Bangladesh takes center stage at 13th World Bank Group Youth Summit 2026

Bangladesh has secured a notable presence at the 13th World Bank Group (WBG) Youth Summit 2026, which opened today at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C., bringing together young innovators and global policymakers to address pressing challenges related to jobs, skills and inclusive economic growth.

Emerging changemakers Tisha Khandokar and Md Toufiq Elahi are proudly representing Bangladesh as official delegates, joining global leaders and young innovators.

The two-day summit, held under the theme “FutureWorks: Designing Jobs for the Digital Age,” was inaugurated with a keynote address by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, who reaffirmed that job creation remains central to the institution’s mission of reducing poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop also addressed the opening session, stressing the need to mobilize private capital to generate sustainable employment opportunities, particularly in emerging economies across South Asia and other developing regions.

A key highlight of the opening day was a high-level panel titled “Beyond the Pitch Deck: Both Sides of the Funding Table,” which explored how entrepreneurs can secure investment and how global investors evaluate startups beyond financial indicators.

Representing Bangladesh’s innovation ecosystem, Nicole Mao, Founder and CEO of Tiger New Energy, participated as a panelist. She described Bangladesh as an emerging hub for technology adoption and scalable innovation, noting its growing appeal for impact-driven investment.

“Bangladesh is no longer just a resilient market; it is an incredible frontier of technological adoption and scalable innovation,” she said, adding that investors seeking both impact and scalability should closely watch the country’s youth-led entrepreneurial landscape.

On the second day of the summit, Bangladeshi delegates are set to present solution-focused proposals in the Innovation Lab segment before an international jury of policymakers, development experts and venture capital representatives.

Tisha Khandokar will present “AgriCredit,” an AI-powered framework under the Youth Entrepreneurship track aimed at improving access to finance for young founders, particularly in developing economies.

Md Toufiq Elahi will present “From Skills to Jobs: TVET Transitions,” an AI-based roadmap designed to address education and skills gaps and improve workforce readiness among young people.

The participation of Bangladeshi delegates comes as the summit highlights the challenges facing an estimated 1.2 billion young people expected to enter the labour market across emerging economies over the next decade.

Established in 2013, the World Bank Group Youth Summit serves as a global platform for youth aged 18–35 to propose innovative solutions to development challenges, including employment, artificial intelligence, digital inclusion and green growth.