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Startup Bangladesh Limited is excited to announce the launch of “Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta”
Startup Bangladesh Limited is excited to announce the launch of “Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta” as a Strategic Partner with GP Accelerator aimed at nurturing the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of our youth.
This initiative aims to foster entrepreneurship to address regional challenges and build local innovative solutions. The program will engage 30 community builders and conduct pitch sessions at 20 locations, with the goal of identifying and rewarding the top 20 ideapreneurs.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak state minister of ICT Division graced the event as the chief guest. Also present at the ceremony were Sami Ahmed, managing director and CEO, of Startup Bangladesh; Yasir Azman, chief executive officer (CEO), Grameenphone and high officials from both organizations.
বাংলাদেশের স্টার্টআপে জাপানি বিনিয়োগ আহ্বান আইসিটি প্রতিমন্ত্রীর
দেশের উদীয়মান উদ্যোক্তা সংস্কৃতির উন্নয়নে সরকারের গৃহীত পরিকল্পনা এবং এর ফলে বিগত বছরগুলোতে বাংলাদেশের তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি খাতের ব্যাপক উন্নতির কথা তুলে ধরে এ খাতে বিনিয়োগে জাপানি বিনিয়োগকারীদের এগিয়ে আসার আহ্বান জানিয়েছেন বাংলাদেশের আইসিটি প্রতিমন্ত্রী জুনাইদ আহমেদ পলক।
জাপানি বিনিয়োগকারীদের উদ্দেশ্যে তিনি বলেছেন, বাংলাদেশে ২৫০০ এর বেশি সক্রিয় উদ্যোক্তা রয়েছেন। এছাড়াও প্রতিবছর ২০০টি নতুন উদ্যোগ যুক্ত হচ্ছে এই ইকো সিস্টেমে। এরমধ্যে চমৎকার কিছু স্টার্টআপ রয়েছে। তরুণরাই এ খাতে নেতৃত্ব দিচ্ছেন। তাই তাদের উদ্যোগ এগিয়ে নিতে জাপানের বিনিয়োগকারীরা এগিয়ে আসতে পারেন। কেননা, স্বাধীনতার পর থেকে গত কয়েক দশক ধরেই জাপান বাংলাদেশের পরীক্ষিত ও বিশ্বস্ত বন্ধু।
মঙ্গলবার (২৬ সেপ্টেম্বর) ‘বাংলাদেশে স্টার্টআপে বিনিয়োগের সুযোগ’ শীর্ষক ওয়েবিনারে প্রধান অতিথির বক্তব্যে এই আহ্বান জানান প্রতিমন্ত্রী।
তিনি বলেছেন, এরইমধ্যে জাপানে অবস্থিত বাংলাদেশী দূতাবাসের সাপোর্ট সেন্টারের কার্যক্রম উদ্যোক্তাদের জন্য আশা জাগানিয়া। আমি জেনে আনন্দিত হয়েছি, বাংলাদেশে ও জাপান দূতাবাস যৌথ অংশীদারিত্বে বেশ কিছু উদ্যোগও নিয়েছে। ব্যক্তিগতভাবে আমি এমন কিছু উদ্যোগে অংশও নিয়েছি। আমি বিশ্বাস করি, এই উদ্যোগ দ্বিপাক্ষিক বাণিজ্য ও বিনিয়োগে যথেষ্ট প্রভাব ফেলবে। কেননা, এরই মধ্যে জাপান-বাংলাদেশ কৌশলগত অংশীদারিত্বের জন্য সরকারি পর্যায়ে ৮টি এবং বেসরকারি পর্যায়ে ১১টি সমঝোতা চুক্তি হয়েছে। একইসঙ্গে স্থানীয়ী আইসিটি খাতকে সমৃদ্ধ করতে সাইবার সুরক্ষাসহ তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি খাতে পারস্পরিক সহযোগিতা চুক্তি করেছে বেসিস ও জিসা।
Source: https://digibanglatech.news
Startup Bangladesh organized its Policy workshop on National Startup Policy
Startup Bangladesh organized its Policy workshop on National Startup Policy to support the growing Startup Ecosystem in Bangladesh on 15-16 September 2023. The workshop was attended by the founders, eco-systems builders, policymakers, and Startup ecosystem stakeholders.
