What is Nobin Udyokta (Young Entrepreneur)?

“I should never seek a job in my life; my mission in life is to create jobs. I am not a job seeker, I am a job giver.” - Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. 

Keeping the above philosophy of Professor Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Telecom Trust has created a fund to support next generation of potential entrepreneurs. The aim of this fund would be to support children of Grameen Bank Borrowers to undertake sustainable business and become entrepreneurs. They may scale up existing family business or take up new innovative ventures as a full time employment. In the process they would create jobs beyond family members.

 This programme envisions strengthening and disseminating the concept of social business through the practical realization of business idea by involving young entrepreneur(s). Nobin Udyokta Programme envisages to do value chain analysis and assisting the potential entrepreneurs by providing them with training to upgrade their skills through design development, extending working capital and introducing new channels and markets. Priority may be given to an entrepreneur who has completed diploma, vocational training or technical education in the related business.

This programme will organize screening exercise workshop at the local area for the target group/entrepreneurs to come up with innovative, conventional business ideas. Business plans will go through several layers of refinement and improvement until they are considered by the programme to be ready for investment.

 Entrepreneur selection criteria: 
1. The entrepreneur must be a child of a current or past Grameen Bank borrower (with at least 7 years association).
2.  The age of the entrepreneur must be between 18-35 years.
3. They must be Bangladeshi and will be willing to run a business individually or jointly (with no more than five partners).

The proponent of the business or entrepreneur has to justify why s/he qualifies for receiving investment for the relevant project.  Also they must outline and clarify various aspects of the project such as the risks factors, availability of raw material, and marketing strategy/policy at their end.

Each enterprise/business being adjudged for funding will be considered as an individual pilot project. Till the entrepreneur is able to take full ownership of the business project close monitoring and supervision will be undertaken by Grameen Telecom Trust.

For further details you are requested to email us at nobin.uddogta@gtctrust.com or contact us at Grameen Telecom Trust, Corporate Office: House-132 (3rd-4th Floor); Road-2, Block-A, Section-12; Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka-1216; Tel: 88 02 8059934, 8059938; Fax: 88 02 8059921.