Bangladesh StartUp Cup 2017 is a country wide StartUp competition and ecosystem building tool launched by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, India based impact investment firm Aaavishkar and BetterStories Limited.
StartUp Cup business model is an innovative community based approach designed to increase the quality and quantity of entrepreneurs in any community. The aim of the competition is two-fold. On the one hand to identify and coach promising entrepreneurs from rural areas in Bangladesh who are addressing social challenges. By offering targeted training to these starting companies they are better able to present themselves to potential investors and are as such better positioned to launch successful companies.
On the other hand to create an entrepreneurial (startup) ecosystem across 7 divisional cities (except Dhaka) of Bangladesh that once seeded, will hopefully be able to grow and sustain itself. The ecosystem will support startup entrepreneurs in early stages, but when matured it should become a self-driving force for improving the enabling environment for SMEs and startups alike, influencing policy and accelerating private sector growth.
An immersion bus went to each of the 7 divisions of country in search of promising and scalable businesses across the country and through 7 day bootcamps in each of the seven divisions, it found out 57 inspiring businesses who are making the building blocks of the economy with their innovative solutions.
In presence of Honorable Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP as Chief guest and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Jeroen Steeghs as Special Guest, awards were distributed to all the winners. Key stakeholders from Banks, financial institutions, venture capital firms and local entrepreneurial ecosystem builders graced the program to support, inspire and collaborate with the entrepreneurs.
Honorable speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was thrilled to see such enthusiasm of entrepreneurs. She told, “It is our responsibility to work together beside Government to enable the community and connect the entrepreneurs to the active platforms so that they can get the opportunity to grow and scale up.”
Honorable Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Jeroen Steeghs appreciated such initiative of BetterStories to empower the local ecosystem. He told, “Bangladesh is achieving extraordinary milestones in impact entrepreneurship. Netherlands Government will always be an active supporter of such initiatives.”
At their special remarks, the guests wished all success to the winners with the hope that Bangladesh startup ecosystem will thrive and be self-sustainable through such amazing initiatives of building active platform.
Guest List:
1. Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Honorable Speaker, Bangladesh Parliament
2. Jeroen Steeghs, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
3. Lisette Blum, First Secretary Economic and Political Affairs, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
4. Heena Khushalani, Program Manager, Aavishkar.
– Press Release
