EMK Center holds virtual session on entrepreneurial ecosystem mapping

Edward Moore Kennedy (EMK) Center on Tuesday (23 November) hosted a virtual session on entrepreneurial ecosystem mapping with internationally experienced stakeholders.

The experience sharing virtual session was a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2021 campaign at EMK titled, "Celebrating the Power of Entrepreneurship" with University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) and The Business Standard as partners, said a press release. 

Theodore Klouvas, currently working as a policy officer for youth, education and work section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and as a programme manager at Orange Corners Global spoke at the event. Asif Uddin Ahmed, assistant Pprofessor, ULAB and the acting director of EMK Center moderated the session.

Theodore Klouvas initiated the session with his insights on what is a startup ecosystem and how it is integrated with specific actors such as human capital, government, support structures, culture, finance and markets. He shared his experience of mapping ecosystems in various countries, and how it can be used as a model for Bangladesh, the press release added. 

He also emphasised on collaboration as one the six key components to create a mature entrepreneurial ecosystem.

"If we look at the Innovation Engine, we see that in the states big universities are anticipating the market. They support and create startups. We also need those large enterprises sharing the information, sharing their platforms, sharing their needs to those young minds. That collaboration is fostering innovation and businesses," he said.  

"At the university level, the biggest problem that we see in Bangladesh, is not only capacity building but also the curriculum that we are teaching that are not according to the concept," Asif Uddin Ahmed said.