Orange Corners Bangladesh hosts industry engagement forum to support early-stage entrepreneurs

Orange Corners Bangladesh convened a multi-stakeholder event in Dhaka to strengthen ties between early-stage entrepreneurs and industry leaders. The event, titled Orange Corners: Strengthening Early-Stage Entrepreneurship through Industry Engagement, was organised by the SAJIDA Foundation and the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), with implementation support from YY Ventures.

The event aimed to facilitate dialogue between startups and representatives from the private sector, providing insights into market dynamics and opportunities for collaboration. Keynote speeches were delivered by representatives from SAJIDA Foundation, BYLC, and YY Ventures, highlighting the importance of private-sector engagement in supporting startup growth.

A panel discussion, Guiding Growth: How the Private Sector Can Support Early-Stage Entrepreneurs, featured speakers from Unilever Bangladesh, HSBC, Startup Bangladesh, Rahimafrooz, and EnduringX. Panelists discussed topics including corporate mentorship, technical assistance, and strategies for improving investment readiness among early-stage ventures.

A dedicated segment of the event, the Impact Marketplace, showcased startups from the third cohort of the Orange Corners Bangladesh incubation programme. Participants presented innovations across sectors such as agritech, sustainability, IoT, and logistics, and had the opportunity to engage directly with industry stakeholders.

Orange Corners Bangladesh, launched in 2023 under a Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiative, is the first Orange Corners hub in Asia. Since its establishment, it has supported 40 startups and is currently incubating 13 more. The programme has provided over EUR 200,000 in grants and soft loans, targeting startups across a range of sectors, including health-tech, fem-tech, ed-tech, and climate action.

The initiative is implemented by YY Ventures in partnership with BYLC and SAJIDA Foundation, and receives support from Unilever Bangladesh.