On April 26, 2025, the Institute of Research, Innovation, Incubation, and Commercialization (IRIIC) at United International University (UIU) hosted a vibrant seminar to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day. Organized in collaboration with the Standing Committee on IPR of BASIS and Medhashum, the event focused on raising awareness about intellectual property (IP) laws, rights, and their critical applications, especially for researchers, creators, and innovators.

The seminar brought together a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Arif Khan, a constitutional expert and seasoned lawyer at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Engineer M. Mahbub Hossain, Managing Director of Tiger Telecom & Engineering Pte Ltd; Khayam Sanu Sandhi, a celebrated musical composer and lyricist; and Barrister Tasnuva Shelley, Advocate at the Supreme Court and a leading voice in IP rights advocacy, who also leads several organizations working to support innovation and legal education in Bangladesh.

Throughout the session, discussions emphasized the necessity of safeguarding creative and research-based works against theft and misuse. Khayam Sanu Sandhi shared his personal experiences, highlighting how crucial intellectual property rights have been in protecting his creative expressions. He also advocated for stronger government initiatives to support artists and ensure their work is fairly recognized and protected in both local and global markets.

The Bangladesh round of Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab Hackathon 2025 was held on April 12, 2025 at UIU campus through 2 days of exclusive brainstorming and mentorship, followed by rigorous pitches in front of a distinguished jury panel, and two teams emerged as proud winners.

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL), the hackathon is running its 6th edition with the theme- ‘Building High-Value Health Systems: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence’ and saw more than 3000 participants from 19 countries with major other hubs being Harvard University (USA), University of Sydney (Australia), King’s College London (UK), Koç University (Turkey), Tsinghua University (China), and NTU Singapore, among others. United International University’s Institute for Research, Innovation, Incubation, and Commercialization (IRIIC) – the first-ever Regional Hub in Bangladesh for this prestigious global program- joined an elite network of global institutions and has successfully organised the Bangladesh round finale.

The winners are – TEAM NURIX with their smart move to use brain-computer interface technology to address mental health issues. TEAM SMARTENDO for their pragmatic solution to help endometriosis concerns among the female patients, enabling personalised care. Both winners received an honorary prize money, certification and the opportunity to participate with winners from 19 other countries in the Harvard HSIL Venture Incubation Program—a four-week initiative providing mentorship, funding strategies, and market access support.

Bangladesh round of the Hackathon saw inspiring participation from the shortlisted nominees – students & professionals alike – around the country. The program took off in partnership with Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development Project (DEIED) of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority along with the ICT Ministry and Health Domain partner MIS, DGHS. The jury panel consisted Dr Rui Liu – Health Specialist (Asian Development Bank), Fahima Chowdhury – Director (Adcomm), Dr Arif Mahmud – Group Medical Director (Evercare Hospital), Dr. Shah Ali Akbar Ashrafi – Director (MIS), DGHS, Dr. Muhammad Zahirul Islam – Health Advisor, Development Cooperation Section, Embassy of Sweden & Prof Khondaker A. Mamun – Director (IRIIC), UIU. The Hackathon finale was presided over by Prof. Abul Kashem Mia, PhD, Vice-Chancellor, UIU, with guests of honor being Md Saidur Rahman – Secretary, Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Jafor – DG, DGHS and Monjur Mohammad Shahriar – Project Director (DEIED), BHTPA.

Over the years, the HSIL Hackathon has played a critical role in shaping transformative healthcare solutions worldwide. Previous editions have tackled challenges such as digital health in Africa and diabetes care in Asia and Latin America, leading to the incubation of impactful startups that continue to drive change.

This milestone of being the first and only regional hub for this program underscores IRIIC and UIU’s commitment to driving innovation and fostering collaboration. Through this partnership with Harvard HSIL, IRIIC continues its journey toward transforming Bangladesh’s healthcare system.

For more details about the 2025 Harvard HSIL Hackathon Bangladesh round, visit https://iriic.uiu.ac.bd/harvard-hsil-hackthon-2025/

This morning, a high-level policy dialogue titled “Unlocking AI’s Potential in Life Sciences: A Strategy Dialogue” took place as a special segment of the Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2025 – Bangladesh Round. Organized by the Institute of Research, Innovation, Incubation, and Commercialization (IRIIC) at United International University (UIU), the event brought together global and national experts to explore how Bangladesh can position itself as a leader in AI-driven health innovation.

The hybrid-mode session, hosted at UIU, featured engaging discussions on the transformative role of AI in healthcare, regulatory readiness, ethical considerations, and investment strategies for life sciences in the age of artificial intelligence.

Moderated by Dr. Khondaker Abdullah Al Mamun, Professor of CSE at UIU and Founder of IRIIC and CMED Health, the session welcomed an esteemed panel of speakers:

1. Wu Jianbo, Deputy Director, PATH, China
2. Tanvir Kobir Pavel, Co-Founder, HealthNext & Senior AI Researcher, Berlin, Germany
3. Dr. Samiha Hossain, Biomedical AI Researcher, Germany
4. Md. Shadman Sakib, CEO, Sheba Platform Ltd, Bangladesh

The dialogue explored timely policy questions, such as:

1. What are the most relevant applications of AI in life sciences for Bangladesh’s health priorities?
2. How can data governance, privacy, and ethical frameworks evolve to meet the demands of health AI?
3. What public policy and investment ecosystems are needed to foster AI-powered innovation in healthcare?

This dialogue set the stage for a day of mentorship and startup pitching, culminating in the Bangladesh Hub Winner announcement of the Harvard HSIL Hackathon 2025. The event celebrates young innovators shaping the future of health systems through artificial intelligence, reflecting the shared commitment of UIU, IRIIC, and global partners to catalyze equitable, tech-powered healthcare.

As the national finalists prepare to showcase their solutions, the momentum from the strategy dialogue is expected to inspire policy makers, entrepreneurs, and researchers alike to work toward a healthier and more inclusive future through AI.

On February 12, 2025, the Institute of Research, Innovation, Incubation and Commercialization (IRIIC) at United International University (UIU) proudly hosted a high-level delegation from The World Bank, marking a significant moment in UIU’s journey to advance research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. The visit was led by Mr. Martin Raiser, Regional Vice President for the South Asia Region, alongside Ms. Gayle Martin, Interim Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, and included a distinguished team of senior officials specializing in finance, investment, economic development, and private sector competitiveness.

The event began with a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Abul Kashem Mia, Honorable Vice Chancellor of UIU, followed by presentations and demonstrations of IRIIC’s flagship innovations. Prof. Khondaker Abdullah Al Mamun, Director of IRIIC, introduced key research projects including the Smart AI Reception Assistant (SARA), Mindwave Neuromarketing Platform, and Suswastho.AI—highlighting how these solutions are using artificial intelligence to transform healthcare, consumer behavior analysis, and smart service delivery.