Will introduce startup fund, ease policies for young entrepreneurs: BB Governor
Bangladesh Bank will establish a dedicated fund to support startups and improve access to finance for emerging entrepreneurs as part of its efforts to foster a more business-friendly environment for youth-led ventures.
Governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Ahsan H Mansur made the announcement during a plenary panel at the Bangladesh Startup Connect 2025 session held as part of the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.
He said the central bank has already put in place a standardised policy framework to encourage investment.
Document verification processes for companies and banks have been simplified, allowing many funding procedures to be completed online, he added.
He also said that new policy provisions would make it easier for foreign investors to repatriate funds, eliminating the need for separate applications to the central bank.
The two-day event, taking place from April 7-8, brings together global investors, startup founders and policymakers.
Organised by Startup Bangladesh Limited, the ICT Division and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the summit aims to showcase the country’s growing startup ecosystem and position it as a key player in the global investment network.
The inaugural session featured a keynote presentation on “Empowering Innovation, Connecting Opportunities” by Tanveer Ali, Chairman of Constellation Asset Management Company Limited and Independent Director of Startup Bangladesh Ltd.
The plenary panel included Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA and Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the ICT Division and Chairman of Startup Bangladesh Ltd.
Sadia Haque, the CEO of ShareTrip, moderated the session.
A key highlight of the day was the announcement of the Startup Bangladesh Fund of Funds—an initiative aimed at channeling investment into early and growth-stage startups.
The fund is expected to provide vital capital for startups seeking to expand, enter global markets and scale sustainably.
The summit features over 70 expert speakers, 25+ venture capital firms, and 15+ deep-dive sessions focused on policy innovation, startup scaling, investor readiness, and cross-border collaboration.
Sector-specific discussions are being held on FinTech, SaaS, Logistics, HealthTech, AgriTech, EdTech and AI, along with broader themes such as gender lens investing, public-private partnerships and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
One of the pavilion events is the Youth Innovation Challenge 2025, which showcases 15 youth-led ventures from across the country.
The pitch session offers a platform for young innovators to present their ideas directly to top investors and policy influencers.
The day two of the summit will focus on investor engagement, featuring startup office tours, ecosystem immersions and curated matchmaking with high-potential ventures.