Entrepreneurship

Access to finance is a major impediment to MSME growth in Bangladesh. Despite the presence of approximately 60 banks, 34 NBFIs, 760 MFIs, and 17 alternative investment firms in Bangladesh, MSMEs frequently struggle to attract capital that is in line with their needs and characteristics, and as a consequence, quite often fail to develop to […]

The global economy has been undergoing turbulent times over the last couple of years, spearheaded by the pandemic-induced slowdown in 2020 and the resulting supply chain disruptions wrought about by travel restrictions and lockdowns. While the pandemic has receded—facilitated by the invention, mass production, and distribution of vaccines in record time—a number of geopolitical challenges have disrupted economic recovery. The advent of […]

This letter was first published in the Bimonthly Newsletter of September 2022 Dear Friends and Patrons: The global economy has been undergoing turbulent times over the last couple of years, spearheaded by the pandemic-induced slowdown in 2020 and the resulting supply chain disruptions wrought about by travel restrictions and lockdowns. While the pandemic has receded—facilitated […]

LightCastle Partners recently prepared a whitepaper titled “Bangladesh Shrimp Sector: Transitioning Towards Sustainable Growth” that discussed the value chain analysis, recent export trends, bottlenecks for growth, the potential of Vannamei farming, and the future prospects of the Bangladesh shrimp sector. Subsequently, a webinar was organized on August 22, 2022, to share the key findings from […]

Infrastructure a Key Catalyst In the first part of the discussion on the Investment Climate of Bangladesh, the country’s economic resilience, growing investment portfolio, and thrust sector opportunities were discussed. Along with it, the past decade has been characterized by substantial investments in infrastructure, which have been key to industrialization and the logistical integration of […]

Resilient Economic Growth Bangladesh’s rise from the ruins of its war of independence, 50 years ago, has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2020, Bangladesh surpassed India’s, GDP per capita, and is now the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia as well as the 41st largest in the world. The middle and affluent class in the country […]

Executive Summary Bangladesh is often overlooked with MENA funds flowing into Pakistan and India securing its own focused funds, attributed to its country size. Additionally, Bangladesh is also isolated from ASEAN. However, the country, home to 165 Mn people, is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, with a GDP per capita higher than […]

Over the last decade, Bangladeshi Startups have raised over US$800Mn investments, spearheading the economy and creating 1.5Mn+ direct and indirect employment opportunities while positively impacting the citizens’ day-to-day lives. In the first half of 2022, Bangladeshi startups raised over US$90Mn. But what will drive the country’s startup ecosystem to the next height? When will we […]

Impact investment is any investment made with the intent to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return. The global impact investment industry, totaling USD 715 billion, has grown in depth and sophistication over the last decade. As countries worldwide lean towards a values-oriented approach, Bangladesh has been shaping its own trajectory […]

Impact investment is any investment made with the intent to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return. As Bangladesh approaches its middle-income status by 2026, enterprises and other stakeholders anticipate a shift away from mainstream financial instruments for development. Donors are also increasingly transitioning towards blended finance as an approach that accelerates the […]

Bangladesh’s overall financial inclusion increased by 56.3% between 2011 to 2018, driven by strong policy support from the government, initiatives by the private sector, and involvement by the multilateral development partners. For equitable economic growth and poverty reduction, it is essential to increase access and usage of innovative financial products and services. Giving underprivileged groups financial access […]

Seamless Global, US-Bangladesh Business Council, International Trade Administration, and LightCastle Partners jointly hosted a webinar on 20th April, Wednesday at 9:00 pm. The webinar focused on trade and investment opportunities for US enterprises in Bangladesh. Zahedul Amin, Co-founder & Director at LightCastle Partners joined the webinar as a keynote speaker. We have published the keynote presentation deck here for your […]

Covid-19-induced economic distress has added to existing problems such as lack of access to finance, non-tailored financial products, absence of capacity development, poor market linkage, absence of skilled labor, and lack of an export market. According to the Asian Development Bank (RRP Sector Assessment, ADB): The SMEs in Bangladesh account for 70 to 80% of […]

Fueled by (i) the worst (two-long years dragged) pandemic in a century, (ii) Russia’s disastrous attack on Ukraine, (iii) US Fed tightening reducing global liquidity — all in all, it has imbalanced global geo-political relations, causing economic slowdown risks and supply chain disruptions for food, fertilizer, and energy. How will this impact global startup investments in Bangladesh? The Macroeconomic Uncertainty Bangladesh’s […]

Leave No One Behind Electric vehicles (EVs) have been making headlines globally for quite some time now. Despite the industry’s swift progress across several countries, it has not been able to fully integrate the “Whole of Society” approach. With that being said, the economic value of physically disabled individuals is highly underappreciated, especially in developing […]