DHAKA: The US Embassy Dhaka in cooperation with Startup Dhaka, welcomed over 365 members of the Bangladeshi entrepreneurship community to the US Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) DEMO Day.
Seven top Bangladeshi startups pitched their science and technology business ideas to the audience and showcased their innovative ventures.
GIST and Startup Dhaka worked with 30 Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, providing intensive training aimed at honing participants’ skills to advance their startups.
Each of the 30 Bangladeshi startups also received one-on-one mentorship from US and local mentors, such as Riyad Husain of Magnito Digital and Nazmul Chowdhury, Senior VP of City Bank.
U.S. mentors traveled to Dhaka to share their expertise and business stories with the young innovators. Jim Bagnola, President of the Leadership Group International, worked with the entrepreneurs on building relationships and startup teams.
Jim Chung, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer at George Washington University, discussed cost structure, revenue streams, and negotiating with investors. Thor Ernstsson, Founder of Casual Corp, taught a session on raising capital for startups.
Launched in 2011, GIST is a partnership led by the U.S. Department of State and CRDF Global. GIST focuses on empowering young science and technology innovators through capacity building, mentoring, and networking.
The U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena also spoke at Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) startup boot camp award ceremony at the Westin Hotel on Saturday.
He said “Just a few days back, I celebrated a birthday … it was a big one … a milestone birthday.
In America, the 65th birthday is a big deal…
So, I didn’t know what to expect …
I was so excited on April 30, the last day in my life that I would be 64 … I could hardly sleep that night in anticipation of the big day … what would happen when I woke up the next day and found myself 65?
I tossed and turned all night …… but finally it happened … dawn broke … the day had come … it was the first time in my life that I was 65 … wow …
I got out of bed and put my feet on the ground …
… and then it happened … something like magic swept over me … all of a sudden … in an instant … I could see things I had never seen before … I could see into the future … at first the images were blurry, but I forced myself to focus … and then the images became sharper … and there was Bangladesh, at some point in the future, looking so nice …
My reverie was cut short by a mighty roar and a huge tiger, the Royal Bengal Tiger, strutted across my field of vision … I could see that Bangladesh had indeed become Asia’s next economic tiger, as I had once predicted … and as I looked past the tiger, I could see that Bangladesh was filled with new industries … IT industries and other creative startups … I could see that Dhaka had become a part of a new global IT and innovation Triangle: Silicon Valley, Bangalore and Dhaka … it was a beautiful sight … and there was Fayaz … except no one was calling him Fayaz … they were calling him BGB … BGB? the border guard? … my query elicited a laugh … BGB was “The Bill Gates of Bangladesh!” Great new name, Fayaz!
And as I looked around, I saw all of you … all of you with your businesses … some of which were the outgrowth of ideas you presented here over the past few days, but most were completely different … we all know that often today’s brilliant startup idea is tomorrow’s commercial failure … such is the way of life in the world of startups, as each entrepreneur learns from his or her failures and starts afresh with a new and better idea.
The innovative world of Bangladesh that I saw so clearly on that special day, the first day of my 65th year of life, is the innovative world of my vision today.
I believe fervently that Bangladesh can become a mighty player in the global IT world and in other sectors as your startups take root.
I do not see vast call centers or business back offices in Bangladesh … no … instead I see something quite different, something that plays to Bangladesh’s greatest strength: the energy, the dynamism, the creativity, the entrepreneurial spirit, the resilience of the Bangladeshi people … I see a Bangladesh that is the software development capital of the world, driven by Bangladeshis’ extraordinary brain power. I see Bangladesh growing into the hardware development side of the equation, too. And I see other creative startups flourishing and prospering.
I believe this vision will become reality … not by the magic of my birthday awakening, but rather by work, hard, creative work by you … each of you … you are the ones who will build the renaissance of Bangladesh.
I am pleased that America is your partner in helping budding Bangladeshi entrepreneurs connect with each other and connect with innovators around the world.
I am pleased that America has played some part in helping you as you undertake to make Bangladesh Asia’s next economic tiger, the Royal Bengal Tiger.”
BDST: 1230 HRS, MAY 25, 2014
