Robi launches the digital entrepreneurship platform r-ventures 2.0

Dhaka, 7 July 2019:  The leading digital service provider of the country, Robi, has launched its flagship digital entrepreneurship platform, r-ventures 2.0, for every aspiring digital entrepreneurs of the country. Any individual or a group of individuals with a viable digital business idea can submit their ideas and get the opportunity to securing funding of up to 84 lakhs taka for each of the winning business idea.

This came at a press conference held at a city hotel in Dhaka. Robi’s Managing Director and CEO, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Chief Digital Services Officer, Shihab Ahmad, Chief Human Resources Officer, Md. Faisal Imtiaz Khan, Chief Financial Officer, Roni Tohme, Chief Technology Officer, Medhat El-Husseiny and Chief Corporate, Regulatory Officer, Shahed Alam were present at the press conference.

Robi’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Md. Faisal Imtiaz Khan gave the welcome speech. The modality of the r-ventures 2.0 platform was explained in details at the progamme.

Investment Advisor for ICT Division’s Startup Bangladesh, Tina Jabeen was present at the programme as the special guest. In her address, she expressed her desire to collaborate with the entrepreneurs coming through the r-ventures programme along with providing support in securing funding from investors for promising start-ups.

Robi’s Chief Digital Services Officer, Shihab Ahmad highlighted the successes from the first round of r-ventures competition that was organized to allow Robi employees’ an opportunity to become digital entrepreneurs. He explained how the experience from the first round of r-ventures have readied the organization to open up this once in a lifetime opportunity for everyone in the country.

It was announced that any individual or a group of individuals can submit their ideas for this competition by visiting www.robiventures.com. The terms and conditions as well as the detailed clarification on the modality of the competition along with the submission process is available from this platform. The ideas have to be submitted by 21st July, 2019.

Following the idea submission, around 150 shortlisted ideas will be requested to pitch for their ideas in front of Robi high officials. At the end of this phase, 50 ideas will be shortlisted and a lean start-up training will be arranged for these people. Then these short-listed 50 idea contributors will be required to pitch their idea in front of an expert judges’ panel in a televised programme.

Following a further scrutiny, around 15 to 20 idea contributors will appear at the televised gala round to be aired LIVE sometime in December. At the end of the gala round, the winners of the competition will be announced.

Robi will be funding up to 84 lakhs towards each of the winning ideas. The funding will be given in installments following periodic performance assessment as per the merit of the ideas. 

Each of the start-ups will be put through an acceleration period of four to six months during which the winners will be mentored and funded to set up or scale up their business as required depending on the nature of the idea. At the end of the acceleration period, the winners can look for funding from external sources subject to certain conditions.

Speaking on the occasion, Robi’s Managing Director and CEO, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed said: “Digital Bangladesh is opening up a swathe of fresh new digital business opportunities across the country. At this juncture, r-ventures 2.0 is giving a unique opportunity for fresh ideas as well as already operational ideas to have a go at funding opportunities from Robi. Given our leadership in digital landscape of the country and on the back of overwhelming success from the first round of r-ventures trialed for the Robi employees themselves, we are confident that we can take the dreamers under our wings and help them fulfil their digital dreams.”