The Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) -2020 on Wednesday announced that grant money would be given to 100 startups for building a startup ecosystem in the country.
The decision has been made to encourage young entrepreneurs and the ICT division inaugurated a programme titled "Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG)-2020" on Wednesday.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology, inaugurated the programme as chief guest while N M Ziaul Alam, Secretary of ICT Division, attended as a special guest the programme organized by ICT division on its office premises in Dhaka.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak said on the occasion Bangabandhu's lifestyle is a role model for the present and future generations.
He said if we want to inspire and encourage the youth, Bangabandhu's ideology and political philosophy should be presented to the present and future generations.
Then they will never be defeated in the struggle of life, he added.
Palak said, “Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) has been organized to encourage entrepreneurs and innovators. The programme will be organized not only in Mujib Year, but also every year as an annual event.”
Bangabandhu is not only of Bangladesh, but of the whole world, he said adding that in order to inspire the youth with the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu, the Innovation Grant Platform will be developed as an attractive platform for young innovators from all over the world to fulfil their dreams.
Palak said the ICT department has taken 20 technology-based initiatives in the year of Mujib, including innovation grants.
Under the "Big" iDEA project, a plan has been made to provide grants to 100 startups in the year 2020-21 with the aim of building a startup ecosystem in the country by encouraging new entrepreneurial ideas from young entrepreneurs.
From 17 March 2019 to November 2020, 32 startups from the iDEA project were selected through a project selection committee for a grant of Tk 10 lakh, which was approved by the project.
In order to expand the "Big" in the international arena by organizing "Bangabandhu Innovation Grant 2020" on the occasion of Mujib Centenary, grants will be provided by selecting local IT startups as well as foreign IT-based and innovative product or service rich startups.
In order to establish the "Big" event as a flagship programme at the international level, it was decided to complete 3 events in 2020-21, namely, University and Stakeholder Activation Campaign, TV Reality Show and International Road Show.
Hundreds of representatives from public and private educational institutions, inventors, professionals, startups, high commissions and embassies of different countries, various local and foreign communities and clubs, trade associations associated with startups are taking part in the event.
The Department of Information and Communication Technology of the Government, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), A2I, Startup Bangladesh Limited have been added as partners to the event.
In addition, various trade associations such as BASIS, BAKYA, BCS, ECAB, ISPAB, BIJF among the non-governmental organizations are associated as partners in the event.
Through this event, Bangladesh will be presented to the world in a new way in the field of ICT.