Dhaka, Bangladesh - February 24, 2024 - Many aspiring entrepreneurs are already making their impact in Bangladesh's growing startup ecosystem, indicating that the startups of today are well positioned to become the unicorns of tomorrow. Startups valued at more than 10 billion taka are among those destined to become the nation's top "unicorns." Hard work and persistence are crucial in order to accomplish this.
On Saturday, February 24, speakers convened at the GEN Bangladesh Campus in Sobhanbag, Dhaka, to inspire and guide the next generation of entrepreneurs. The event, titled "Cohort Unveiling" and organized by Smart Bangladesh Accelerator as part of the Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development (DEED) project of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, marked the commencement of activities for seven new cohorts, comprising a total of 175 entrepreneurs.
Dr. Md. Monsur Alam, Deputy Project Director of DEED, delivered the welcome address, while Mr. G. M. Zafarullah, Director (Grade-1) of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, and Mr. K. M. Hasan Ripon, Managing Director of GEN Bangladesh, addressed the audience as special guests. Other distinguished speakers included Dr. Nuruzzaman, Venture Capitalist at Bangladesh Venture Capital Limited; Mr. Hosne Ferdous Sumi, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank Dhaka Office; and Mr. A. N. M. Safiqul Islam, Innovation and Commercialization Specialist at the DEED project.
In his keynote address, Mr. G. M. Zafarullah highlighted Bangladesh's resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the nation's success in vaccinating millions of people within a day. He expressed confidence in Bangladesh's ability to emerge as the 25th largest economy in the world by 2041 and underscored the importance of supporting digital startups to secure a strong position in both domestic and international markets.
Mr. Hosne Ferdous Sumi praised the Smart Entrepreneurship program as a vital component of the larger project, noting its significant impact. He highlighted the program's role in creating employment opportunities for over 20 million young people entering Bangladesh's job market annually. Mr. Sumi emphasized that startups are the engine of job creation and commended the efforts to support them through the program.
Mr. A. N. M. Safiqul Islam emphasized the importance of guiding startups throughout their journey, from ideation to commercialization. He lauded the DEED project for ensuring that startups receive the necessary support to thrive in Bangladesh's innovation ecosystem. He highlighted the project's goal of establishing innovation hubs at universities to train aspiring entrepreneurs and scale up startups.
Smart Bangladesh Accelerator's National Program Coordinator, Mr. Arifur Rahman, stated that over 1,000 digital startup founders would receive intensive training, business planning, and growth support under the national-level program.