# startups.bd — full content corpus
> Bangladesh private market intelligence. Companies, investors, deals, policy. Source-cited.
Last generated: 2026-06-07

## Insights

### How strategic investment in a digital ecosystem pays off — the bKash case
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/bkash-digital-ecosystem-roi
Published: 2026-05-01 · Topic: Ecosystem

bKash's compounding moat shows what it actually takes to build a payments rail at country scale: agents, KYC, merchants, and regulator alignment.

**Context**
bKash sits at the centre of Bangladesh's consumer fintech, processing the bulk of P2P, merchant, and remittance volume. The platform is the most cited reference point for what 'digital ecosystem ROI' looks like in a frontier market.

**What it means**
The win is not the wallet UX — it is the agent network, KYC graph, merchant rails, and regulator alignment compounding together. Founders pitching ecosystem plays in BD should benchmark against this stack, not against single-product fintech in mature markets.

Sources: bKash — Strategic investment in digital ecosystem (https://www.bkash.com/)

### Top software companies in Bangladesh, 2026
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/top-software-companies-bd-2026
Published: 2026-05-05 · Topic: Ecosystem

How the 2026 ranking is shaping up between Brain Station 23, DataSoft, ADDIE Soft, and the next tier.

**Context**
Multiple 2026 rankings (Brain Station 23, ADDIE Soft, industry analysts) put a consistent set of names at the top of BD software services: enterprise-grade providers with global clients and CMMI/ISO credentials.

**What it means**
Buyers should weight CMMI level, client geography, and listed-company governance. For investors, public-market comparables (BSE: Brain Station 23) now anchor valuation discussions for unlisted services peers.

Sources: Top 20 Best Software Companies in Bangladesh 2026 — Brain Station 23 (https://brainstation-23.com/); Top 10 Software Companies in Bangladesh — ADDIE Soft (https://addiesoft.com/)

### Top AI startups in Bangladesh, 2026
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/top-ai-startups-bd-2026
Published: 2026-05-08 · Topic: AI & Deep-tech

From enterprise AI to computer vision and Bengali NLP — the BD AI startup landscape mid-2026.

**Context**
MangoMind, ensun, Goodfirms and others published overlapping 2026 rankings of BD AI startups. Intelligent Machines, Omega Solution, and a long tail of computer-vision and NLP teams dominate the lists.

**What it means**
The thesis worth taking seriously is vertical AI built on Bengali-language data and BD-specific workflows — not generic GenAI wrappers. Computer vision (KYC, surveillance, retail) is the most commercially mature vertical.

Sources: Top 10 AI Startups in Bangladesh 2026 — MangoMind (https://mangomind.ai/); Top 35 Computer Vision Companies in Bangladesh — ensun (https://ensun.io/); Top AI Companies in Bangladesh — Goodfirms (https://www.goodfirms.co/)

### National AI Policy 2026–2030 — what founders need to know
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/national-ai-policy-2026-2030
Published: 2026-05-10 · Topic: Funding & Policy

The draft policy framework defines compute, data, and procurement priorities founders should design around.

**Context**
Draft V1.1 of the National AI Policy 2026–2030 outlines compute infrastructure, data sharing, talent, and government-procurement priorities. It is the first formal long-horizon AI roadmap from the state.

**What it means**
Founders building in regulated verticals — healthtech, fintech, govtech — should map their roadmap to the policy's procurement signals. Funds raising AI vehicles should expect LP questions about policy alignment.

Sources: National AI Policy Bangladesh 2026–2030 (DRAFT V1.1) (https://ictd.gov.bd/)

### Bangladesh Bank's 2025 startup directives — cross-border share swaps explained
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/bb-startup-directives-2025-cross-border-swaps
Published: 2026-05-12 · Topic: Funding & Policy

The new directives finally formalise the mechanics of flipping or share-swapping a BD startup into an offshore HoldCo.

**Context**
Bangladesh Bank's 2025 startup directives cover startup financing, outbound investment, and cross-border share swaps — historically a grey zone that complicated foreign rounds.

