Aspiring entrepreneurs across Bangladesh are being invited to showcase their innovative business ideas through the Idea Competition 2026, organized under the Entrepreneurship Development Program of the “Capacity Building of Universities in Bangladesh to Promote Youth Entrepreneurship” project.

The competition aims to discover promising, innovative, and commercially viable ideas from university students and graduates and support their transformation into scalable impact enterprises. Applications for the competition are open until 18 July 2026.

Organizers are encouraging young innovators, startup founders, and aspiring entrepreneurs to participate and take advantage of an opportunity to receive mentorship, entrepreneurial training, and ecosystem support.Building the Next Generation of Impact Entrepreneurs

The Idea Competition 2026 is designed to identify high-potential ideas that can address real-world challenges while creating sustainable business opportunities. Selected teams will receive structured support to refine their concepts, develop business models, and prepare for venture creation.

The top 50 shortlisted teams will participate in the Entrepreneurship Education and Development Program, where they will gain access to:

• Expert mentorship from industry professionals and entrepreneurs
• Capacity-building training and entrepreneurship education
• Guidance on developing sustainable business models
• Support to advance their entrepreneurial journey

Eligibility Criteria

The competition is open to university students and graduates from across Bangladesh. To qualify, at least one team member (the applicant or team leader) must be a current student or alumnus of any of the following partner universities:

• University of Dhaka (DU)
• Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
• Bangladesh Medical University (BMU)
• Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)
• University of Rajshahi (RU)
• University of Chittagong (CU)
• Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET)

Other team members can come from any university, academic discipline, or professional background, allowing students and professionals from diverse fields to collaborate and build innovative solutions.

Supporting Bangladesh’s Startup Ecosystem

The initiative is implemented by the Innovation, Creativity & Entrepreneurship (ICE) Center, University of Dhaka, in partnership with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE).

The program is supported by the KOICA Bangladesh Office and the Project Management Consortium (PMC), South Korea, with the goal of strengthening university-based entrepreneurship and developing future startup leaders.

Startup Bangladesh Limited (SBL) is encouraging young innovators and aspiring founders to participate in the competition and use this platform to convert impactful ideas into scalable ventures that contribute to Bangladesh’s growing startup ecosystem.

Interested participants can submit their applications before the deadline of 18 July 2026.

Application Link:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfhX7Awu.../viewform

For further information: info.ice@du.ac.bd