Grameenphone presents Innovation Xtreme (IX) to harbor innovation in digital businesses
A unique technology business event, titled ‘Innovation Xtreme’ will take place on November 22nd at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel Dhaka. Grameenphone, the country’s leading telecom operator, is the main sponsor of this event. The event will bring together the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem – investors, experienced entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, local and international media– to showcase the potential of innovators and entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.
The event has been designed to showcase the opportunities in a collective internet connected community and how people may be redefining the rules of a borderless world. The central theme of IX 2014 is ‘Innovation in Bangladesh’, highlighting the success stories and the opportunities. The event will also showcase four leading tech ventures, including 10 handpicked early and growth stage startups from Bangladesh. They are expected to attract students, entrepreneurs, developers, academia, corporates, investors, international organizations, NGOs, and local & international media.
Sayed Talat Kamal, Head of External Communications at Grameenphone said, ‘Grameenphone has an ambition of providing ‘Internet for all’, meaning we recognize the increased demand for data driven services throughout Bangladesh. We have an extensive strategy to reach this ambition where awareness, affordable devices and attractive content are three key aspects. As sponsor to IX, it is a reflection of this strategy where we see future in digital connectivity.’
It is expected that within 25 years people from Bangladesh will have the ability, as an individual or a corporation, to start becoming a meaningful member of a global business community. The country can start shaping policy, the outcome, and its aspirations can be linked meaningfully to the outside world. The objective of the Innovation Xtreme event is to highlight this narrative in the current context of Bangladesh so that people collectively envisions a different kind of future for the country.
Speaking at the press briefing, Mustafizur Khan, CEO & Founder of Startup Dhaka, said ‘Through this one-day annual Innovation Xtreme event – we will showcase the potential of innovators and entrepreneurs in Bangladesh that currently exists. And by bringing international and local investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses under one roof, the event will work as catalyst to deepen the interest about the internet based local economy.’
Fayaz Taher, Cofounder and CFO at Startup Dhaka, said ‘After holding GIST boot camp competition, Grameenphone Demo Day, Telenor Digital Winner – we wanted to showcase the opportunities not just within our border but in this region so that greater investment flow and partnership happens in the ICT sector.’
Who are the speakers at IX 2014?
IX-2014 has a number of confirmed speakers including representatives from Golden Gate Ventures (Venture Capital), Fenox (Venture Capital), Laxmi Capital (boutique private equity group), Boston Consulting Group, Zalora (Fashion E-commerce site from Malaysia), MasterCard, Chaudhary Group– a billion dollar company from Nepal, Invest2Innovate (accelerator), HUBIT (accelerator), International Finance Corporation (IFC), NewsCred, AlleyWatch (Media partner from NYC), Jagoo Online School, Augmedix, Solaric, Payza, Bkash, Magnito Digital, Light Castle Partners, Ulkasemi, Gemroc, Direct Fresh, Grameenphone and Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) among a number of other notable organizations.
