The government's a2i (Aspire to Innovate) on Thursday gave seed money to the seven best innovators selected through different innovation challenges held across Bangladesh under the program.
Local Government Minister Md Tazul Islam and State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak jointly handed over the seed capital and certificates to the winners at a function at BAF Shaheen Hall in Dhaka, said a press release.
The innovators were selected through the Water Innovation Challenge Competition 2021, Pregnancy Monitoring Innovation Challenge 2022 and Letter Builder Innovation Challenge, conducted by a2i across the country.
Khaled Ashraf was given Tk90 lakh in seed money for his innovation Digital Maternity, while Tk60 lakh was given to Mehedi Hasan for his innovation Use of Technology for Health Improvement of Mother and Newborn Baby, TK33.2 lakh to Hasib Uddin for Sentinel Technologies, TK18.5 lakh to Ashikur Rahman Tanim for Water Wise Think, Tk20 lakh to Ahmed Nafis Hossain Ayan for his Advanced Monitoring System, Tk28.32 lakh to Md Khaled Hasan Morshedul Bari for Wash Metric and Tk20 lakh to AHM Rezwanul Islam for Pani Dhee.
Speaking on the occasion, Tazul Islam called for emphasizing innovation to materialize the vision of Smart Bangladesh and said communication, education, water supply and other services need to be developed for transforming the country into a developed one by 2041.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the government is encouraging innovation based on public-private and academic partnerships.
"Besides, we have undertaken plans to give all kinds of cooperation to realize the dream of inventors step by step," he added.