Domestic technology companies, mobile financial services and startups have played an effective role in keeping the country’s economy afloat in the ongoing COVID pandemic.
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak made the remarks while participating in a virtual startup-based accelerator program on Thursday. He said Bangladesh has made maximum use of technology in every sector during the pandemic.
Mentioning that the present government is giving more importance to the startup ecosystem in the country and as a result, the amount of foreign investment in the country has increased; the ICT Minister further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy Bangladesh will enter into the club of developed countries by 2041.
Valo Social Enterprise, Fundfina, MyCash, Swadhin, WHRRL, Agro Supply, Borlag, Falmingo Food, Four Farming and Nafia Farmers Market exchanged their views participating in the Accelerator Program.
Turkish Ambassador Essen Altu, in his welcome speech, said that the innovative thinking of startups is playing an important role in the ongoing epidemic. The innovative thinking of the winning teams will play a positive role in Bangladesh and Uganda.
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister and EU Director Faruk Kaymaksi, Ugandan Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr. Monica Musenero, Luisa Viton, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkey and Joshua Setipa, Managing Director of UN Technology Bank joined the virtual program and shared their views.
Like other countries, Uganda is facing many challenges in agriculture. Ugandan Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Monica Musenero said that the innovative initiatives of startups will play an important role in tackling this challenge.
Ten start-ups from two cohorts in Bangladesh and Uganda presented their solutions at the virtual Demo Day. The winner of the Financial Inclusion Cohort Team are Bhalo and Shadhin from Bangladesh and in the Digital Agriculture Cohort Team category the winners are Flamingoo Foods of Tanzania and Borlaug Web Services of India/Netherlands. The others start-ups are – Fundfina, India/UK; MyCash, Bangladesh; Whrrl, India, AgroSupply, Uganda; ForFarming, Turkey; and Nampya Farmers Market, Uganda. Winning teams will receive an equity-free grant of up to US$100,000 for the implementation phase.