasn’t enough work”
“Running business decisions based on emotions rather than logic”
“I recently had to downsize my team by 30%”
“Business doesn’t run on emotions - it runs on practical decisions”
Why my first SaaS product “UptechLMS” failed
“Insufficient Market Research”
“Ambiguous Investor Agreement”
“High Operational Costs”
“A blend of better market research, clear agreements with investors, and a well-planned operational strategy could have potentially changed its fate.”
From my newsletter, Umarvel · 28 Oct 2023 · “Why my first SaaS product “UptechLMS” failed” →
Where I come from
A family of educators.
I grew up in Islamabad.
My father is a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Education. My mother was a teacher. And then there is me. I got less than 60% marks in Matric and Inter. I called myself “the black sheep who barely passed school.”
From Facebook · 1 Feb 2025
I studied in government schools. “Until my father could afford otherwise, that’s where I went.”
From Facebook · 15 Aug 2026
He also pushed me toward risk. In 2020 I wanted a cheaper first office. He said:
“Go for 40k. More pressure, more hardwork.”
From Facebook · 6 May 2026
Then AI changed the work
Someone with no development knowledge can now build an app over a weekend. I said it plainly on Facebook:
“The skill I spent 10 years building became a prompt.”
I'm not angry about it. I still like building.
But I was no longer doing something rare.
So in August I let nine software employees go because of AI, and moved my focus to the institute.
What I do
Four things I do.
01
I run Uptech Institute.
A Federal Board (FBISE) affiliated college in Islamabad on two campuses, with Matric and Intermediate programmes and short skills courses.
02
I make content.
Videos on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Education, skills, work, and what building actually looks like.
03
I write.
Short pieces on what I see, what I get wrong, and what I learn.
04
I still build.
GoRespond, a Shopify abandoned-order tool, crossed $500 a month in June. It is the first product of mine that earns on its own. I work on it late at night, for fun.
Uptech Sol has run since 17 August 2020. The Institute has been in its dedicated building since September 2025. The second campus opened in May 2026, after about two months of renovation. Operations started on 1 July 2026.
Why education
Why I moved into education.
I moved into education because of AI.
Software development is no longer rare. It is no longer special. Someone with zero development knowledge can now build an app over a weekend.
I never wanted to do something everyone can do. So I pivoted to education.
People say “there are no jobs in Pakistan.” I tried to fill one janitor job at our PWD college for two months and couldn't.
Cleaning is respectable work. Any halal kamai is respectable. The issue is the idea that money should come easy.
Ask me what makes Uptech different and I give one reason: our students are trained by industry experts, not only teachers.
“
There is no easy money at the top, and no easy money at the bottom. There is only work.
Software, briefly
I still own a software company.
Uptech Sol is the software company I started on 17 August 2020. It still builds for clients. It is no longer my main focus.
The Uptech Sol team.
Uptech Sol milestones
Say hello
Want to study, partner, or invite me to speak?
Say hello.
