EO Bangladesh launches Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) 2025-26

Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Bangladesh officially launched the 10th Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) 2025-26, the world's premier competition for student entrepreneurs, through a press meet held on August 24, 2025, at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka.

The event, titled "Meet the Press – GSEA Bangladesh Launch 2025-26", brought together media representatives, EO Bangladesh members, academia, and key stakeholders to highlight the journey of student entrepreneurship and the opportunities provided through the GSEA platform. The ceremony was inaugurated by Mostafa Quamrus Sobhan, Chair, GSEA Bangladesh, and Managing Director, Dragon Group.

Since its inception in Bangladesh in 2016, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)—an initiative of EO held annually—has supported and recognised university and college students who own and operate businesses while pursuing their academic studies. The competition creates a powerful platform for these young changemakers to showcase their ventures, gain mentorship, and connect with a global network of established business leaders.

The national champion of GSEA Bangladesh will represent the country at the GSEA Global Finals 2026, where participants will compete for a total prize package of USD 100,000, including USD 50,000 for the global first-place winner. In addition, the Bangladesh national winner will receive BDT 10 Lakh as seed support.

Applications are now open at gsea.org/apply and will close on November 15, 2025. The screening process will begin in mid-October, followed by the semi-finals in December and the Grand Finale in January 2026.

The GSEA Global Finals 2026 will be held in Cape Town, South Africa in July 2026, preceded by the South Asia Regional Finals/Global Quarter Finals in India, where candidates from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal will compete.

Speaking at the launch, EO Bangladesh leaders emphasised the importance of empowering youth through entrepreneurship, highlighting GSEA as a transformative platform that not only celebrates innovation but also fosters resilience, leadership, and global connectivity among the next generation.

The launch event was attended by distinguished EO Bangladesh members, including Tanazzul Ayman, Founder of Spark Infrastructure Ltd. & Co-Chair, GSEA Bangladesh; Amer Salim, Director, Knit Asia Ltd.; and Kazi Inam Ahmed, Director, Gemcon Group. From academia, Dr Salina, Deputy Director, RISE, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Dr Nazmul Hasan, Assistant Professor, Information Systems, BRAC University, were also present to lend their support and encouragement to the initiative.

The launch of GSEA Bangladesh 2025-26 marks the beginning of an inspiring journey for young entrepreneurs in the country, creating a gateway for them to connect, compete, and contribute to the global entrepreneurial ecosystem.