Female Founders Shine in Startup Showdown
To spotlight innovative business ideas from female entrepreneurs, the SME Foundation, The Asia Foundation, and Visa jointly organized a "Business Pitch Competition" on Wednesday, June 25. The grand finale took place at the Shaelpropot Auditorium of the Tourism Building in Agargaon, Dhaka, where three tech-based ventures were awarded for their standout business models.
Sharmin Sultana, the entrepreneur behind ‘Unique Home,’ secured the first prize and received USD 5,000. Formerly a software engineer and lecturer at Daffodil University, she launched a modern dormitory offering co-sharing space at just BDT 349 per day. The fee includes accommodation, meals, laundry, internet access, and study facilities for bachelors. Operated in partnership with her spouse, the business currently runs five branches in Dhaka spanning 50,000 square feet. She plans to use the prize money to acquire two new flats in Uttara and introduce similar services for the elderly.
The second prize of USD 4,000 went to Barrister Rahima Haque, founder of ‘Ain Sheba,’ a legal tech initiative born during the COVID lockdown. "No one trusted me at first when I offered legal services online," she said. With an initial investment of just BDT 60,000, she started offering legal aid and training over Zoom. Gradually evolving from freelancer to entrepreneur, she launched a website to deliver comprehensive online legal services, including corporate law, labor law, contract drafting, and litigation support.
Taqia Sultana Nova of ‘Road Book BD’ won the third prize of USD 3,000. Her initiative provides safe and affordable transportation solutions for women in Dhaka. It includes training programs for women to operate bicycles, scooters, and cars. Nova now aims to introduce an app-based fintech and ride-sharing platform specifically for women and enable them to purchase their own vehicles on installment plans.
The awards were presented by SME Foundation Chairperson Md. Musfiqur Rahman.
Organizers shared that after a public call for entries on social media, they received 92 applications. Of these, 24 women entrepreneurs were selected for a two-day residential training program. Based on assessments and field evaluations, 10 were chosen for the final round.
The jury panel included Bangladesh Bank Director (SME & Special Programs) Nawshad Mustafa, Persona CEO Kaniz Almas Khan, Green Delta Insurance MD Farzana Chowdhury, IBA-DU Professor Dr. Melita Mehzabin, and World Bank Senior Private Sector Specialist Husna Ferdous Sumi.
Present at the event were SME Foundation Managing Director Anowar Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director Farzana Khan, Visa’s Country Manager for Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan Sabbir Ahmed, and The Asia Foundation’s visiting Country Representative in Mongolia, Sarah Taylor.
In his closing remarks, the SME Foundation Chairperson noted, “The SME sector is a catalytic force for transforming Bangladesh into an industrial economy. Competitions like this play a vital role in boosting women’s skills and self-confidence.”
Visa’s Country Manager Sabbir Ahmed stated, “Economic inclusion of women entrepreneurs accelerates national growth. We supported this initiative to foster innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.”
Asia Foundation’s Sarah Taylor added, “The way women entrepreneurs are turning problems into possibilities is extraordinary. They are shaping not only their own futures but also offering new direction to the SME sector.”
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, there are over 7.8 million cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises (CMSMEs) in the country, accounting for more than 99% of total industries. The sector provides around 85% of national employment, engaging over 25 million people directly.
The SME Foundation noted that it has already supported over 100,000 women entrepreneurs and will continue its efforts to empower them in the future.