**What it means**
Founders considering Singapore/Delaware HoldCos now have a documented path. Counsel and BB pre-clearance still matter, but the legal status of swaps is materially clearer than it was 12 months ago.

Sources: Bangladesh Bank Startup Directives 2025 Deep Dive — LegalSeba (https://legalseba.com/)

### Pitch-deck data points that move BD VCs
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/pitch-deck-data-points-bd-vcs
Published: 2026-05-14 · Topic: Funding & Policy

Local VCs underwrite differently from global benchmarks — here is the diligence stack to pre-empt.

**Context**
BD VCs typically underwrite on unit economics at smaller absolute volumes, regulatory risk, and founder execution evidence — not just narrative TAM.

**What it means**
Decks should lead with cohort retention, take-rate evolution, and a credible path to BDT-positive contribution margin. Cross-border structuring (post-BB 2025 directives) belongs in an appendix, not the cover page.

Sources: How to create a robust pitch deck for VCs — The Financial Express (https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/)

### BD startups in Silicon Valley — funding milestones
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/bd-startups-silicon-valley
Published: 2026-05-16 · Topic: Ecosystem

BD-origin teams continue closing material rounds in the Valley. The pattern is converging.

**Context**
Multiple BD-origin founding teams have closed pre-seed and seed rounds with US investors in 2025–2026. Coverage frames it as 'BD Tech Startups Make Waves in Silicon Valley'.

**What it means**
The repeatable pattern: technical founder, BD R&D centre, US incorporated entity, US-led seed. The BD-side ops still matter for cost and talent, even when the cap table is offshore.

Sources: Bangladesh Tech Startups Make Waves in Silicon Valley (https://www.tbsnews.net/)

### Global signal: Baidu's AI cloud growth and Ernie 5.1 vs GPT/Gemini
URL: https://startups.bd/insights/baidu-ai-cloud-signal-for-bd
Published: 2026-05-20 · Topic: Global Tech

Why a Chinese frontier-AI operator's earnings matter to BD AI founders pricing model access.

**Context**
Baidu's Q1 2026 results show ~79% YoY growth in AI Cloud, with Ernie 5.1 multimodal posting competitive scores against GPT and Gemini. Apollo Go's robotaxi expansion is the parallel narrative.

**What it means**
BD AI founders should not treat US-frontier models as the only credible option. Multi-vendor model access (including Chinese frontier and open weights) hedges price, latency, and policy risk — particularly for vertical AI in regulated sectors.

Sources: Baidu Q1 2026 Earnings — AI Cloud 79% growth (https://ir.baidu.com/); Baidu Ernie multimodal benchmarks vs GPT and Gemini — AI News (https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/); Baidu Kunlun-1T AI Processor — TechInsights (https://www.techinsights.com/)

## Companies

### bKash
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/bkash · Sector: Fintech · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
bKash operates the country's largest mobile wallet, processing the bulk of P2P, merchant, and remittance flows. Strategic investment in agent networks, KYC infrastructure, and merchant rails turned a payments app into the spine of consumer fintech in Bangladesh.
Key facts: Largest MFS provider by transaction volume in BD · Backed by Money in Motion, IFC, Ant Group, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 · Anchor case study for digital ecosystem ROI
Sources: How strategic investment in building digital ecosystem pays off — bKash (https://www.bkash.com/)

### ShopUp
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/shopup · Sector: B2B Commerce · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
ShopUp powers MSME retailers across Bangladesh with sourcing, embedded credit, and last-mile logistics. The company has scaled to roughly $129M revenue and is expanding regionally as a B2B super-stack.
Key facts: ~$129M revenue per latest disclosures · Vertically integrated: wholesale, credit, logistics · One of South Asia's most-funded B2B startups
Sources: ShopUp announces growth to $129M revenue and strategic expansion (https://shopup.org/)

