Two Bangladeshi startups, Pathao and Shomvob, were named among Asia’s 100 most promising new companies this year, showing how local tech teams are solving everyday problems and drawing international attention. Pathao began as a ride hailing service and has grown into a full urban app that covers ride sharing, food delivery, parcel logistics and fintech tools such as a digital wallet and a buy-now-pay-later option that helps young customers and small shops. The company has millions of downloads and has completed tens of millions of trips and orders, and it has raised funding to speed product development and expand services. Shomvob is a newer platform that connects blue-collar and gig workers to steady jobs while offering simple training and profile tools so workers can show skills and find work faster. The startup has a clear social aim to create sustainable livelihoods, especially for low-income women, and it has won grant support and early investment that helped it scale pilot projects and reach more communities. Both firms are working with international partners and local groups to boost impact, and their recognition reflects a maturing startup ecosystem that can blend business goals with social benefits. The spotlight gives both companies a chance to attract more buyers, partners and funding while showing other founders that solving local problems can win global praise. For Pathao, wider recognition may speed adoption of its financial services, improve merchant access to digital payments and help small sellers get quicker delivery options and simple credit tools that match daily cash flows. For Shomvob, the attention can open doors to more employer partnerships and training grants, which help workers gain steady pay and safer job matches. Investors and service partners will likely notice how practical solutions and clear social impact can lower risk and build steady growth, and local firms can learn from these examples to implement quality checks and emphasize consistent outcomes. The gains go beyond each startup: more attention means more job chances in app development, warehouse work, training programs and small-scale logistics, so towns outside big cities may also see new work and local suppliers win steady orders. Policymakers and market players can support this rise by making it simpler to start firms, by speeding up permits, and by offering small grants and affordable finance for scaling operations. Tech teams should keep building clear products that users can trust, explain how data is used, and design simple interfaces so services work for many people with different tech skills. With steady customer focus, clear business plans and practical partnerships, local startups can turn recognition into real services that raise incomes and make daily life easier for many people. Their success shows Bangladesh startups can compete globally.
