The Submission Deadline Extended for Bangabandhu Innovation Grant 2023

The Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (iDEA) Project of the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has extended the application deadline for the Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) 2023 until April 30, 2023.

After receiving a number of requests and interests from the candidates, the BIG 2023 authority has extended the application deadline. In the beginning, the 22nd of April 2023 was the deadline for submitting the applications.

Later, the BIG team identifies that some applicants might require additional time to prepare their submissions.

This time extension for submission of the applications will also provide the opportunity for the authority to receive more applications from talented individuals, startups, and entrepreneurs.

The BIG 2023 contest is a prestigious initiative that aims to recognize and support aspiring entrepreneurs from all over the country.

The competition is open to all Bangladeshis who have innovative ideas and solutions that can address the most pressing challenges in the country.

The Project Director of iDEA and Joint Secretary Md. Altaf Hossain encourages all talented individuals, startups, and entrepreneurs to take advantage of this extended deadline and submit their innovative ideas and solutions at the BIG website, www.big.gov.bd by April 30, 2023.

The contest has already received more than 5,000 registrations till now, which has created a highly competitive environment among the participants.

BIG 2023 has organized a series of exciting activities to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in Bangladesh.

Six online roadshows were held as a campaign to engage with university clubs, youth organizations, and community influencers.

The online roadshows covered eight divisions of the country to reach a wider audience. Additionally, three physical campaigns were also held in collaboration with different startup communities & clubs, including the Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club (DUEDC), NSU Startups Next, and Startup Chattogram. These events provided an opportunity for promising startups to connect with industry experts and learn from their experiences. 

The preliminary judging process will start immediately after the deadline, and then a boot camp is going to be held with startups shortly.

The winners of the competition will receive a range of rewards and support from the government to help them develop and implement their innovative ideas and solutions.

It is to be noted that, as a reward for BIG 2023, a grant of BDT 1 crore will be awarded to the best startup as the Winner.

The top 50 startups in the rest of the selected list will be awarded a grant of BDT 10 lakh each. There will be many more investment and networking opportunities for the startups too. 

Earlier, the 3rd edition of the Bangabandhu Innovation Grant was inaugurated on March 28, 2023, by the Hon’ble State Minister for the ICT Division of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP, with the motto “Dare to Stand Big”.