### Pathao
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/pathao · Sector: Logistics & Super-app · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Pathao runs ride-hailing, food and parcel delivery, and Pathao Pay across Bangladesh and Nepal. The super-app model converts a logistics user base into financial services distribution.
Key facts: Multi-vertical super-app: rides, food, parcel, fintech · Operations across Bangladesh and Nepal · Pathao Pay licensed under Bangladesh Bank's PSP framework
Sources: How Does Pathao Company Work? — Business Model Canvas (https://pathao.com/)

### Tiger IT Bangladesh
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/tiger-it · Sector: GovTech · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tiger IT delivers large-scale biometric identity, voter registration, and security systems for governments. It is a core operator behind Bangladesh's national ID and election infrastructure.
Key facts: National-scale biometric and AFIS deployments · References across elections, civil ID, border control · Long-running government and multilateral contracts
Sources: About Us — Tiger IT Bangladesh (https://www.tigerit.com/)

### DataSoft Systems Bangladesh
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/datasoft · Sector: Software Services · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
DataSoft is one of Bangladesh's earliest enterprise software firms, delivering banking, port, and logistics platforms internationally. CMMI Level 5 status puts it among a small set of certified global delivery vendors.
Key facts: CMMI Level 5 appraised · Banking, port management, logistics platforms · Multi-decade export track record
Sources: DataSoft Systems Bangladesh — Devex (https://datasoft-bd.com/)

### Brain Station 23
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/brain-station-23 · Sector: Software Services · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Brain Station 23 builds custom enterprise applications, fintech platforms, and Microsoft-stack solutions for global clients. The company is publicly listed on the DSE and is a frequent benchmark in BD software-services rankings.
Key facts: Publicly listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange · 1,500+ engineers across services and product · Repeated #1 in BD software-services rankings
Sources: Top 20 Best Software Companies in Bangladesh 2026 — Brain Station 23 (https://brainstation-23.com/)

### ADDIE Soft Ltd.
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/addie-soft · Sector: Software Services · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
ADDIE Soft delivers custom enterprise software, web, and mobile applications. The company appears in 2026 industry rankings as a notable local services player.
Key facts: Featured in 2026 BD top-10 software lists · Custom software, web, and mobile delivery
Sources: Top 10 Software Companies in Bangladesh — ADDIE Soft Ltd. (https://addiesoft.com/)

### Intelligent Machines
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/intelligent-machines · Sector: AI & Deep-tech · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Intelligent Machines builds enterprise AI for retail, FMCG, telco, and BFSI clients across South Asia. Its work spans computer vision, document intelligence, and generative-AI applications.
Key facts: Enterprise AI portfolio across vision, NLP, GenAI · Backed by Startup Bangladesh Limited · South Asian client roster
Sources: Intelligent Machines — Startup Bangladesh Limited (https://intelligentmachin.es/)

### Omega Solution
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/omega-solution · Sector: AI & Deep-tech · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Omega Solution provides AI development and integration services and is regularly listed among the top AI firms in Bangladesh by directories like Goodfirms.
Key facts: Listed in Goodfirms top BD AI companies · AI consulting and development services
Sources: Top Artificial Intelligence Companies in Bangladesh — Goodfirms (https://www.goodfirms.co/)

### Baidu
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/baidu · Sector: Global Tech · HQ: Beijing, China
Baidu's AI Cloud business is now a primary growth engine, with Q1 2026 results showing ~79% YoY growth. Ernie 5.1 multimodal benchmarks and Apollo Go's robotaxi expansion position Baidu as a frontier AI operator outside the US stack.
Key facts: AI Cloud growth ~79% YoY (Q1 2026) · Ernie 5.1 multimodal vs GPT and Gemini · Kunlun-1T accelerator on Samsung I-Cube 2.5D packaging
Sources: Baidu — Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidu); Baidu Q1 2026 Earnings — AI Cloud 79% growth (https://ir.baidu.com/); Baidu Ernie multimodal AI benchmarks — AI News (https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/)

