Youth Innovation Lab 2025 Honors Five Green, Youth-Led Innovations in Bangladesh
Save the Children has created new opportunities to advance the innovative solutions of young innovators in Bangladesh. With this goal, the national-level Youth-Led Innovation Lab (YIL) 2025 was held, where five initiatives—Bonolota, Dream Power, Craftic, Onnesha and Dry Nutri—were selected as winners in the innovation competition.
To promote youth-led innovations from climate-vulnerable regions at the national level, in collaboration with a2i, organized one of the country’s largest “Green Innovation Fest” on Wednesday, 26 November, at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka. The day-long event showcased local green innovations, eco-friendly business solutions, sustainable technologies, and products and prototypes developed by marginal youth entrepreneurs.
The winning initiatives, supported over a six-month period, were announced at the event:
Bonolota: Collects discarded coconut husks in West Madarbari, Chattogram, and converts them into cocopeat for use in agriculture, gardening, and urban farming.
Dream Power: Develops an environment-friendly and low-cost solar-powered mosquito extermination device to prevent dengue and malaria.
Craftic: Recycles leather waste from factories to make bags, purses, and jewelry.
Onnesha: Establishes a center in the Kalyanpur slum area where women can access menstrual hygiene products and healthcare services under one roof.
Dry Nutri: Produces nutrient-rich powdered chhatu for children and pregnant women in disaster-prone Rangpur to address malnutrition and iodine deficiency.
The event highlighted that 36 percent of the country’s labor force is aged between 15 and 29, totaling more than 26.8 million people. Therefore, empowering youth and expanding opportunities for innovation has become essential.
Organizers stated that selected youth innovators from four divisions and 14 districts presented their business innovations before government agencies, development partners, NGOs, the private sector, and financial institutions. Over the past five years, YIL has supported 24 business initiatives, creating new employment opportunities. Since 2023, the program has prioritized eco-friendly and green innovations to support sustainable business development.
Sumon Sengupta, Country Director of Save the Children in Bangladesh, said:
“Today’s young generation will shape the ideas of the future, innovate, and expand businesses. We are proud to stand beside these young innovators with support from our donor partners. Today’s youth are socially conscious and interested in eco-friendly innovation. Their initiatives can grow into successful enterprises, ensuring their empowerment.”
Mumtaz Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, said:
“I am optimistic that the youth will lead the future. After speaking with them over the past three days, I can see that this is just the beginning. I am proof that success is possible. Innovation and quality improvement must be maintained. I hope you will no longer face the barriers of the past, because today you have a supportive platform. As entrepreneurs, our responsibility is to create new opportunities and take Bangladeshi products to the international market.”
DBTech/BT/IK/OR