This workshop aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the National Startup Policy and consult with the stakeholders. Over the course of four sessions, participants were introduced to essential concepts and shared insights on the draft policy.
Startup Bangladesh invests 5cr in Bongo to grow Digital Entertainment consumption in Bangladesh
Startup Bangladesh Limited, the pioneering venture capital company under the ICT Division, has announced a strategic investment in Bongo, the leading digital entertainment platform in Bangladesh. Startup Bangladesh co-led the Series B round with North Base Media, a firm specialized in global digital-media investments, and other high net-worth individuals and family offices. This collaborative endeavor aims to grow the landscape of online entertainment and content consumption in the country.
A formal agreement was inked between the two entities, for an investment of Five crore Bangladeshi Taka into Bongo’s growth and expansion plans, says a press release.
The signing ceremony took place in Dhaka, witnessed by distinguished guests including Honorable State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, ICT Division, Md. Shamsul Arefin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Startup Bangladesh and Senior Secretary of ICT Division; along with key figures such as Sami Ahmed, Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh; and representatives from Bongo including Mr. Navidul Huq, Co-founder, Mr. Fayaz Taher, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mushfiqur Rahman, Chief Content Officer and Mr. Mamun Atik, Chief Business Development Officer among others.
Bongo has rapidly emerged as the go-to digital platform for entertainment, offering a vast array of local blockbuster originals and international content to millions of users across Bangladesh. From engaging web series, riveting dramas, to captivating movies and much more, Bongo has captured the hearts of the masses through its innovative approach to streaming.
“This partnership with Bongo exemplifies Startup Bangladesh’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting homegrown startups that cater to the diverse needs of our population. Bongo’s success story resonates with the vision of a Smart Bangladesh, and we are excited to play a role in amplifying their impact of home-grown solutions,” said Honorable State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, ICT Division.
“We are embarking on a transformative journey, driven by innovation and collaboration, as we partner with Bongo to reshape the digital entertainment landscape of Bangladesh. This strategic investment underscores our commitment to nurturing homegrown startups and fostering technological excellence, aligning with our vision of a Smart Bangladesh that thrives on cutting-edge solutions and enriching experiences for all.” Said Md. Shamsul Arefin, Secretary of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division.
Bongo’s journey in revolutionizing the entertainment industry aligns seamlessly with Startup Bangladesh’s mission to empower local startups that drive economic growth and technological advancement.
“We believe that Bongo’s innovative approach to entertainment delivery has the potential to redefine how Bangladeshi audiences consume content. Through this partnership, we aim to provide Bongo with the resources and support needed to further innovate and revolutionize the entertainment industry,” emphasized Sami Ahmed, Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh Limited.
“The collaboration between Startup Bangladesh and Bongo marks a significant milestone in our quest to transform the digital entertainment landscape of Bangladesh. We are thrilled to join hands with a partner that shares our vision of enriching lives through cutting-edge content and streaming technology which is all home grown,” stated Navidul Huq, Co-Founder of Bongo.
Startup Bangladesh’s investment in Bongo is a testament to its dedication to nurturing startups that push boundaries and contribute to a dynamic startup ecosystem in the country. This collaboration is expected to enhance Bongo’s technological infrastructure, expand its content library, and elevate the overall digital entertainment experience for its users.
With this strategic alliance, Startup Bangladesh and Bongo are poised to pave the way for a new era of digital entertainment, driving economic growth, technological advancement, and ultimately, contributing to the realization of the Smart Bangladesh vision.
Source: https://www.daily-sun.com/
Startup Bangladesh Invests in Online Pharmacy MedEasy
Startup Bangladesh Limited, the flagship venture capital company of the ICT Division invested in MedEasy, a leading online pharmacy startup in Bangladesh. This platform delivers authentic medicine at an affordable price all over Bangladesh.
An agreement was signed recently between the organizations in Dhaka to invest BDT 1 crore.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Md. Shamsul Arefin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Startup Bangladesh & Secretary of ICT division.Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh Sami Ahmed, Head of Portfolio Investment Hasan A. Arif and Chairman of MedEasy Md. Nazmul Hossain and Managing Director of MedEasy M.M. Arefin Zaman and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.