### Becton Dickinson (BD)
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/becton-dickinson · Sector: Global Tech · HQ: Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA
Note: 'BD' in this profile refers to Becton Dickinson, the medtech company — not Bangladesh. BD is rolling out AI-enabled medication management, robotics, and connected-care platforms across a $4B portfolio, with new partnerships announced in Q2 FY2026.
Key facts: $4B connected medical-care portfolio · AI medication management partnerships announced FY2026 · 1,267+ patents on the medtech roadmap
Sources: How syringe-maker BD is infusing AI into its medical devices — Semafor (https://www.semafor.com/); BD Q2 FY2026 financial results (https://investors.bd.com/); Becton Dickinson technology roadmap — PatSnap (https://www.patsnap.com/)

### Abdullah Al Nasim — R&D Portfolio
URL: https://startups.bd/companies/abdullah-al-nasim · Sector: AI & Deep-tech · HQ: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Researcher and operator profile representing the academic/R&D edge of Bangladesh's AI ecosystem — natural language processing and software innovation, often surfaced in BD AI startup rankings and ecosystem write-ups.
Key facts: NLP and applied AI research · Active in BD AI startup ecosystem
Sources: Abdullah Al Nasim — Portfolio (https://nasim.dev/)

## Investors / Funding

### Startup Bangladesh Limited
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/startup-bangladesh-limited · Type: VC Fund · Stage: Pre-seed to Series A · Ticket: BDT 10M – 500M
State-backed flagship venture vehicle investing in BD-incorporated startups across fintech, deep-tech, healthtech, and climate. Operates with public-sector mandates plus private-style diligence.
Sources: Eligibility Criteria for Fund Managers — Startup Bangladesh Limited (https://www.startupbangladesh.vc/)

### Bangladesh Angels Network (BAN)
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/bangladesh-angels-network · Type: Angel Network · Stage: Pre-seed / Seed · Ticket: USD 25k – 500k
BD's largest organised angel network, syndicating early-stage cheques from a vetted member base. Acts as a critical bridge between founders and institutional capital.
Sources: Bangladesh Angels Network Limited (https://bangladeshangels.net/)

### iDEA Pre-Seed Startup Grant
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/idea-pre-seed-grant · Type: Government Grant · Stage: Pre-seed · Ticket: Up to BDT 10M
Government of Bangladesh pre-seed grant program under the iDEA Project (ICT Division). Non-dilutive funding for ideation and early product stages, gated on local incorporation and milestone reporting.
Sources: Pre-Seed Startup Grant — iDEA Service (https://idea.gov.bd/)

### BIRDI Innovation Grant
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/birdi-grant · Type: Government Grant · Stage: Industrial R&D · Ticket: Large-scale (program-defined)
Bangladesh Industry Research Development & Innovation grant portal funding industrial-scale innovation projects. Targets deep-tech and applied-research initiatives that require beyond-pre-seed capital.
Sources: BIRDI Grant Portal (https://birdi.gov.bd/)

### Bangladesh Bank Startup Directives (2025)
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/bb-startup-directives-2025 · Type: Regulator/Policy · Stage: All stages · Ticket: n/a
Updated 2025–2026 BB directives covering startup financing, cross-border share swaps, and outbound investment. Materially reshapes the legal mechanics of BD founders raising offshore.
Sources: Bangladesh Bank Startup Directives 2025 Deep Dive — LegalSeba (https://legalseba.com/)

### BSEC Alternative Investment Rules, 2015
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/bsec-alternative-investment-rules · Type: Regulator/Policy · Stage: All stages · Ticket: n/a
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission framework that licenses VC, PE, and impact funds operating in Bangladesh. Foundational regulation for any institutional fund vehicle in the country.
Sources: Alternative Investment Rules, 2015 — Bangladesh Gazette (https://sec.gov.bd/)

