BYLC Graduate Network

What BYLC Graduate Network does

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), operating its alumni association as BYLC Graduate Network (BGN), is a Bangladesh-registered non-profit organization founded in 2009 by Ejaj Ahmad as the country's first leadership institute. Its core mission is leadership development, professional skills training, entrepreneurship support, and civic engagement for Bangladeshi youth aged approximately 9 to 35, with a deliberate inclusion model that brings together students from English, Bangla, and Madrasa educational backgrounds. The flagship Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) program and its junior version (BBLTJ) anchor the curriculum, which is informed by Harvard University's adaptive leadership framework refined over 35 years. The organization also runs the Office of Professional Development (OPD), BYLC Ventures (entrepreneurship), Y-Space (co-working), and the BYLCx online learning platform offering free courses in resume writing, Excel, professional emails, and 21st-century skills.

The business model is a non-profit, donor-funded structure. BYLC does not charge participants for its programs; the BYLCx platform is offered free of cost. Revenue is sourced from international development donors and institutional partners including USAID, IKEA Foundation, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the US Embassy Dhaka, Meta, GFA Consulting Group, and Manusher Jonno Foundation/UK Aid. Distribution combines direct in-person training at facilities in Dhaka and Chattogram, a self-serve online platform (BYLCx), university campus ambassador programs, on-campus career centers through partnerships with National University and Lalmatia Mohila College, and the Y-Space co-working facility. The organizational reach includes over 10,000 trained alumni since 2009, and the five-year USAID BIJOYEE Activity targets 250,000 youth across Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, and Rangpur. Marketing and outreach rely on event-driven tactics including annual BYLC Run, Alumni Iftar, Youth Leadership Summits, Career Expos, and alumni referral through the BGN community.

Name

BYLC Graduate Network

Legal name

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center

Website

https://bgn.bylc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BYLC Graduate Network is the alumni association of Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, a non-profit founded in 2009 that delivers leadership, professional development, and entrepreneurship programs to Bangladeshi youth through flagship training, an online platform, and donor-funded multi-city initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development and Nonprofit Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMAKAJ

Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

SECONDARYEDAMAIAF

Communication, Collaboration & Conflict Resolution Skills

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Life Skills & Personal Development (Study Skills, Executive Function, SEL)

SECONDARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMAKAK

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Professional skills training
• Entrepreneurship incubation
• Online learning courses
• Nonprofit education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Non-profit Model: As Bangladesh's first leadership institute and registered non-profit organization established in 2009, BYLC operates as a non-profit entity. The organization raises funds from international donors, government embassies, foundations, and development partners to fund its youth development programs. All programs, including BYLCx online courses, are provided free or at subsidized rates to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BYLC Graduate Network, the alumni association of Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), delivers a portfolio of free youth leadership, professional development, and entrepreneurship programs to young Bangladeshis aged 9-35. Core offerings include the flagship Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) program, professional development via the Office of Professional Development (OPD), entrepreneurship incubation through BYLC Ventures and Orange Corners Bangladesh, and free online courses via the BYLCx digital learning platform.

