Dhaka, Bangladesh | March 9, 2026 | Startup Bangladesh Limited (SBL), the flagship venture capital company of the Government of Bangladesh under the ICT Division, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LightCastle Partners (LCP), an homegrown global management consulting firm with offices in Bangladesh, Singapore, and the United States.
The partnership is designed to strengthen Bangladesh’s rapidly evolving startup ecosystem by generating data-driven ecosystem insights, promoting investment opportunities, and facilitating stronger connections between startups and global investors.
Bangladesh has emerged as one of South Asia’s fastest-growing innovation markets. Over the past decade, the country’s startup ecosystem has attracted more than USD 1 billion in investments and generated millions of direct and indirect employment opportunities across sectors such as fintech, logistics, healthtech, and e-commerce.
By combining SBL’s mandate as the country’s sovereign venture capital fund with LightCastle Partners’ ecosystem advisory expertise and international networks, the two organizations aim to further position Bangladesh as an emerging destination for innovation-driven investment.
Under the partnership, the organizations will collaborate across several key areas:
- Development of ecosystem knowledge products, reports, and insights
- Investor engagement initiatives, including global promotions and roadshows
- Startup showcasing events connecting founders with global investors
- Joint ecosystem events, webinars, and roundtables
- Publication of a quarterly startup ecosystem newsletter
Speaking on the partnership, Nurul Hai, Managing Director & CEO of Startup Bangladesh Limited, said: “Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem is entering an exciting phase of growth. Through this partnership with LightCastle Partners, we aim to deepen ecosystem insights, strengthen global investor engagement, and further accelerate innovation-led economic development.”
Bijon Islam, Co-Founder and CEO of LightCastle Partners, added: “Bangladesh presents a compelling opportunity for innovation-driven investment. By partnering with Startup Bangladesh Limited, we look forward to amplifying ecosystem knowledge, mobilizing investor interest, and showcasing high-potential startups to global markets.”
This Partnership is another pillar in reconfirming the commitment to develop and take the Bangladesh Startup ecosystem to Global market by Startup Bangladesh and LightCastle through providing a collaborative framework for ecosystem research, investment promotion, and startup visibility initiatives.
News:
The Financial Express
LightCastle Partners
Industry Insider