Directors’ Message
Bijon Islam
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
About
About Bijon
Bijon Islam is the Co-founder and CEO of LightCastle Partners, a management consulting and knowledge firm that creates data-driven growth and impact opportunities for development partners, corporates, SMEs and start-ups.
Over the past seven years he has led LightCastle’s work with more than 150 businesses and development partners, 1,500 SMEs and start-ups, and 50 accelerator programmes across technology, agriculture, health, energy and manufacturing.
Under his leadership, LightCastle has partnered to launch a Smart Capital Investment Program providing growth capital to SMEs and start-ups, serves as local partner for Biniyog Briddhi, a catalytic funding and impact investment programme by Roots of Impact and the Swiss Development Corporation, and acts as deal-sourcing and due-diligence partner for several public and private investors.
- Businesses and development partners
- 150+
- SMEs and start-ups supported
- 1,500+
- Accelerator programmes
- 50+
- Ecosystem events as judge or speaker
- 100+
Areas of expertise
- Impact investment
- SME & start-up finance
- Deal sourcing
- Due diligence
- Ecosystem building
- Capital markets
Sectors
- Technology
- Agriculture
- Health
- Energy
- Manufacturing
Experience
LightCastle Partners
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Leads strategy, client partnerships and investment programmes for SMEs and start-ups.
Citibank, N.A. and Citi Foundation
Investment banking and capital markets
Oversaw Bangladesh’s first interest rate swap, equity convertible bonds, the country’s largest IPO, microfinance securitisation and block equity trades.
Education
BBA and MBA, Business AdministrationInstitute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka
Insights
Insights and perspectives
Private Sector Development
Strategic Circularity: A Resilient Pathway for Bangladesh’s Post-LDC Transition
Read Insight
Case StudyDec 2022
Blended Finance: How It Can Transform the MSME Landscape in Bangladesh
Ecosystem
Speaking and ecosystem work
Bijon has taken part in more than 100 entrepreneurship development events as a judge, panellist or resource person.
- Startup Weekend
- Startup Cup
- Entrepreneurship World Cup (GEN)
- Global Startup Weekend
- Facebook Circle
- She Loves Tech
- Founders Institute
- Innovation Extreme
People
Meet the leadership team
Insights to navigate
what's next
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