Forty-one aspiring entrepreneurs have been selected from 577 applicants for the first batch of a 318-hour entrepreneurship development programme run by the University of Dhaka’s Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Center.

The selections were announced at the closing and award ceremony of the Idea Competition 2026, held at the auditorium of the CARASS Building at the university’s Teacher-Student Centre on 23 July, according to a press release.

Following an initial evaluation, 110 applicants were shortlisted for the pitching round. The final assessment was conducted on 22 and 23 July.

The competition was organised under the “Capacity Building of Universities to Promote Youth Entrepreneurship” project, supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency Bangladesh.

The Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Center is implementing the project in collaboration with the University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education.

Professor Mahmud Osman Imam, Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies at the University of Dhaka, said building an innovation-driven entrepreneurial society was essential for Bangladesh’s continued progress.

“We hope to see a strong entrepreneurial culture emerge across the country’s public universities. I am also optimistic that the ICE Center will establish itself as a leading hub for entrepreneurship development in South Asia,” he said.

Rashedur Rahman, Executive Director of the ICE Center, said the selected participants would receive training, mentorship, industry exposure, networking opportunities and business development support during the 318-hour programme.

Those who successfully complete the programme will compete for funding from a Tk55 lakh seed fund to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses, he said.

Rashedur also announced that applications for the programme’s second batch would open in about three months. The centre plans to organise hackathons, boot camps and other specialised training programmes.

Jihoon Kim, Country Director of Korea International Cooperation Agency Bangladesh, attended the ceremony as chief guest.

Junsu Kim, Deputy Country Director of Korea International Cooperation Agency Bangladesh; Mohammad Maksudur Rahman, Director of the Planning and Development Division at the University Grants Commission; and Ratna Biswas, Additional Director of Bangladesh Bank, were also present.

Academics, industry experts, project officials and competition participants attended the event.

Project officials said the initiative aimed to strengthen entrepreneurship education and foster an innovation-driven ecosystem among university students and graduates in Bangladesh.

The project’s partner institutions include the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh Medical University, Bangladesh Agricultural University, the University of Rajshahi, the University of Chittagong and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology.