Fabrik Lagabe, Markopolo.ai named best start-ups

Two start-ups -- "Fabrik Lagabe Ltd." and "Markopolo.ai" -- secured the first position jointly in the BIG 2023 competition while other top 50 start-ups received Tk 1.0 million each.
This year's session of "Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) 2023" concluded with an award distribution ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Saturday.
The Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (iDEA) Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division organised the BIG competition for the 3rd time to inspire young entrepreneurs, aiming to develop a startup ecosystem in the country.
Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman was present at the grand finale as the chief guest and distributed grant money while State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak presided over the event.
A grant of Tk 10 million was given to each of the joint winners who emerged as best start-ups.
This year, 6,846 start-ups and innovators applied for the BIG contest following the nationwide campaigns of the competition organised with the slogan 'Dare to Stand Big' while 224 start-ups were selected for the online pitching round.
Secretary of the ICT Division Md. Shamsul Arefin was present as the special guest at the programme.
Among others, the Executive Director (Grade-1) of BCC, Ranajit Kumar, and the Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh Limited, Sami Ahmed, were also present at the event.
The project director (joint secretary) of the iDEA project, Md. Altaf Hossain gave a welcome speech at the programme.
BSS adds: Speaking on the occasion, Salman Fazlur Rahman said many people could not believe that Bangladesh would be transformed into a digital country.
"But we made it possible. Currently, we are working to build the 'Smart Bangladesh' taking the country's status to higher position from the digital one," he added.
Noting that the government's job is to create a favourable environment and give opportunities to the private sector, the PM's private industry and investment adviser said, "We can, if we get the right environment".
Addressing the function, Zunaid Ahmed Palak said 'Digital Bangladesh' is the outcome of everyone's collective efforts.
"We have funded nearly 400 startups from iDEA projects in 10 years from the beginning of 2015. About 30 per cent of these startups are still alive and struggling while about 10 per cent of these startups advanced to the pre-seed and growth stages," he added.
Noting that the BIG was launched with three specific goals -- building innovation ecosystems and building entrepreneurial supply chains, and developing startup cultures, Palak said, "To implement these goals, we are going to finalize the startup policy".
"Our aim is to establish another 5-billion-dollar company by 2025 as well as create employment for three million young women in the startup sector," he added.
Through the online pitching round, 103 startups were selected for a three-day boot camp held at Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park in Jashore from June 9 to 11 this year while finally 52 startups were given the grant of 'Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG)' at the grand finale.
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