The grand finale and award ceremony of the prestigious Hult Prize On-Campus Cycle 2026 was successfully held today at the college auditorium of the Government College of Applied Human Science (GCAHS), a constituent college of the University of Dhaka. For the first time in the history of the institution, this global social entrepreneurship platform was brought to the campus, showcasing brilliant sustainable business models developed entirely by young women innovators.
The ceremony was graced by Mr. AKM Shoaib, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mingda (Bangladesh) New Material Co., Ltd., who attended as the Honorable Chief Guest. Professor Dr. Meherunnesa, the respected Principal of GCAHS, presided over the grand event as the Event Chair, while Professor Habiba Yasmin, Honorable Vice Principal of GCAHS, attended as the Special Guest.
The event was flawlessly led and orchestrated by the Hult Prize Campus Director, Israt Jahan Lily, a visionary student passing her 4th year in the Department of Clothing and Textile at GCAHS. Lily, who previously achieved global acclaim by becoming a Campus Champion at BUFT and ranking among the Top 300 teams globally out of thousands of international entries, brought this world-class platform to her own campus to foster entrepreneurship among fellow students.
After months of rigorous online evaluations and intensive grooming, the ultimate corporate showdown took place today before an esteemed panel of industrial judges, including Major Syed Muhammad Shameem, G (Retd) (Ex-Director of Sustainability, JMS Group), Mr. Mohammad Ashraful Islam (Editor & CEO, Textile Focus), and Mr. Alif Hasan Khan (Senior Executive, AmazonTex).
Out of the competitive finalist startups, Team Civic_Cycle emerged as the undisputed On-Campus Champion of the 2026 cycle. Team কর্মতরী secured the position of 1st Runner-Up, followed by Team Coastal Innovators as the 2nd Runner-Up. The winning teams were formally crowned with official Hult Prize champion trophies, medals, and certificates by the Chief Guest and Principal Madam.
The organizing committee also recognized the contributions of its partners, presenting appreciation crests to The Fabrics Hub (Official Gold Sponsor), YarshMoné (Exclusive Reward Partner), ecoeen (Gift Partner), and Online Textile School – OTS (Knowledge Partner). Mr. Shohel Hossen Saikat, Founder of ecoeen and Co-founder of Bunon Bee, delivered an inspiring speech as a special corporate guest.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Guest, Mr. AKM Shoaib, stated, “The innovative business models pitched by these young women entrepreneurs today prove that the textile and corporate sectors of Bangladesh have a sustainable and brilliant future ahead.” The Event Chair, Principal Professor Dr. Meherunnesa, praised the organizing committee led by Israt Jahan Lily, emphasizing that GCAHS will continue to support global leadership platforms for women empowerment.
The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks from the campus director, marking a historic milestone for GCAHS in the global entrepreneurship arena.
