DHAKA, Sept 16, 2021 (BSS) - "Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) 2021"

reality show started with 65 startups and 26 of them will be
selected as the best startups and get Taka 26 million as grant money.

   Marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, the iDEA project of the ICT Division is organizing the "BIG
2021" to find innovations or innovative startups through the participation of
local and foreign startups, said a press release here today.

   To build a startup ecosystem and an innovation culture in Bangladesh, the
iDEA project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division of
Bangladesh has been working since 2016.

   The "BIG 2021" is being held under the guidance and advice of State
Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak while a great attraction of this
initiative is the breathtaking 13-episode reality show "BIG 2021".

   The breathtaking 13-episode reality show started airing from Friday
(September 10) on private television channel "DBC News" while the estimated
time for the closing ceremony of "BIG 2021" is the last week of October 2021.

   Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed is expected to address
the closing ceremony of the reality show.

   The reality show is being aired every Friday and Saturday at 8pm on the
DBC News while it is also being live telecast simultaneously on the official
Facebook page of iDEA https://www.facebook.com/LetsStartupBD and the Facebook
page of "Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) 2021"
https://www.facebook.com/BangabandhuInnovationGrant.

   In this initiative with startups, the contestants from the national and
international levels will face the renowned business icons who will select
the winners for each episode. A total of 26 startups will be selected from 65
startups in this reality show.

   Later, they will be joined by 10 globally selected startups and the top 10
portfolio startups of the iDEA project, bringing together a total of 46
national and international startups in the "BIG-2021 Grand Finale".

   The best team will receive one BIG which means USD 100,000 as grant money.
More than 7,000 entrepreneurs, innovators and startups from 57 countries
including Bangladesh participated in the initial stage of "BIG 2021", out of
which this reality show is being organized with the best 65 startups.

   The best 26 startups selected from this reality show will get a grant of
Taka 10 lakh each and will also be nominated for the final round of "BIG
2021". The best 26 startups of the reality show are getting a grant of Taka
26 million.

   In addition, the top 10 startups selected from the international stage of
BIG 2021 will also be given a grant of Taka one crore by the organizing
authority of BIG 2021.

   The shooting of this grand programme which started on June 23, 2021 at
Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) in the city, lasted for five
consecutive days.

   The reality show was managed by Grey Advertising Bangladesh Limited and
Windmill Advertising Limited and directed by Shuvro Khan of Ghuddi Animo.

   Senior Consultant of the iDEA project Siddhartho Goushami coordinated BIG
2021 under the leadership of the Project Director (Joint Secretary) of the
iDEA Project Md Abdur Rakib.

   The National Consultant for Communication of the iDEA project of ICT
Division Shohag Chandra Das played the role of Chief of the TV Reality Show
and contributed as the Co-Coordinator of BIG 2021.