VEON partners GSMA Foundation to support start-ups in Bangladesh, Pakistan

VEON Ltd. has partnered with the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation to co-fund digital innovation projects in Bangladesh and Pakistan through the GSMA Innovation Fund.
The partnership was launched through a memorandum of understanding signed during Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona by John Giusti of GSMA, Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, and Johan Buse, CEO of Banglalink.
Under the agreement, Jazz and Banglalink will collaborate with the GSMA Innovation Fund to co-fund start-ups in both countries selected as grantees in the fund's 2026 rounds. In addition to financial support, VEON and its operating companies may provide ecosystem visibility and capacity-building assistance to help projects scale.
The GSMA Innovation Fund supports start-ups that use mobile technology to create social, economic and climate impact in developing countries, with projects selected through a transparent and competitive evaluation process.