The grand final of 'The Future of Capitalism', a startup competition, took place on April 11, organised by the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in collaboration with the Leo Lion Foundation and Praava Health. 450 teams from across Bangladesh competed in the event, with eight reaching the final stage after three rounds and semi-finals, after which, three teams were named the winners.

Airwork.ai, an AI-based talent platform, won the overall competition, with agritech startups iPage Global Ltd. and Dr. Chashi emerging as the first and second runners-up respectively. Finalists competed for a share of up to US$250,000 in seed funding, with pitches evaluated by a panel of industry leaders, investors, and academics.

The champion team, Airwork.ai, presented an AI-integrated talent matchmaking platform designed to simplify and enhance technical hiring for global companies. According to the team, their service connects North American and Middle Eastern startups with pre-vetted South Asian tech talent, offering end-to-end hiring solutions, including assessments and global payroll management. The platform aims to become an international 'TalentAPI' to ensure accessible and efficient technical recruitment.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Airwork.ai Founder and CEO Sayem Faruk shared, "It feels great to become the champion. The problem we are working on is a very difficult one. But when you win such a competition, it boosts your motivation and expands your network." He added that the prize money will help accelerate their fundraising efforts and contribute to the team's vision of building a robust global hiring platform.

The first runner-up, iPage Global Ltd., showcased a 'Farm Analytics Engine' aimed at smallholder farmers in the global South. According to the pitch presented by the team, their platform turns complex environmental data into actionable insights, allowing farmers to make informed crop decisions. By addressing the information gap in agricultural communities, iPage seeks to improve yield and sustainability across developing economies.

The second runner-up, Dr. Chashi, introduced a mobile application that assists Bangladeshi farmers by providing instant crop disease diagnoses and treatment suggestions. The app also connects users to quality agricultural inputs and financial services and features native language support for accessibility, said the team during the event.

All eight finalist teams had received mentorship from industry experts prior to the finale. Each team was given three minutes to pitch and another three minutes for a question-and-answer session with judges and investors. The winners were selected based on innovation, feasibility, market potential, and impact.

According to the organisers, 'The Future of Capitalism' competition aimed to highlight the potential of Bangladesh's emerging entrepreneurs to build scalable businesses rooted in both profitability and purpose, with a particular focus on tech-based startups.