The Financial Innovation Lab (FinLab BD) has awarded Tk. 1 crore 75 lakh to the best three innovative enterprises in the ‘Women’s Financial Inclusion Challenge 2022’ and ‘CSME Innovation Challenge 2022’ competitions. The award has been given to encourage innovative ideas in support of Cottage, Small and Medium Enterprises (CSME) entrepreneurs along with making financial transactions women-friendly.
The award was given in a ceremony at the Bangabandhu Military Museum auditorium in the capital on Monday. The a2i informed this matter in a press release on Tuesday.
A total of 123 innovative ideas were submitted in the competition. Three of these ideas received awards. The awardees are Dana Fintech, Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) and Apon Wellbeing. Dana Fintech received an award of Tk. 75 lakh for its concept of easy digital loan for small and medium enterprises. Mutual Trust Bank received Tk. 50 lakh 75 thousand for ‘Daylight Loan’, a daily loan scheme for small traders, and Apan Wellbeing received Tk. 50 lakh for creating a platform for financial inclusion of women workers in the garment industry.
Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Md. Mazbaul Haque said, ‘In order to accelerate financial inclusion, it is necessary to take innovative initiatives in the financial services sector.’
Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, project director of a2i said that the winning innovations will play a special role in the financial inclusion of women and the development of small and medium industries.
MetLife Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Alauddin Ahmed and BRAC Bank Managing Director Salim RF Hussain were special guests on the occasion.
FinLab BD is a joint initiative of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) a2i, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and MicroSave Consulting (MSC).