The eighth Social Business Design Lab, a platform for the presentation and launch of social business ventures, was held Saturday in the capital.
About 250 participants from different organisations including representatives from numerous national and international NGOs, business leaders, academics and specialists attended the event, said a press release.
The participants include Kazi Zahedul Hasan, founder and managing director Kazi Farms Group; Prof Dr Shafique Ahmed Siddique, chairman of Board of Trustees of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT); and Dr Muhammad Abdus Sabur, Board Member of Sajida Foundation.
Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus chaired the event at Yunus Centre.
Six new social business plans were presented at the programme: Social Business Hospital Project by Sajida Foundation; Social Business for Biomass Power Solution to convert rice husk into fuel by Sarkar Ardhendu, director of SD Tex Promoters Ltd; and Solid Waste Management Social Business presented by Noor Mohammad, executive director of Khulna-based RUSTIC, to convert solid waste from slums and rural households into compost.
Three Nobin Udyokta (young entrepreneur) projects, presented by children of Grameen Bank, were also elaborated at the event. These are: Biplob Poultry Farm by Biplob Kumar; Imran Livestock Farm by Md Delawar Sarker and Sharfiul Cow Fattening Project by Shariful Islam.
There was also a special presentation by Dr Ashir Ahmed of Kyushu University, Japan on Doctor in a Box Preventive Healthcare Social Business.
These business plans were then intensively discussed in different groups which came up with necessary recommendations. Each project gave its timeline for implementation. Finally, the participants selected one Project Bondhu (Project Buddy) for each project to act as a mentor to finalise the plan.
During the programme, two new social businesses were launched. Forhad Hossain of Attyo-Unnayan Sangstha (AUS) Dairy Khammar Project announced conversion of his existing business into a social business and PK Saha of Rose Sweater Ltd announced the launch of a social business to sell water pumps, fertilisers, and quality seed to farmers.
The Design Lab was live streamed through the internet. The next event will be held on November 16 this year.
Dr Yunus thanked the participants for coming up with innovative social business plans and encouraged the designers to implement the projects and for other participants to support them as investors.