MedEasy is one of the most popular digital health platforms in Bangladesh. Their primary focus lies in delivering authentic and affordable medicines to customers’ doorsteps, sourced directly from trusted manufacturers. In a short span of just two years, MedEasy has successfully won the trust of over 150,000+ users, a testament to their commitment to providing top-notch healthcare solutions to the masses. With access to a diverse panel of 100+ licensed doctors, the customers can avail themselves of convenient video consultations for a wide range of medical needs from the MedEasy App. Additionally, they provide the facility of home sample collection for lab tests, partnering with leading hospitals to ensure accurate and reliable results.
Startup Bangladesh is the flagship venture capital company of ICT Division. Under the visionary guidance of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Startup Bangladesh – the only venture capital fund sponsored by the government of the people’s republic of Bangladesh started its journey on March 2020 with an allocated capital of BDT 500 crore. In this effort to enable the nation to innovate faster, Startup Bangladesh has decided to invest 1 crore BDT in MedEasy after recognizing the potential of this startup.
“The work that MedEasy is doing in the Healthtech industry is highly commendable and the investment from Startup Bangladesh on MedEasy will help it to reach out to more customers. I hope that they will be able to make a deep impact in Smart Bangladesh implementation as a Startup. The ICT Division is working diligently in changing policies that assist the emerging and growing startups in many aspects.” mentioned Md. Shamsul Arefin, Secretary, ICT Division and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Startup Bangladesh.
“Startup Bangladesh aims to support homegrown startups to grow and reach heights that generate higher standards for more foreign Investment. We believe that MedEasy provides a solution that the Bangladesh market greatly needs. With the right strategy and focus, MedEasy should be able to make remarkable impact in the lives of the people of Bangladesh.”, said Sami Ahmed, Managing Director, Startup Bangladesh Limited.
M.M. Arefin Zaman, Managing Director of MedEasy said, “We are excited to have Startup Bangladesh Limited join our seed round along with some reputed international investors. Their investment and support will help us accelerate our growth and improve customer experience.”
Startup Bangladesh in its effort to build a vibrant startup ecosystem that nurtures digitalization, has been investing in most promising and impactful startups in Bangladesh and has continued that tradition by investing in MedEasy.
Source: https://en.techvision24.com
জাতির পিতা বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিবুর রহমানসহ ১৯৭৫ সালের ১৫ আগস্ট এর সকল শহীদের প্রতি বিনম্র শ্রদ্ধা।
স্টার্টআপগুলো ভবিষ্যৎ অর্থনীতিকে নেতৃত্ব দেবে
স্টার্টআপগুলো সফল করে তুলতে পারলে ভবিষ্যৎ অর্থনীতিকে তারা নেতৃত্ব দেবে। বাংলাদেশ স্টার্টআপ সামিটের সমাপনী দিনে এ প্রত্যাশার কথাই উঠে আসে।
তথ্য ও যোগাযোগপ্রযুক্তি (আইসিটি) বিভাগের সংস্থা স্টার্টআপ বাংলাদেশ লিমিটেডের উদ্যোগে দুই দিনের স্টার্টআপ সামিটের সমাপনী হলো রোববার। উদ্যোক্তাদের কাজের স্বীকৃতি, বিনিয়োগকারীদের সঙ্গে পরিচয় করিয়ে দেওয়াসহ স্টার্টআপ সংস্কৃতির বিকাশে দেশে প্রথমবারের মতো হলো এই সামিট।
‘স্মার্ট বাংলাদেশ, অফুরন্ত সম্ভাবনা’ প্রতিপাদ্যে রাজধানীর ইন্টারকন্টিনেন্টাল হোটেলে প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা শনিবার এ সামিটের উদ্বোধন করেন।