### Cocoon Capital
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/cocoon-capital · Type: Foreign VC · Stage: Pre-seed / Seed · Ticket: USD 250k – 2M
Singapore-based early-stage VC active in South & Southeast Asia. Recent BD activity includes Shomvob's $1M pre-seed, illustrating cross-border participation in BD job-tech.
Sources: Shomvob Secures US$1M Pre-Seed from Cocoon Capital — ExitStack (https://www.cocooncap.com/)

### Tracxn — 28 VC Funds in Bangladesh
URL: https://startups.bd/vc/tracxn-vc-roster · Type: Directory · Stage: Pre-seed to Growth · Ticket: Varies
Live directory of ~28 active VC funds in Bangladesh as of 2026, including stage focus, fund size, and recent activity. Useful as a starting screen before warm intros.
Sources: 28 Venture Capital Funds in Bangladesh (May 2026) — Tracxn (https://tracxn.com/)

## Sectors

### Fintech
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/fintech
Bangladesh's fintech vertical is anchored by mobile financial services (MFS) — led by bKash — and a growing layer of merchant acquiring, embedded credit, and digital-bank licensees under Bangladesh Bank's evolving regulatory perimeter.

### Logistics & Mobility
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/logistics
Mobility and logistics underpin BD's consumer internet. Pathao's super-app and ShopUp's MSME-focused last-mile illustrate two distinct strategies: consumer aggregation versus B2B vertical integration.

### AI & Deep-tech
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/ai-deep-tech
BD's AI vertical splits into enterprise AI services (retail, BFSI, telco) and applied research in computer vision and Bengali-language NLP. The National AI Policy 2026–2030 sets the procurement and infrastructure backdrop.

### B2B Commerce
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/b2b-commerce
B2B commerce in BD targets a long tail of unorganised retail. The dominant pattern: sourcing + embedded credit + last-mile — a B2B super-stack rather than a single-product play.

### Software Services
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/software-services
BD software services anchor the country's tech-export profile. CMMI-appraised vendors and listed firms set valuation benchmarks for the unlisted services tier.

### GovTech
URL: https://startups.bd/sectors/govtech
GovTech in BD is dominated by long-cycle national-scale contracts: biometric ID, elections, civil registries. Entry barriers are high but contract values and tenures compensate.

## Deals
- 2025-11-12 · Shomvob · Pre-seed · $1M · Investors: Cocoon Capital, Anchorless Bangladesh · Sector: Workforce / HR-tech · Cross-border pre-seed; one of the most cited 2025 BD deals.
- 2025-10-02 · Truck Lagbe · Series A · Undisclosed · Investors: IFC, Inspired Hub · Sector: Logistics
- 2025-09-18 · ShopUp · Growth · $110M (debt + equity) · Investors: Valar Ventures, Prosus, Peak XV · Sector: B2B Commerce · Largest BD-linked round of 2025; structured via Singapore HoldCo.
- 2025-08-05 · Pathao · Series C · $12M · Investors: Openspace Ventures, Gojek (existing) · Sector: Super-app
- 2025-06-20 · Intelligent Machines · Seed · $1.5M · Investors: Startup Bangladesh Limited, Anchorless Bangladesh · Sector: AI & Deep-tech
- 2025-05-11 · Maya · Series A · $2.2M · Investors: Sturgeon Capital, Anchorless Bangladesh · Sector: Healthtech
- 2025-04-02 · Loop Freight · Seed · $1.1M · Investors: Accelerating Asia, BAN · Sector: Logistics
- 2025-03-15 · ShopUp · Debt · $30M · Investors: Lendable · Sector: B2B Commerce
- 2025-02-20 · Doctorola · Seed · $800K · Investors: Startup Bangladesh Limited · Sector: Healthtech
- 2025-01-25 · Praava Health · Series B · $10.6M · Investors: Sturgeon Capital, Build Healthcare Asia · Sector: Healthtech
- 2024-12-10 · iFarmer · Series A · $3.6M · Investors: Anchorless Bangladesh, IFU · Sector: Agritech
- 2024-11-05 · Sheba.xyz · Series A · $15M · Investors: Aavishkaar Capital, ICCO · Sector: Services marketplace