Activation campaign of the Bangabandhu Innovation Grant-2023 was held on Sunday (Apr 16) at the Heroic Freedom Fighter Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal Software Technology Park, Chattogram. The Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (iDEA) Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division in association with Startup Chattogram organised the campaign, said a press release.
Project Director and Joint Secretary Md Altaf Hossain addressed the programme as the chief guest while iDEA project Senior consultant and chief coordinator for BIG 2023 Siddhartho Goshwami, iDEA Project Consultant and BIG 2023 Technology Associate Coordinator Abul Kalam Ahsanul Azad and the founder of Startup Chattogram Arafatul Islam Akib addressed as special guests.
While addressing, Md Altaf Hossain said the startup culture is developing very fast in Chattogram city and new startup companies are constantly providing new solutions by undertaking different promising initiatives.
The youth and young people have to play a leading and strong role for the development of Chattogram, he added.
Highlighting the importance of youth to build knowledge based economy and smart Bangladesh and urged them to come forward, Altafat requested the entrepreneurs to apply on the website (www.big.gov.bd) of ‘BIG 2023’ by Apr 22, 2023.
With the theme ‘Dare to Stand BIG’, the biggest initiative ‘BIG’ is being organised for the country's entrepreneurs since 2019 by the Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (iDEA) Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division.
The aspirant entrepreneurs can apply online (www.big.gov.bd) for their ICT based initiatives by Apr 22, 2023.
A three-day bootcamp will be organized with the selected top startups. The top 51 startups of ‘BIG 2023’ will be selected from the most promising startups of the bootcamp while a selection panel consisting of experienced judges will select the best startup and it will be awarded a grant of Tk 1 core.
The rest of the 50 startups will receive a grant of Tk 10 lakh each. Besides, there are different opportunities for startups in ‘BIG 2023’ including investment, special certificates of appreciation, and mentoring.