সমাপনী অনুষ্ঠানে প্রধান অতিথির বক্তব্যে প্রধানমন্ত্রীর বেসরকারি শিল্প ও বিনিয়োগ উপদেষ্টা সালমান এফ রহমান বলেন, এই স্টার্টআপ থেকে ভবিষ্যতে দেশের বড় বড় স্টার্টআপ উঠে আসবে। বাংলাদেশের বাজার বড়। তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি খাতে কাজ করার জন্য অনেক সুযোগ রয়েছে।
বিদেশি বিনিয়োগকারীরা নিজেদের মুনাফা ফেরত নিয়ে যাওয়ার ব্যাপারে উদ্বিগ্ন উল্লেখ করে সালমান এফ রহমান তাদের আশ্বস্ত করে বলেন, এটা কোনো সমস্যা হবে না, আইনগত বাধাও নেই। বাংলাদেশ একটি বিনিয়োগবান্ধব দেশ। তিনি আরও বলেন, পুঁজিবাজারে নিবন্ধিত কোম্পানিগুলো নির্বিঘ্নে মুনাফা তুলতে পারবে। অন্যদিকে অনিবন্ধিত কোম্পানির বিষয়ে কাজ চলছে।
প্রতিবছরই স্টার্টআপ সামিট আয়োজন করা হবে জানিয়ে অনুষ্ঠানের সভাপতি ও আইসিটি প্রতিমন্ত্রী জুনাইদ আহ্মেদ বলেন, এই স্টার্টআপগুলোকে সফল করে তুলতে পারলে ২০৪১ সালে স্মার্ট বাংলাদেশ গড়ার যে স্বপ্ন, সেটা পূরণ হবে। এই স্টার্টআপগুলোই অর্থনীতিকে নেতৃত্ব দেবে।
সমাপনী দিনে ইউএনডিপির প্রোগ্রাম ইয়ুথ কো-ল্যাবের তিনটি স্টার্টআপ পালকি মোটরস, ড্রিম ওয়াটার ও উই গ্রোকে পুরস্কৃত করা হয়। সমপানী অনুষ্ঠানে সংগীত পরিবেশন করে চিরকুট ব্যান্ড।
স্টার্টআপ বাংলাদেশ লিমিটেডের ব্যবস্থাপনা পরিচালক সামি আহমেদ জানান, এ আয়োজনে বিভিন্ন দেশের ৭২ জন বিনিয়োগকারী অংশ নিয়েছেন।
অনুষ্ঠানে আরও বক্তব্য দেন স্টার্টআপ বাংলাদেশের চেয়ারম্যান ও আইসিটি বিভাগের সচিব সামসুল আরেফিন এবং ইউএনডিপি বাংলাদেশের আবাসিক প্রতিনিধি ভ্যান গুয়েন।
সামিটের উদ্বোধনী দিনে দেশের আটটি স্টার্টআপকে বিভিন্ন বিভাগে পুরস্কৃত করা হয়। পুরস্কারপ্রাপ্ত স্টার্টআপগুলো হলো বিকাশ, শপআপ, পাঠাও, ১০ মিনিট স্কুল, ইউএনডিপি ইয়ুথ কো-ল্যাব, নগদ, এসবিকে টেক ভেঞ্চার এবং ফান্ডেড নেক্সট।
উল্লেখ্য, পুরস্কৃত স্টার্টআপগুলোর মধ্যে বিকাশ, ইয়ুথ কো-ল্যাব, এসবিকে টেক ভেঞ্চার, ১০ মিনিট স্কুল, শপআপ আয়োজন সহযোগীও ছিল।
Young generation will be key-force in building Smart Bangladesh: PM
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said that the country’s young generation would be the key-force in building Smart Bangladesh.
“Our young generation would be the most skilled manpower in each field in building the Smart Bangladesh,” she said while inaugurating the first ever two-day Bangladesh Startup Summit-2023 in city’s Hotel InterContinental as the chief guest.
Mentioning that Bangladesh will be a smart country by 2041, the premier said the young generation is meritorious and they have the ability to implement their new innovations.
Referring to her government’s different initiatives to develop skilled Human Resources to face the challenges of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), she said they are setting up vocational and technical educational institutions in each upazila and arranging training facilities for future.
“To meet the challenges of 4IR, skilled human resources have to be created in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, block chain, robotics, big data, medical scribes, cyber security,” she noted.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government’s goal is to help create five unicorns (startup company with at least US$ 1 billion is called unicorn) by 2025 and 50 unicorn startups by 2041 where each unicorn startup will create employment opportunities for millions of people.
“I urge domestic and foreign investors to invest more in startups,” she said, adding, “We’ve formulated necessary policies to protect your investment.”
State minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak made a keynote presentation in the event.
