The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) on Sunday launched a technology centre styled as 'Tech C' to support SMEs and start-ups in enabling technology in their respective businesses.
Under the initiative, the apex trade body will impart training to aspirant entrepreneurs on using technology in their businesses for better management, supply chain, value addition in order to make the ventures profitable.
The Tech C was formally launched at a programme organised by the FBCCI at its office in the city.
Education Minister Dipu Moni addressed the event virtually as the chief guest while State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak spoke as the special guest at the programme, with FBCCI president Sheikh Fazle Fahim in the chair.
Dipu Moni said the FBCCI's initiative is aligned with the Digital Bangladesh agenda, which will help the country's start-ups to prepare themselves to adapt concepts of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).
She also said collaboration between industry and academia is very much needed to encourage young entrepreneurs to come up with innovative ideas.
Congratulating FBCCCI for its forward-looking and progressive thinking, Mr Palak said initiatives like Tech C would help the country become knowledge-based economy by 2041.
Mentioning that the primary focus of Digital Bangladesh is to support technological innovations, he said due to constant government support, tech-based services like mobile financial service (MFS), ride sharing platforms, and many others have flourished in the country.
Partnership among the government, private sector and academia is a must to explore new ideas and that the Tech C is a timely initiative to this end, he added.
Mr Fahim said Tech C is an initiative of FBCCI Impact 4.0 (2020) which will enable technology to strengthen business of MSMEs and start-ups.
It will leverage innovations across economic sectors in Bangladesh to be part of global value chain and ecosystem with indigenous synergies, he said.
Apart from training entrepreneurs, the Tech C will also link start-ups with venture capital companies, accelerators and innovation labs, he added.
To train start-ups under the Tech C, FBCCI has signed agreements with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Accelerating Asia, Seneca College and the University of Toronto.
FBCCI Adviser Sonia Bashir Kabir, Ontario Institute for Studies of Education (OISE) Executive Director (continuing and professional learning) Elisabeth Rees-Johnstone, Accelerating Asia Co-Founder Amra Naidu, among others, also spoke.
