Startup Grid emerged as the champion of Akij Resource Presents Creaventure 4.0: National Idea Pitching Competition at the grand finale held on 11 July at Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre.

Organised by the Dhaka University Entrepreneurship Development Club (DUEDC), the competition brought together aspiring entrepreneurs from across Bangladesh to showcase innovative business ideas addressing real-world challenges.

Professor Dr Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, pro-vice-chancellor (Administration) of the University of Dhaka, attended the event as the chief guest. The programme was attended by academics, entrepreneurs, policymakers, industry leaders and startup ecosystem stakeholders.

Creaventure 4.0 received 1,066 registrations, with 348 teams representing 62 districts. Following multiple rounds of evaluation, including online idea submissions, pitching sessions and question-and-answer rounds, eight teams advanced to the grand finale.

Startup Matis Plus secured the first runner-up position, while Startup Metis finished as the second runner-up.

The competition offered a prize pool worth more than Tk 130,000, including cash prizes, gifts and support facilities. The champion received Tk 50,000, while the first and second runners-up were awarded Tk 30,000 and Tk 20,000 respectively.

The finalist teams presented solutions across a wide range of sectors, including AgriTech, FoodTech, ClimateTech, CleanTech, HealthTech, FemTech, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), manufacturing technology, waste management and circular economy. Their ideas collectively addressed 10 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Among the distinguished guests were Professor Dr Hasina Sheykh, former chairman of the Department of Banking and Insurance at the University of Dhaka; Rashed Mujib Noman, country director of Augmedix Bangladesh; Dr Ahmed Arman Siddiqui, chief executive officer of Grameen HealthTech Limited; Rezaul Karim, chief executive officer of CFMOTO Bangladesh; Syed S Kaiser Kabir, chief executive officer and managing director of Renata PLC; Dr Rudaba Khondker, country director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Bangladesh; Monjur Mohammad Shahriar, project director of the Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development project under the ICT Division; Nusrat Tabassum, senior vice-president and head of Human Resources and Training at Guardian Life Insurance; Hasi Rani Bepari, executive vice-president and head of CRM at Community Bank PLC; Osman Haruni, senior policy adviser at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; and Norihide Furukawa, head of education at UNESCO Dhaka.

In his address, Professor Dr Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane said the University of Dhaka has a long tradition of leadership and expressed hope that DUEDC would continue contributing to entrepreneurship development. Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed, chief patron of DUEDC, said Bangladesh needs more job creators than job seekers, while Professor Dr Mohammad Toufiqul Islam, chairman of the Department of Management and moderator of DUEDC, described Creaventure as a platform that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with mentorship, knowledge and industry connections.

The event also featured a panel discussion moderated by Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed. Panellists included Dr Ahmed Arman Siddiqui, Syed S Kaiser Kabir, Rashed Mujib Noman and Rezaul Karim, who shared insights on entrepreneurship, innovation and identifying future opportunities.

The grand finale was judged by Professor Dr Rafiuddin Ahmed, director of the NSU Social Business Centre; Sadia Haque, co-founder and chief executive officer of ShareTrip; Tajdin Hassan, chief business officer of The Daily Star; and Shoeb Hassan, chief business officer of Nextjobz Limited.

The organisers said the competition aims to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable business solutions among young people across Bangladesh.