Bangladesh Startup Investments Report Q3 2024: Road to Recovery
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Despite political transitions and global economic challenges, Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem demonstrated resilience in Q’3 2024. The quarter saw USD 19.5 Mn raised across 8 deals, marking a 124% growth in funding from Q’2, driven predominantly by global investors who contributed 99% of the total funding.
Key Highlights
Steady Growth Amid Challenges: The quarter saw a 1.2x quarter-over-quarter growth in funding, totaling USD 19.5 Mn across 8 deals, reflecting investor confidence even during uncertain times.
Late-Stage Funding Dominance: Late-stage funding surged by 567%, accounting for the majority of total investments. This shift underscores the ecosystem’s maturity, as investors focused on scaling established startups.
Decline in Early-Stage Investments: Early-stage funding dropped sharply by 91%, falling from USD 5.8 Mn in Q2 to USD 553K in Q3, signaling the ecosystem’s pivot towards higher-value, late-stage deals.
Global Investors Take the Lead: International investors contributed 99% of total funding, amounting to USD 19 Mn. This overwhelming participation highlights the strong global interest in Bangladesh’s startup landscape.
Sectoral Focus: The logistics and mobility sector emerged as the highest-funded vertical, capturing over 60% of total investments, led by Pathao’s USD 12 Mn deal. Financial services secured the second-highest share, demonstrating strong growth and adoption.
Venture Capital Drives Growth: VC funding doubled quarter-over-quarter, reaching USD 18.5 Mn and representing 94% of total investments. Institutional investors showcased a renewed focus on scaling late-stage ventures.
Challenges in Local Investment and Early-Stage Growth: Local investment accounted for only 1% of total funding, and declining early-stage deal activity highlighted the need for recalibrating the ecosystem to ensure balanced growth across stages.
With growing international investor confidence and a focus on scaling, the ecosystem is well-positioned to drive economic growth amid ongoing reforms.
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