The Hult Prize, organized by the Hult Prize Foundation in partnership with former US President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative, is the world’s largest student business case competition, often dubbed the “Nobel Prize for Students.” It challenges undergraduates, graduate, and PhD students globally to develop innovative, scalable social enterprises addressing pressing global issues, such as food security, healthcare, and education. Each year, the winning team receives $1 million in seed capital to launch and scale their venture, with the global final hosted at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting in New York every September. The competition has grown significantly, engaging over 200,000 students from 2,000+ universities across 100+ countries by 2024, with themes like “Unlimited” in 2024 encouraging solutions aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

BUET has been a powerhouse in the Hult Prize, showcasing Bangladesh’s entrepreneurial talent on the global stage. In 2015, BUET hosted a vibrant on-campus round, fostering innovative ideas aligned with that year’s challenge of early childhood education. By 2017, BUET’s success peaked when two teams, Team Sanctum and Team Incite, advanced to the regional finals in Shanghai and Dubai, respectively, competing to restore the rights and dignity of 10 million refugees by 2022. Their selection from a national-level competition on October 27, 2016, highlighted BUET’s ability to produce globally competitive ideas. Over the years, BUET’s Hult Prize events have continued to inspire, with robust participation and innovative solutions, cementing its reputation as a hub for social impact and entrepreneurship.

As the Chief Coordinator of the Hult Prize at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016), I had the privilege of leading a dynamic team of 15 to orchestrate one of the world’s most prestigious student business case competitions. My role involved overseeing departments e.g., logistics, marketing, and sponsor collection, ensuring seamless coordination among participating teams and stakeholders. This experience honed my leadership, project management, and communication skills, while fueling my passion for fostering innovation and social entrepreneurship. Leading the Hult Prize at BUET was more than organizing an event- it was about empowering young changemakers to dream big and address global challenges.