This is a Follow-up Program of Bangladesh Inspired. Funded by the European Union (EU) and the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), Ministry of Industries (MoI), Managed & Led by Aurora & Co., working to develop Small Business Ecosystem in Bangladesh through Market Linkage, Capacity Building & Access to Low Cost, Formal Finance and thus Create a Positive Impact on the Economy, Environment & Society.

A Multi Stakeholder SME Platform

And A Common Facility Center

For SME & Startup Service

The participants of a recently organized workshop in Dhaka by Aurora suggested, and it is also recommended in various studies to formulate a common platform comprising different Public and Private Sector Stakeholders to discuss the support structure, facilitating role and policy implementation to promote SME Ag sector in Bangladesh. All different stakeholders are initiating different efforts in fragmented and isolated way. Therefore, combined, collective and integrated efforts of all the stakeholders is required to create a common platform for the sustainable development of the SME, specially agro based industries in Bangladesh.

SME newsAccess to Finance

Products And Services

About UTTARON- SME & Startup Service

UTTARON is the Bangla synonym of “Graduation”, which is a “comprehensive, time-bound, integrated and sequenced set of services”* that enable small, micro and cottage entrepreneurs to achieve business sustainability and economic resilience, in order to contain and progress his/her enterprise to higher level of business.

UTTARON is an investment readiness programme for Small, Micro and Cottage Enterprises (SMCE), emphasizing on women and youth entrepreneurship in on-farm and off-farm activities.

Approach and the Framework

The concept of UTTARON emerged as a disruptive approach to break the existing mind set or culture of SME Financing.

The framework of UTTARON evolved through a process of experimental research and learning from good practices to promote the small, micro and cottage enterprises who are facing challenges to grow and sustain their business and channelise loans from banks and formal financial institutions.

UTTARON offers a complete package that includes: business literacy, bookkeeping, market access and procurement of goods and services in cash or in kinds through an SME Card.

Locations

Business Management

Book Keeping

Branding & Promotion

Access to Finance

Registration & Legal Service

VAT Tax

Our Process

  • 1. Selection and Targeting

    Locations and potential SMEs will be identified, Cluster will be formed according to their trade

  • 2. Capacity Building Through Mentorship And Coaching

    They will be equipped with need based skills training with professionals

  • 3. Enterprise Development

    Enterprise Selection and development of Business plan, enterprise related training, book keeping, eBanking , procurement of row materials and supply finished products.

  • 4. Capital Injection

    Initiate business/ production through transfer of capital (SME Card) tapping bank loans

  • 5. Graduation

    SMEs graduate from the primary level after two years by achieving economic and social advancement measured by predetermined Graduation Criteria

  • 6. Scale Up

Constraints and Challenges

SMEs in Bangladesh face a range of challenges from networking, collateral, guarantor, lack of proper knowledge regarding the banking system, long loan processing time, and accessing low cost, formal finance. It has further aggravated due to COVID-19 pandemic, and introduced new business challenges, such as restricted movement, disruption of market linkage, fall of commodity price, access to inputs, etc.