At Bangladesh Startup Connect 2025, amid the buzz of pitches and panels, one keynote cut through the noise with uncommon clarity. It wasn’t just about technology—it was about timing, ambition, and the future of 85 million young Bangladeshis.

Shahir Chowdhury, Founder and CEO of Shikho, delivered a keynote that fused personal story, policy insight, and data-driven urgency. Once a finance executive in London, Chowdhury returned to Bangladesh to solve what he saw as the country’s most foundational problem: education. His mission? To build a platform that makes quality learning accessible to all, regardless of geography or income.

He didn’t romanticize the challenge. Bangladesh’s education system remains plagued by overcrowded classrooms, outdated content, and deep inequality between rural and urban learners. But he argued that the conditions are ripe for transformation—if the right investments are made now. And at the heart of that transformation is a simple idea: education technology will be the great equaliser.

Through Shikho and other emerging EdTech players, solutions are already taking root. From AI-powered learning tools to localized video content aligned with national curricula, these innovations are showing what’s possible when technology is applied with precision and purpose. More than just digital convenience, they represent a rethinking of how learning is delivered, measured, and scaled.

Chowdhury also made the case for serious investment. Without venture capital and government support, he warned, Bangladesh risks wasting its demographic dividend. He called for smarter regulation, improved internet infrastructure, and startup-friendly funding mechanisms—urging policymakers to view the internet not just as infrastructure, but as the enabler of the country’s next growth frontier.

What made his keynote resonate wasn’t just what he said—but the way he said it. There was no jargon, no theatrics—just a founder who had come home to build, and who now sees the stakes more clearly than ever.

In a room that included the country’s Honourable Advisor on Education and Honorable Advisor on ICT, his message was more than timely—it was necessary.

Shahir Chowdhury isn’t just building an EdTech company. He’s helping to shape a national conversation on what it means to prepare a generation for the future.

Watch the full keynote to see why he's fast becoming one of the most important voices in Bangladesh’s innovation landscape.