As a key partner in Oporajita, Build Bangladesh takes a leading role in launching and managing theNeedle Innovation Challenge (NIC), a multi-year startup development program focused on the Bangladesh RMG Industry. Through the Needle Innovation Challenge, Build Bangladesh aims to bring impactful scalable solutions that can enhance the competitiveness of the Bangladesh RMG industry and the employability of women garment workers. The Needle Innovation Challenge offers a comprehensive package of customized curricula, coaching, mentoring, pollination grants, and partnership opportunities to budding entrepreneurs. The target is to equip the entrepreneurs to build, launch, and strengthen their innovative solutions that promote sustainability and circular practices within the RMG industry while safeguarding the livelihood opportunities of its primary workforce - women, who have been the backbone of the industry!
Build Bangladesh is the largest and only for-profit accelerator company in Bangladesh. We strive to bring positive change through youth engagement, impact entrepreneurship, and awareness campaigns. We focus on providing sustainable platforms that boost employability, entrepreneurship, and environmental leadership by ensuring accessible and appropriate skills for youth all over Bangladesh. Since 2017, Build Bangladesh has directly trained 23,854 youths through 9 national and international partnerships and ran 9 startup accelerator programs that supported 110+ innovative ventures across 14 sectors that are working to make a social or environmental change in their communities. Build Bangladesh (its brand ygap Bangladesh) has been awarded the best accelerator/incubation program in the SAARC region by the 2020 Global Startup Award.
Bangladesh's Ready-made Garment (RMG) industry is now the world's second-largest exporter and aims to reach $100 billion in exports by 2030. Embracing automation, digitization, and circular practices is essential, but the key challenge is transforming the industry while preserving jobs. We believe that innovation, driven by entrepreneurs and startups, is crucial for enhancing competitiveness and ensuring future employment. Our partnership with Oporajita is based on this shared commitment to use innovation to drive growth and ensure no one is left behind.
Find, incubate, and support 30 innovators, 15 for each challenge fund.
Across Bangladesh.