National Finals of the GSEA held in Dhaka
The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) represents more than 1,700 prominent student entrepreneurs from around 60 countries. Built on a mission to inspire students to start and grow entrepreneurial ventures, GSEA brings global visibility to pioneering student business owners. It honours outstanding students who simultaneously attend university full-time while running their own businesses. The Entrepreneurs' Organisation (EO), a global business network of more than 12,000 business owners in more than 160 chapters and 50 countries, carries the vision of building the world's most influential community of entrepreneurs, through supporting entrepreneurial education and engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow. It took on the leadership of the GSEA in 2006 to offer student entrepreneurs access to a global network of mentors and connections from the most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world. The EO's GSEA is supported by Thomas Franchise Solutions.The Bangladesh chapter of the EO was founded in 2015, with a group of talented young entrepreneurs. They are driven by the core spirit of entrepreneurship and its inherent characteristics of risk taking and thriving in challenges. Currently, Farzana Chowdhury is the president of EO Bangladesh, while Zareen Mahmud Hosein is the chair of the GSEA. EO Bangladesh hosted the national finals of the GSEA on November 24 at the Grameenphone House Auditorium in Dhaka.
Five young entrepreneurs presented their innovative business ideas to the jury, which included Mominul Islam, MD and CEO, IPDC Finance Ltd, Minhaz Uddin Anwar, Head of StartUp Ecosystem, Grameenphone, Hossain Khaled, Managing Director, Anwar Group and Syed Almas Kabir, President, Basis.
After a tough competition, Naziba Naila Wafa, a student of BRAC University, became the proud winner. Naziba bested her competitors with her initiative, Resurgence, a biro-degradable sanitary napkin business including slum women that she runs while also attending university.
As the national student entrepreneur, she will go on to represent Bangladesh at the 2019 GSEA Global Finals in Macau, China. She will be competing against the top student entrepreneurs from around the world in the hopes of winning over US$ 40,000 in cash and donated prizes.
The runner-up of the programme was Mohammad Jahangir Alam from Dhaka University. His project, Inspire, is dedicated to educating street children. Mohammad intends to collect garbage from slums to produce organic fertilisers as industrial products and then transfer the profits earned to educate slum children. His idea not just promotes the use of biodegradable fertilisers, but also addresses the concerns revolving around the inefficient waste disposal and garbage management.
Kazi M Aminul Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, graced the occasion as the chief guest. "Today's youth have a dream of creating changes in the society and have a will to create a better tomorrow," he said. "They are capable of making informed decisions and are wise enough to critically analyse the risks associated with starting a new business. I would suggest them to accept more of such risks and challenges and never be afraid from failures, as it is those little mistakes that teach us how to become successful ahead." Kazi Mahboob Hassan, CTO, Grameenphone, Tina Jabeen, Investment Advisor, StartUp Bangladesh and Mominul Islam, MD and CEO of IPDC Finance Ltd were present as guests of honour. Among others, Munir Hasan, Youth Coordinator, Prothom Alo, was also a part of the event.