Seven Bangladeshis make Forbes 30 under 30 Asia 2023 list
Seven Bangladeshis have made the list of 'Forbes 30 Under 30' Asia Class of 2023. The famous business journal, Forbes, first launched the '30 under 30' list in 2011, listing the thirty movers and shakers under the age of thirty. From 2016 to 2022, a total of 25 Bangladeshis were named to the list for their exceptional efforts across a diverse range of categories. This year, seven Bangladeshis under the age of thirty were recognised for their contributions in three areas: consumer technology; media, marketing and advertising; and social impact.
Here is a quick rundown of the Bangladeshis who made it to Forbes 30 Under 30 this year.
Aziz Arman
Founder, Jatri
Category: Consumer Technology
Aziz Arman's co-founded Jatri uses technology for facilitating mass mobility in Bangladesh's chaotic transportation situation. Last year, the Dhaka Bus Owners' Association agreed to use the startup's e-ticketing system for 5,650 public buses, ensuring equitable pricing for users. Apart from this, the startup also provides chartered and rental car services. In 2021, the firm received a net of 1.2 million dollars in the pre-seed series A investment round from investors including Reflect Ventures, Brain-Too-Free Ventures, and SBK Tech Venture. Presently, its total funding is around $5.25 million.
Rubaiyat Farhan and Tasfia Tasbin
Founders, Markopolo.ai
Category: Media, Marketing & Advertising
Markopolo.ai is a startup providing digital marketing solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, allowing them to rapidly generate ad content and seamlessly cross-post across several social media platforms. The subscription-based program is powered by artificial intelligence and predicts ad success and peak posting circumstances. It also offers an extensive user dataset to assist businesses in automating and optimising social media marketing, creating content and reaching out to responsive audiences. Last year, the company secured $700,000 in a pre-Series A investment led by Singapore VC firm Accelerating Asia.
Jahnnobi Rahman
Co-founder, Relaxy
Category: Social Impact
Jahnnobi Rahman co-founded Relaxy, a tech-based wellness platform focused on improving the accessibility and quality of mental health services in Bangladesh. It intends to provide accessible digital solutions to an increasing number of young people suffering from mental health-related problems. Relaxy provides a number of free services like mood checks and meditations and generates revenue through virtual therapy sessions provided at low costs. The platform was selected as the second runners-up in Huawei's ICT Incubator 2022 and presently has over 15,000 users.
Diptha Saha
Co-founder, Agroshift Technologies
Category: Consumer Technology
Agroshift Technologies is an agricultural supply chain platform that allows businesses to source directly from farmers, lowering consumer prices and assisting farmers in obtaining a fair price. Following a micro-fulfilment approach, Agroshift works directly with farmers and dealers to get everyday necessities and provide RMG workers with direct access to high-quality, low-cost fresh vegetables. It also supplies the nearby micro-retailers of these factories using the same infrastructure. The platform recently won H&M's STITCH for RMG Global Innovation Challenge and secured $1.8 million in a pre-seed round led by Shorooq Partners and Anchorless Bangladesh.
Anowar Sayef and Saraban Tahura
Founders, Turtle Venture Studio
Category: Social Impact
Founded by Saraban Tahura Turin and Anowar Sayef Anik, Turtle Venture Studio aims to foster young startups by providing them with funding, mentorship, access to a global network and strategic support. It is the country's first venture studio and has recently announced its first cohort of local startups. It has worked with more than 90 entrepreneurs since 2018, assisting them in raising over $15 million in initial funding rounds. Apart from conducting accelerator programs for women in technology, the platform also offers a program called 'Young Turtle' to encourage entrepreneurship among students.