Light of Hope Ventures has launched the second cohort of its SME and startup acceleration programme in Dhaka on Thursday, bringing together founders, investors and industry leaders to support growth-driven small and medium enterprises in Bangladesh.
The initiative positions itself as the “Y Combinator for Bangladeshi SMEs,” aiming to help entrepreneurs secure mentorship, financing and market access to scale their businesses sustainably, according to a press release.
“SMEs employ 87 percent of Bangladesh’s workforce but receive barely 12 percent of total bank loans,” said Light of Hope Ventures CEO and National SME Award Winner 2023 Waliullah Bhuiyan.
He said the programme connects founders with strategic support to expand tenfold and create jobs across the country.
Cohort 2 includes about 20 growth-ready SMEs from technology, agriculture, manufacturing, education, fashion and lifestyle, software as a service and healthcare.
Together these ventures employ more than 300 people and generate Tk 50 crore in annual revenue, reflecting growing strength in the SME ecosystem.
The six-month accelerator is designed for companies that have achieved initial market traction and need guidance for their next phase of growth.
It features thematic sessions, one-to-one mentoring and investment readiness training led by experienced entrepreneurs and business experts.
Participants will also receive tailored support in branding, marketing, export development and building investor and corporate partnerships.
This year’s mentor panel includes industry leaders such as 10 Minute School CEO Ayman Sadiq, Shikho Co-founder and CFO Shahir Chowdhury, serial tech entrepreneur M Asif Rahman, WeGro CEO Mahmud Rahman, Agroshift COO Diptha Saha, Datasoft Systems Chairman M Manjur Mahmud, ToguMogu CEO and Co-founder
Nazmul Arefin Momel, Next Leaders Founder Omer Sharif Ibney Hai, Shikho COO Ishmam Chowdhury and Freshiefarm Founder Mujahidul Islam Jahid.
Light of Hope Ltd has over a decade of work in education, technology and social innovation and is now expanding its mission to empower entrepreneurs nationwide.
“A business born in Rajshahi or Sylhet can grow globally if given the right support,” Bhuiyan said.
Light of Hope Ventures aims to build a new generation of competitive Bangladeshi companies capable of attracting investment, creating employment and strengthening Bangladesh’s role as an emerging hub for entrepreneurship.