ICT Division Secretary Shamsul Arefin and Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh Sami Ahmed also spoke.
At the function, the prime minister also inaugurated “Smart Bangladesh accelerator” alongside “India-Bangladesh Startup Bridge” networking platform and “Smart Bangladesh Startup Fund” at the function.
Three audio-visual documentaries on Bangladesh Startup Summit, Bangabandhu Innovation Grant and Smart Bangladesh were screened at the ceremony.
Besides, eight startups were given startup award in eight different categories for their outstanding performance and they were Shopup, Pathao, bkash, 10 minute school, UNDP Youthco lab, Nagad, SBK Tech Venture and funded next.
Nagad managing director Tanvir A Mishuk and SBK Tech Venture managing director Sonia Bashir Kabir expressed their feelings on behalf of the award recipients.
In addition, grant was also given from the Bangabandhu Innovation grant among two entrepreneurs.
The prime minister said that her government has transformed the country into Digital Bangladesh enduring criticism, insulting remarks and ridiculous comment from different quarters.
“Yes, we’ve transformed the country into digital Bangladesh. But, we had to face severe criticism, insult and ridiculous comments initially. Even, whenever there was any technical problem or fault, the quarter ridiculed us, saying ‘it was the result of Digital Bangladesh,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina said that Awami League included the “Digital Bangladesh” scheme when it declared their election manifesto in 2008.
“At that time, we had to face many criticism. Now, I can say it proudly that we’ve transformed the country into digital one,” the prime minister said.
The premier said that the government has emphasised on creating skilled human resources in advanced technology to build a cost-effective, sustainable, intelligent and knowledge-based smart and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041.
With the help of the government’s efforts, she said, Startup Bangladesh Limited has completed 30 investments so far while 100 startup investments are on way under the “Shotoborshe Shoto Asha” campaign.
In this connection, she also mentioned that more than 1500,000 direct and indirect employment has been created through this startup ecosystem.
She added that 9200,000 people have received services and training through Startup Bangladesh Limited till December 2022, of which 55 per cent are women.
The prime minister said that her government has formulated the National Startup Policy and the Smart Bangladesh Startup Fund through which, she hoped the venture capital eco-system will be developed in the country.
She stated that US$ 924 million has been invested in the startup ecosystem so far.
Sheikh Hasina said the initiatives taken by the government regarding startups since 2009 have been progressed a long way, while the “Idea Project” was introduced in 2016 to provide grant among the startups.
From this project, her government has so far given Tk 400 million to 385 start-ups to encourage start-up entities, she said.
Besides, a grant of Tk 450 million has been given for 263 innovations from A2I Innovation Fund, she added.
Referring to the formulation of “e-government master plan”, the Prime Minister said currently there are more than 18 crore mobile SIM and more than 13 crore internet users in the country as 4G and 5G internet is available at some points in the country.
“E-commerce has grown tremendously. 20 lakh people have got employment based on information technology. Freelancers are earning more than US$ 500 million through outsourcing,” she added.
The two-day Bangladesh Startup Summit-2023 aimed at bringing together startups, enterprises, venture capitalists, angel investors, regulators, think tanks, and experts from various countries.
Startup Bangladesh Limited, the flagship venture capital company of the Information and Communication Technology Division of the Government of Bangladesh is hosting the two-day event.
Bangladeshi, Indian startups vow to strengthen collaboration
Bangladesh and India reiterated their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the startup sector, including expanding exchange programmes.
This came at a meeting on the sideline of the two-day Bangladesh Startup Summit-2023 at InterContinental Dhaka yesterday.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT, Pranay Verma, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh and officials of 12 startups were present.
The participants emphasised the effective implementation of the “Bridge Portal” for skill development and exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences and mutual information between entrepreneurs of the two countries.
Bridge Portal is an online networking platform for startups of Bangladesh and India.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the “India-Bangladesh Startup Bridge” portal.
The Indian startups presented their business proposals before the state minister. After hearing their pitches, Palak said he would inform the prime minister about potential Indian startups and promised to take initiatives to bridge the gap between startups in Bangladesh and India.
Addressing the meeting, Verma said Digital Bangladesh and Smart Bangladesh have opened the doors of new possibilities.
“The joint efforts of our startup community will enhance the growth of the two countries,” he added.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/