ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak said, "The government has taken initiatives to ensure smart employment and entrepreneurial career for at least one member of each of the 4 crore 10 lakh families of Bangladesh under the 'One Family, One Seed' initiative.
To that end, the activities of “Smart Bangladesh Launchpad” were officially launched on Sunday at CUET Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator, Bangladesh's first university-based business incubator.
This is Bangladesh's first startup studio, which will provide an opportunity to participate in the Co-Entrepreneurship model to those who have a good business idea or innovation as well as those who do not have a good business idea but have the skills to be a Co-Founder of a startup.
Allotment letters are already being given to 10 startup teams in the first batch and 2 more batches from among the participants of this micro-course will be taken to this Launchpad later. CUET's Smart Bangladesh Launchpad will create 50 new startups a year through a 6-month long 'Venture Building Program' and start their journey in the market. Gradually, the program of “Smart Bangladesh Launchpad” will be launched in every university and all Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centers in Bangladesh.”
Sheikh Kamal of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) said these things at the closing ceremony of the workshop titled "Micro-Course on Intellectual History of Startup" organized in the auditorium of Multipurpose Building of IT Business Incubator on Sunday afternoon.
Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority and Student to Startup Ventures jointly organised this workshop. CUET Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Alam presided over the meeting. ICT Secretary Md. Samsul Arefin and Managing Director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority GSM Zafrullah were special guests in the event. CUET Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator Director Professor Dr. Mohammad Moshiul Haque gave a welcome speech.
Speaking as a special guest, ICT Secretary Md. Samsul Arefin said, "We believe that CUET Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator will play a leading role in the progress of building Smart Bangladesh from Digital Bangladesh. University students are very talented. Through their creative initiatives and innovative thinking, the country will be able to emerge as a truly technologically advanced nation.” SM Zafarullah, Managing Director of Hi-Tech Park Authority said, "The 14 programs that have been undertaken under the 'One Family, One Seed' initiative in the initial phase. One of them is “Smart Bangladesh Launchpad” which will develop various ideas, projects, research and thesis reports of university students into startups. Besides being the first university-based business incubator in Bangladesh, the Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator of CUET has created great enthusiasm and inspiration among students across the country with its aesthetic design. We intend to conduct regular activities of this incubator from now on in a student-friendly, inclusive and self-sustainable manner with the students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology.”
In his closing speech at the event, CUET Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said that the inauguration of "Smart Bangladesh Launchpad" and the country's first "Startup Studio" is an effective step in building Smart Bangladesh. Today's micro course will give our students an insight into the new generation of startup economics. Which will later help them to become entrepreneurs. I believe that by doing this, they will reach their desired goal of the incubator of the dreams of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sajib Wazed Joy, the visionary of Digital Bangladesh and Smart Bangladesh through their own creative initiatives.”
Before this, at the beginning of the program, Mr. Mahmudul Hasan, Youth Coordinator and Program Officer of UNDP Bangladesh, presented an article titled "Cultural History of Startup" and Siddharth Goswami, Team Leader and Senior Consultant of Idea Project of Bangladesh Computer Council presented an article titled "History of Startup in Bangladesh". About 460 students from different departments of CUET participated in the workshop.
Later, the Minister of State for ICT handed over the allotment papers among the 17 startups and technology companies allocated to the incubator. At the end of the event, he participated in an exchange meeting with the Incubator concerned and the administration of CUET regarding all activities of the Incubator. He then planted a memorial tree in the incubator area.