The much anticipated first episode of 'Shark Tank Bangladesh' saw three startups secure over 1 crore taka in investments and introduced viewers to some innovative ideas. But it also had its share of eyebrow-raising moments.

Startup Bangladesh Limited, the government-backed venture capital firm under the ICT Division, has announced a strategic investment of BDT 1 crore in Pulse Tech Ltd. to enhance retail pharma operation in Bangladesh. The official announcement took place during a signing ceremony in Dhaka.

The startup funding landscape in Bangladesh experienced a significant downturn in the first quarter of 2024, mirroring broader global trends.

Shark Tank Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi version of the reality show Shark Tank, is set to premiere on April 26. The show will feature entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of investors, known as "Sharks". The investors can choose to invest in the businesses they find promising.

Byju's, the Indian ed-tech startup, has recently announced that its India CEO Arjun Mohan is officially stepping down from his position. After seven months in the CEO role, Mohan will be replaced by co-founder and CEO Byju Raveendran as the new "hands-on" leader in charge of the company's daily operations.

Bangladeshi startup EdBridge Scholars has recently won second place at BobCat Ventures, a grant competition in the State of Maine, United States of America. The startup, founded by Tanvir Thamid, a student at Bates College, won USD 4,000 and professional mentor support for their second-place victory.

OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has recently announced the opening of its first Asia office in Tokyo, Japan. The move is being seen as the AI company's ongoing effort to grow revenue sources globally.

REVE Chat, a Bangladeshi-Singaporean venture, is going to showcase its AI-powered customer engagement platform at the upcoming Conversational AI & Customer Experience Summit 2024. The event will be held in Bangalore, India, on April 18 and 19.

In an effort to combat cyber miscreants and ensure a safe and halal internet experience, a Turkish startup named Halalz has launched a new app and browser extension named Kahf Guard. This initiative aims to shield users, particularly Muslims, from exposure to inappropriate and morally objectionable online contents such as pornography, gambling, harassment etc.

Ghost Autonomy, a startup focused on developing autonomous driving software for automotive partners, has ceased operations, according to a company announcement.

OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, has recently restructured its venture capital fund, effectively removing Sam Altman, the company's CEO, from ownership and control of the OpenAI Startup Fund. According to the company, this move aims to enhance transparency and address concerns regarding the fund's governance. 

Deputy, an Australian software company specialising in workforce management co-founded by Ashik Ahmed, a Bangladeshi immigrant, has recently reached a valuation of over US$1 billion, making it the first Australian tech ‘unicorn’ in two years.

Sigmind.ai, a Bangladesh-based AI company, has recently launched TrafficFlow, a software solution for real-time traffic management in urban environments. According to the startup, this AI-based software aims to address the bustling traffic challenges of Dhaka city.

In a rare glimpse into the mind of one of India's most successful entrepreneurs and the current richest man in Asia, Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman of Reliance Group, shared insights regarding entrepreneurship success during the NASSCOM conference in 2017. While the event is now about seven years old, Ambani's lessons are evergreen, as he offered valuable advice to budding entrepreneurs that will remain relevant for years to come. Here are the five key takeaways from his tips that can serve as a guiding light for those charting the entrepreneurial path.

WPDeveloper, a WordPress based product company, has recently unveiled its parent company Startise in a "Grand Surprise Event" at Capital’s Radisson Blu hotel. In addition to WPDeveloper, Startise now oversees a portfolio of five companies, including Templately, xCloud, easy.jobs, and Storeware.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, is awaiting approval from the US government for his new AI chips startup, according to a recent report by Bloomberg News. The report suggests that this emerging venture has the potential to trigger concerns related to national security and antitrust issues.

The fashion industry's significant issue of excessive waste is prompting governments worldwide, especially the EU, to set ambitious recycling goals. Here are some international startups that are working towards the ambitious goal of effective textile recycling solutions.

The internationally acclaimed business reality show 'Shark Tank' has officially announced the judges, also referred to as 'Sharks', for their first-ever Bangladeshi adaptation. The show, which has aired in over 40 countries, is being produced in Bangladesh by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Bongo BD.

Apon Bazaar, a local ecommerce marketplace, has recently raised an investment of USD 1.5 million in a pre-seed round. As per Apon Bazaar, this investment came from several local and foreign investors, including Startup Bangladesh and the US-based venture capital firm Village Capital.

Shothik AI, a Bangladeshi AI-based startup has recently received USD 350,000 from Google for AI Startup Cloud program and USD 100,000 from Amazon.