Seven Robi employees start entrepreneurship journey

Seven Robi employees have started their journey of becoming entrepreneurs with financial and management advisory as well as motivational support of the mobile network operator, reports BSS.
The journey has begun in the form of incubating the employees' business ideas under the company's innovative digital entrepreneurship development platform, 'r-ventures'.
The incubation period will continue for the next 12 months during which Robi will be funding up to Tk 10 million for each of the six shortlisted business ideas.
The seven Robi employees who will be taking part in the incubation stage of the 'r-ventures' programme along with their business ideas were introduced at a ceremony at a city hotel on Sunday, said a Robi press release.
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar attended the event as the chief guest.
Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) President Syed Almas Kabir and Microsoft Bangladesh's Managing Director Sonia Bashir Kabir were present as the special guests.
Mustafa Jabbar said, "There are many people working on digital start-ups these days, but I have found many of them not knowing the basics of business: such as, business plan, cash-flow, etc. It's great to see the r-venturists are fully aware of these basics."
"I wish the r-venturists all the best, and the ministry of posts, telecommunications and information technology will always be with Robi on this noble journey," he added.
Robi's Managing Director and CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed said the ongoing digitisation of society is creating numerous business opportunities for digital solutions.
"We are confident that this initiative will help us to bring about transformative changes inside Robi with regards to embracing a Modern, Agile and Digital work-culture," he said.
"We intend to allow all the aspiring youths of the country to access this unique platform, r-ventures, soon."
Robi's Manager, Digital Service, Mohammad Abdul Hadi Bhuiyan, Vice President, Information Technology, Md Ashik Noon, General Manager, Enterprise Programme Management Office, Muhammad Mohsiul Haque, General Manager, Market Operations, Shakil Farhan Mithun, Manager, Market Operation, Md Hasibul Karim, Specialist, Market Operations, Reyasat Chowdhury and General Manager, Network Assurance, Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman are the seven Robi officials who will now try their business ideas over the next one year under the r-ventures incubation stage.
During the 12-month incubation period, they will continue to draw their salary and other benefits just like they were doing as regular employees without having any job responsibility towards Robi's business.
A total of 212 business ideas were initially submitted by the Robi employees.
Following multiple rounds of selection, 50 business ideas were chosen for the second phase; from 50 to 15 in the semi-final round.
Finally, six business ideas were selected to be put through the incubation stage.