Innovation ecosystem key to commercialising ideas: ICT minister

Innovation cannot stop at creation alone, as innovators need funding, policy support, industry partnerships, intellectual property protection, and market access, Post, Telecom and ICT Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said today.

He was speaking at a press briefing at the Ministry of Science and Technology in Dhaka ahead of the Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026, scheduled to be held at the Novotheatre from September 12 to 14.

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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the event, themed "Innovate to Market", according to a press release.

Speaking at the briefing, the minister said Bangladesh does not lack talent or ideas, but connecting them to investment, industry, and markets through an integrated ecosystem remains the primary challenge.

He added that the conclusion of the fair will mark the launch of a permanent "innovation hub" designed to help develop, fund, protect, and market the showcased innovations.

More than 100 innovators, including individual entrepreneurs and startup founders, will display over 1,000 innovations across 14 priority sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, healthtech, and climate solutions.

The three-day event will bring together 73 public and private universities, commercial banks, corporate and industrial entities, and various government and non-government bodies.

Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain stated that 17 sessions—comprising six plenary sessions, six parallel sessions, and five roundtables—will take place during the fair. These discussions aim to connect policymakers, academics, industry leaders, researchers, and investors.

Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue, and the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks are participating as policy partners, while the UNDP serves as the technical partner and Foreign Investors' Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) as the strategic partner.