Twenty-five cleantech innovators from across Bangladesh were honored at the National Cleantech Award Ceremony and Innovation Showcase held at the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) in Dhaka on Thursday.
The awards were presented under the Cleantech Accelerator and Commercialization Program, part of the Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh project. The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Environment (DoE) with technical support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funding from the Government of Norway, in partnership with the SME Foundation.
The program aims to reduce plastic pollution and accelerate Bangladesh's transition to a circular economy by strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks, improving resource efficiency, promoting sustainable recycling, supporting green entrepreneurship, and raising public awareness.
The ceremony brought together senior government officials, development partners, financial institutions, industry leaders, academics, investors, entrepreneurs, and technical experts to celebrate homegrown cleantech solutions and explore opportunities for commercialization.
State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam attended the event as the chief guest, while Industries Secretary Abdun Naser Khan chaired the program.
Special guests included DoE Director General Dr Md Lutfor Rahman, UNIDO Unit Chief for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Jérôme Stucki, SME Foundation Managing Director Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, and BIM Director General Md Salim Ullah.
The accelerator program attracted 643 applications from across the country. Following a multi-stage evaluation based on innovation, environmental impact, commercial viability, scalability, and investment readiness, 30 entrepreneurs were selected for an intensive residential bootcamp featuring technical mentoring, business development support, commercialization guidance, investment-readiness training, and pitch coaching.
After a final evaluation, 25 innovators were selected for financial support through the Accelerator Support Fund. The top three winners each received Tk500,000, while seven innovators ranked fourth to tenth received Tk300,000 each. The remaining 15 winners were awarded Tk200,000 each.
In addition to the grants, the winners will receive continued mentoring, technical guidance, progress monitoring, and opportunities to connect with investors, financial institutions, industry leaders, and development partners.
Speaking at the ceremony, Shaikh Faridul Islam said Bangladesh's transition to a greener and more resource-efficient economy depends on turning innovative ideas into practical, scalable solutions.
"Bangladesh's transition towards a greener and more resource-efficient economy will depend on our ability to transform innovative ideas into practical and scalable solutions. The entrepreneurs recognized today demonstrate that environmental responsibility and economic opportunity can advance together," he said.
He added that supporting homegrown clean technologies and circular business models would help reduce pollution, strengthen industrial competitiveness, create green jobs, and build a more resilient Bangladesh.
Jérôme Stucki said the shift to a greener economy is creating new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation.
"Sustainability and business success can, and must, go hand in hand. By developing solutions that use resources more efficiently, reduce waste and respond to environmental challenges, green businesses can generate economic value while creating lasting benefits for society and the environment," he said.
Dr Md Lutfor Rahman said locally developed technologies have the potential to address plastic pollution and improve resource efficiency, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, entrepreneurs, industry, academia, and development partners.
Anwar Hossain Chowdhury said innovative ideas can only achieve meaningful impact when entrepreneurs have access to technical support, finance, markets, and business networks. He added that the accelerator program focused on strengthening participants' business models and investment readiness to help bring their solutions closer to commercialization.
The event also featured an Innovation Showcase, where participating entrepreneurs displayed their technologies, products, prototypes, and sustainable business solutions to policymakers, investors, financial institutions, industry representatives, and development partners.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the National Cleantech Awards and a tour of the showcase, reaffirming the partners' commitment to advancing commercially viable solutions for a cleaner, greener, and more circular Bangladesh.
