The activation campaign of the Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) 2023 was organized by the Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (iDEA) Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at North South University Auditorium.

In collaboration with NSU Startups Next, the program was chaired by the Project Director of iDEA and Joint Secretary Md. Altaf Hossain where the NSU Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. M. Ismail Hossain was the chief guest of the program. The Dean of School of Business & Economics at NSU Prof. Dr. Helal Ahammad and the Dean of School of Engineering & Physical Sciences at NSU Prof. Dr. Javed Bari were the special guest of the program. The director of NSU Startups Next and professor of the Department of ECE Dr. Shazzad Hosain gave a welcome speech at the event.

As the chief guest, The Vice-Chancellor of the North South University Dr. M. Ismail Hossain said that it is possible to bring big changes even from small changes in the society. He also said that small projects or ideas can be scaled up through funding, which will make it easier to build a rich Bangladesh by 2041, and to build it, innovation must be done on a larger scale.

In the speech of the program chair, the Project Director of iDEA and Joint Secretary Md. Altaf Hossain highlighted the goals of the Bangladesh government and the importance of young innovators in the country to build a smart Bangladesh. He said that in order to build a smart Bangladesh by 2041, a suitable entrepreneurial environment will be required, as a result of which many people will be interested in investment and the amount of foreign investment will also increase in the country.

Mr. Siddhartho Goshwami, Senior Consultant of iDEA project and BIG 2023 Chief Coordinator, presented the details of BIG 2023 in the campaign. He mentioned that in addition to the winners of organizing the BIG 2023 Grand Finale, the best 3 clubs from among the university clubs or forums that worked to make the activation campaign successful will be awarded and the top 10 clubs will get a chance to directly participate in the BIG Grand Finale event.

The Communications Consultant for the iDEA Project and Associate Coordinator of BIG 2023 Mr. Shohag Chandra Das, iDEA Project Consultant and BIG 2023 Technology Associate Coordinator Mr. Abul Kalam Ahsanul Azad, Human Resources Consultant Md. Nazim Uddin, Consultant of IT and Support Md. Mominul Islam, and along with different officials of iDEA project and North South University were also present at the program.

It may be noted that the registration process is ongoing as of Tuesday, March 28, 2023 on the website (www.big.gov.bd) of “BIG 2023”. Any information technology based entrepreneur can participate in this competition by 22 April 2023. A grant of BDT 1 crore will be awarded to the best startup as a prize of BIG 2023. The top 50 startups in the rest of the selected list will be given a grant of BDT 10 lakh each.

The motto of BIG 2023 is “DARE TO STAND BIG.”