Junior Startup Journey Begins for Teen Innovators

For the first time in the country, the ‘Junior Startup Challenge–Season 1’ is being organized for entrepreneurs and young people aged between 10 and 19 with innovative business ideas. A stakeholders’ meetup was held on Wednesday, May 20, at the Kidlon Auditorium in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, marking the occasion.

The event is being jointly organized by Twimble, Youth Hub, and Teens Saver Bangladesh.

Among those present at the meetup were Twimble Founder Shamim Ashraf, Teens Saver Bangladesh Founder Rudra Chowdhury Turjo, and Youth Hub Co-founder Sumaiya Zafrin Chowdhury.

The organizers said the competition, which will run from May to July, will provide young participants with opportunities to present and develop their business ideas. The top 20 participants from different categories will be selected. The selected participants will receive mentoring, bootcamps, business guidelines, cash prizes, and opportunities to secure investment. In addition, special promotional activities highlighting the entrepreneurial journeys of the participants will also be conducted.

The main objective of the initiative is to inspire young people toward entrepreneurship and help transform innovative ideas into real businesses.

Discussions at the meetup focused on the roles and responsibilities of the advisory, mentor, judge, and investor panels. The organizers expressed hope that the initiative would play an important role in developing an entrepreneurial culture in the country.

Among the advisors, mentors, and partners present at the meetup were Mohammad Shah Alam, Executive Director, Odommo Medhabi Program, ACI PLC; Antu Karim, Entrepreneur and Businessman; Kazi Nasrin Siddika, Executive Director, ECS - Education and Cultural Society; Bangladesh Research Consultant, Brookings Institution, United States; Regina Akhtar, Head of Library, Bangladesh Shishu Academy; Dr. M. Yasin Ali, Chairman and Chief Consultant, Dhaka City Physiotherapy Hospital; Fida Al-Shams, Assistant Professor and Senior Consultant, SLT Department, Chairman, Bangladesh Therapy and Rehabilitation Foundation (BTRF); Md. Murad Hossain, Executive Director, Alternative Social and Skill Education Development Foundation; Md. Abdur Rashid Sohag, President, Startup Association of Bangladesh; Jhumona Mullik, Founder and Managing Director, Neuroshade; Sajib Ashraful Islam, Founder and Managing Director, Greentech Solar; Ferdous Alam, Founder and CEO, Etova Technology; Mishal Islam, Head Coach, Bangladesh Robot Olympiad; Rajikul Hasan Rifat, Founder, Wellbeing Care Foundation; Toufikur Rahman, Rising Political Influencer; along with representatives from various stakeholder, organizing, and partner organizations.

DBTech/PS/EK/OR