Pathfinder is a new Global Digital Entrepreneurship Platform and social enterprise whose vision is to catalyse innovation, growth, business opportunities and sustainable inclusive growth the Post-Covid digital economy. The goal is to empower and inspire the next generation of technology entrepreneurs regardless of background but with a particular focus on women and young entrepreneurs.
At the launch webinar on March 22, there were 140 attendees by zoom and over 2000 on Facebook Live from 12 different countries. The program was moderated by Ifty Islam, CEO of Pathfinder and began with welcome comments from Bashir Ahmed, Chairman of Pathfinder.
Distinguished speakers included: Ambassador Farooq Sobhan; HE Saida Muna Tasneem; Sherry Coutu, CBE, Serial Digital Entrepreneur; Anne-Marie Main, Director, British Chamber of Commerce; Peter Bishop, Editor, London Business Matters; Professor Abdul Hannan Choudhury, Dean NSU Business School; Professor Gurpreet Jagpal Pro-VC, Sussex University; Anwar Ali, OBE; Abdus Hamid of the Conservative Party Science and Technology Forum; and Anwar Hoque, Founder of UDES.
The discussants noted that Covid has also accelerated a number of economic trends that were already in place, most notably the rapid growth of the Digital economy, in areas such as E-commerce, remote working, fintech among others. These shifts are structural and not temporary, and the seeds for longer-term economic recovery and new opportunities for businesses and individuals is to embrace this digital transformation. Muzahid Khan & Litu Mohiuddin, Dep CEO’s Pathfinder, outlined the platform strategic roadmap and noted that the Pathfinder platform operates as a members’ network for developing new digital entrepreneurship ideas and partnerships. The plan is to hold a series of webinars on a range of topics in the next 12 months, that will cover important themes of sub-sectors of the digital economy. These will be accompanied by concept papers and other research materials and the formation of focus groups in these areas. They will also be establishing a Pathfinder Innovation Hub/Incubator as well as an Entrepreneurship Academy in partnership with other innovation hubs in the UK and other countries such as Bangladesh.
Ifty Islam CEO Pathfinder said, “the launch of Pathfinder’s Digital Entrepreneurship Platform can play an important role in catalysing new digital businesses among the British Bangladesh Community.”
Bashir Ahmed, Chairman Pathfinder said, “this is a great opportunity to energise and unleash the entrepreneurial potential of women and younger generation entrepreneurs.
Pathfinder will also encourage collaboration and leveraging networks which are essential amid the platformification of the Digital Economy
