Future of Capitalism competition drives innovation in Bangladesh

Sharing exciting news about a regional spin-off competition aimed at kickstarting innovation amongst Bangladeshi tech startup entrepreneurs.

The Future of Capitalism Bangladesh competition, which offered up to $250k USD investment, has now announced its winners after months of intense competition.

This regional contest, organized by Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka (DU), in collaboration with Praava Health and the Leo Lion Foundation, was set up to inspire the next generation of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs.

Eight teams made it to the Grand Finale which took place on 11 April at Le Méridien Dhaka.

Following an intense battle of ideas, an AI-based platform, Airwork.ai, won the overall competition, with agritech startups iPage Global Ltd. and Dr. Chashi selected as the first and second runners-up respectively.

The finalists competed for a share of up to USD $250,000 investment, with pitches evaluated by a panel of industry leaders, investors, and academics.

“We aim to inspire the next generation of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to create social value alongside business success—just as we’ve strived to do every day for the past two decades.” Larry Sullivan, Founder & Chairman of Leo Lion Limited

Larry Sullivan, Founder of Leo Lion and the Future of Capitalism Competition

The competition was fierce, with 450+ teams across Bangladesh competing for the top prize. After navigating three rounds of intense competition, the top eight teams that made it to the finale were given the opportunity to showcase their business models, financial feasibility, and long-term strategies.

“This was a wonderful celebration of Bangladesh’s next generation of visionary entrepreneurs. This was more than just a pitch event - the Future of Capitalism Bangladesh is aptly named as we look to reimagine the role of business in shaping a more inclusive, equitable future." Sylvana Q. Sinha, Founder, Chair & CEO of Praava Health

Expert Judging Panel

The eight finalists were evaluated by an expert panel comprising:

•          Aminur Rashid, Chairman of Edison Group

•          Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor of ULAB

•          Kerry Breen, Senior Director at Brummer & Partners

•          Mohammad Abdul Matin Emon, Chief Operating Officer at Praava Health

•          Sylvana Q. Sinha, Founder & CEO of Praava Health

•          Tanveer Ali, Chairman, Constellation Asset Management

•          Yan Llamas, Chief Innovation Officer at Leo Lion Limited

“As the pioneer business school of the country, IBA has always led from the front - and it brings me immense pleasure to see IBA organizing our first-ever nationwide startup competition. I strongly feel that this initiative will not only strengthen Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem but also inspire a new generation of bold business ideas rooted in social value and responsible capitalism.” Professor Shakil Huda, Director (Acting) of the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka,

The Finale also featured an important guest Mr. Faiz Ahmad Tayeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication & Information Technology, who delivered an inspiring address:

"The world faces an unprecedented level of challenge today- climate change, hunger & starvation, unemployment and so on. I believe we can solve these issues through innovative ideas that focus on social development, and not just creating a profit. And that is exactly what the Future of Capitalism should look like." 

The Future of Capitalism Bangladesh Competition has set a new benchmark for fostering entrepreneurial talent in this region. By bringing together academia, industry leaders, and aspiring entrepreneurs, it has paved the way for a dynamic platform that will shape the next generation of business leaders in Bangladesh.