Staff Correspondent:

Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past decade, growing from fewer than 100 companies to more than 1,200 active startups. These companies have collectively raised nearly $1 billion in funding, with 76% of that coming from venture capital, according to ICT Division Secretary and Startup Bangladesh Limited Chairman Shish Haider Chowdhury.

Speaking at the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025, he noted that local startups are addressing real-world challenges across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and logistics, helping to place Bangladesh on the global innovation map.

The secretary inaugurated the Bangladesh Startup Connect 2025, a flagship event under the summit, at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka on Monday (April 7).

The initiative has drawn global investors, startup founders, and ecosystem builders to explore opportunities in the country’s growing innovation landscape.

He said the startup ecosystem has become a defining force behind the country’s economic future. Bangladesh, he added, is moving towards becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, backed by macroeconomic stability, a digitally fluent and youthful population, and a strong national focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.

With interest from more than 300 local and international investors, the ecosystem is not only expanding but also thriving. The two-day summit is expected to feature over 70 speakers, 25 venture capital firms, and hundreds of changemakers contributing to the next phase of Bangladesh’s innovation journey.

The event will also include policy dialogues, sector-specific sessions, and programmes like the Youth Innovation Challenge 2025, aimed at empowering young visionaries from across the country and promoting inclusive innovation.