Sadia Bashir


Sadia Bashir is a Pakistani computer scientist, game developer, and entrepreneur. She is the founder and chief executive officer of PixelArt Games Academy, Pakistan's first game development academy.

Biography

Early life and education

Sadia Bashir was born into a family where women's education was not prioritised. Determined to study at an English-medium school, she self-funded her education through tutoring and stitching clothes. After enrolling, she struggled to adjust due to her family's socio-economic background and sought refuge in the school library, where she independently explored graphic design, computer science, and gaming. Her interest in gaming began during childhood while playing video games with her brother's friends.
By age 13, Bashir had started designing her own games. She continued working part-time to finance her university education, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. She later completed a Master's degree in Computer Science with specialisations in Artificial intelligence and Software Engineering, as well as a certification in Video Game Production Processes from COMSATS University Islamabad.

Career

Bashir began her career as a programmer before transitioning to game development. With financial backing from a mentor, she and a colleague established a small basement studio to create games. Over seven years in the gaming industry, she grew disillusioned by the lack of innovation and minimal female representation in Pakistan's sector, prompting her to launch initiatives to address these gaps. She organised meetups, conferences, and university workshops to connect local developers with global experts like Ken Levine, Rami Ismail, Brie Code, and Jonathon Chey, who now serve on PixelArt Games Academy's advisory board.
In 2016, Bashir founded PixelArt Games Academy, Pakistan's first institution dedicated to game development training, research, and industry collaboration. The academy mandates at least 33% female participation in its programs and offers scholarships exclusively for women to bridge the gender gap in Pakistan's tech sector.

Achievements

Sadia Bashir received the "Women Can Do" Award from the US Embassy at the 2016 Women Entrepreneurs Summit, recognising her contributions as a Pakistani woman entrepreneur. In 2017, she was part of the winning team at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and became the first Pakistani speaker at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. She was later appointed to the Prime Minister's Youth Council, an initiative launched by then-Prime Minister Imran Khan to engage young leaders in policymaking.
In 2018, Bashir was listed in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia under the Enterprise Technology category for her impact on Pakistan's gaming industry. The same year, Facebook Gaming honoured her as a Global Gaming Citizen at The [Game Awards 2018|The Game Awards] in Los Angeles, highlighting her efforts to promote diversity in gaming. She remains the first Pakistani to present at the Game Developer's Conference, a milestone in the country's tech sector.