Startup Grid wins Creaventure 4.0 national pitching competition

Startup Grid emerged as champion of Creaventure 4.0, a national idea-pitching competition that drew 1,066 participants from 62 districts across Bangladesh.

Matis Plus secured the first runner-up position, while Metis finished as second runner-up at the grand finale, held at Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre on 11 July, 2026.

Organised by the Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club, the competition received entries from 348 teams. Following online submissions and several assessment rounds, 33 teams advanced to the quarter-finals, 20 reached the semi-finals, and eight competed in the final. The organiser had earlier confirmed the eight finalists.

The finalists presented their ideas through live pitches and question-and-answer sessions.

Startup Grid received Tk50,000, while Matis Plus and Metis received Tk30,000 and Tk20,000, respectively. The organisers said the competition offered a total prize pool of more than Tk1.3 lakh, including cash, gifts and support facilities.

University of Dhaka Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Administration, Professor Dr Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, attended the event as the Chief Guest.

"The University of Dhaka has a proud history of leadership – from the Language Movement to the freedom movement. The Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club is carrying forward that tradition," he said.

Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club Chief Patron Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh needed more job creators than job seekers.

"Families must encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurship with confidence, just as they encourage traditional career paths," he said.

Professor Dr Mohammad Toufiqul Islam, Chairman of the University of Dhaka Department of Management and Moderator of the Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club, described Creaventure as a learning platform that connects aspiring entrepreneurs with knowledge, mentorship, and industry networks.

The programme also featured a panel discussion moderated by Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed. The speakers were Grameen HealthTech Limited Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed Armaan Siddiqui; Renata PLC Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Syed S Kaiser Kabir; Augmedix Bangladesh Country Director Rashed Mujib Noman; and CFMOTO Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Rezaul Karim.

The panellists encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to identify opportunities, distinguish themselves and prepare for future market demands.

Other attendees included Dr Hasina Sheykh, Professor and former Chairman of the Department of Banking and Insurance; Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Country Director for Bangladesh Dr Rudaba Khondker; Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development Project Director at the ICT Division Monjur Mohammad Shahriar; Guardian Life Insurance Senior Vice President and Head of Human Resources and Training Nusrat Tabassum; Community Bank PLC Executive Vice President and Head of Credit Risk Management Hasi Rani Bepari; Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Senior Policy Adviser for Agriculture and Food Security, Trade and Business Development Osman Haruni; and UNESCO Dhaka Head of Education Norihide Furukawa.

"We look forward to strengthening collaboration to support young innovators and foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem," Norihide Furukawa said.

The judges were Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed, Professor in the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka and Director of the NSU Social Business Centre; ShareTrip Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Sadia Haque; The Daily Star Chief Business Officer Tajdin Hassan; and Nextjobz Limited Chief Business Officer Shoeb Hassan.

Akij Resource was the title sponsor, while Shwapno and CFMOTO Bangladesh were co-sponsors. Modhumoti was the gold sponsor, and BYLC served as a strategic partner.