Product overview

BYLC Graduate Network (BGN) is the alumni association of Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, offering a comprehensive ecosystem of youth development programs. The core portfolio includes leadership training programs (BBLT, BBLTJ, Leadership For Kids), professional development (OPD, CareerX, Career Bootcamp, Career Conversation), and entrepreneurship support (BYLC Ventures, Orange Corners Bangladesh, Y-Space). Online learning is delivered through BYLCx platform. BGN connects over 10,000 BYLC graduates nationwide, offering exclusive benefits, volunteer opportunities, and public service initiatives. The organization also runs social impact projects including SheStrikes, EcoRevolution, and Sugar Cycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) Flagship leadership training program that brings together students from English, Bangla, and Madrasa educational backgrounds to build inclusive leadership skills and bridge societal divides using experiential teaching methods based on adaptive leadership theory.
• Building Bridges through Leadership Training Junior (BBLTJ) Youth leadership program for participants aged 13-22 that develops leadership skills, tolerance, and pluralism through classroom training and community service projects.
• BYLCx Online Learning Platform Online learning academy offering free courses on professional skills including resume writing, Excel, 21st-century skills, professional email writing, business presentation, and critical thinking.
• Leadership For Kids (LFK) Leadership program specifically designed for children in grades 3-5 to build foundational leadership skills.
• Y-Space Co-working and Innovation Space Coworking and innovation space providing facilities for young entrepreneurs and professionals to work and collaborate in Dhaka.
• Office of Professional Development (OPD) Professional development division offering career readiness training, placement opportunities, career counseling, and professional skills development for BYLC alumni.
• BYLC Ventures Entrepreneurship development program providing accelerator support, bootcamps, mentorship, and funding opportunities for youth-led startups and social enterprises.
• Orange Corners Bangladesh Ecosystem building program engaging government, private sectors, educational institutions, and investment networks to create entrepreneurship opportunities for Bangladeshi youth aged 18-35.
• CareerX Career readiness and employment linkage program connecting trained youth with job opportunities.
• Career Bootcamp Intensive career preparation program featuring sessions by industry experts on professional development topics.
• Career Conversation Virtual discussion series bringing professionals from different sectors to discuss career development and emerging skills.
• BYLC Graduate Network (BGN) Alumni Association Alumni association of BYLC providing a platform for graduates to exercise leadership, access exclusive benefits, engage in public service, and continue professional development.
• Chattogram Entrepreneurship Pilot Programme (CEPP) Regional entrepreneurship initiative focused on fostering youth entrepreneurship beyond Dhaka, with focus on sustainability and circular economy models, having trained 27 teams and provided BDT 700,000 in seed funding.
• SheStrikes Community Service Project Community service project empowering adolescent girls in underprivileged urban areas through self-defense skills, mental resilience, and legal awareness.
• EcoRevolution Environmental Initiative Youth-led environmental initiative focused on waste management and climate awareness through grassroots action and education, promoting ecobricks and composting.
• Sugar Cycle Circular Economy Initiative Circular economy initiative transforming sugarcane bagasse into biodegradable decorative and utility products while creating green livelihoods for climate-migrant women.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 10,000 young Bangladeshis through signature programs since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023UNICEF collaborated with Sugar Cycle initiative, a circular economy project that transforms sugarcane bagasse into biodegradable products while creating green livelihoods for climate-migrant women.
• JAAGO FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Sugar Cycle initiative supporting adolescent girls in underprivileged urban areas and environmental sustainability projects.
• CARE BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARE Bangladesh leads the USAID BIJOYEE Activity consortium, with BYLC as a consortium partner providing soft skills training to 250,000 youth across Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, and Rangpur.
• BRAC JPGSPH and RutgerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partners for Empowered Youth Labor Force (EYLF) project developing SRHR curriculum integrated into BYLC's youth training programs.
• Young Power in Social Action (YPSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for JAAGORON project implementing youth-led civic engagement in Chittogram district.
• Agrogoti SangsthacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for JAAGORON project implementing youth-led civic engagement in Satkhira district.
• Directorate of Youth Development (DYD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner working with USAID BIJOYEE Activity to build an enabling environment for youth and reinforce effective local youth systems.
• National Youth CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner collaborating with USAID BIJOYEE Activity to strengthen youth systems and development frameworks.
• The Asia FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sugar Cycle initiative supporting environmental sustainability and circular economy development.
• ActionAidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sugar Cycle initiative for development and social impact projects.
• Access Bangladesh FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical support partner for USAID BIJOYEE Activity providing expertise on disability and accessibility inclusion.
• Bandhu Social Welfare SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical support partner for USAID BIJOYEE Activity providing expertise on SOGI inclusion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: Largest Bangladesh-based development non-profit with significant youth, education, and entrepreneurship programs; broader in scope than BYLC but competes for the same donor pools and university/youth audience in Bangladesh.
• Aga Khan Foundation: International development organization running youth leadership and education programs across South Asia; comparable to BYLC as a donor/operator of inclusive youth leadership programming in the region.
• British Council Bangladesh: Operates youth leadership, soft-skills, and study-abroad programs in Bangladesh (including Active Citizens); comparable to BYLC's BBLT and OPD programming in mission and beneficiary base.

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global social-entrepreneurship network identifying and supporting young changemakers; directly comparable to BYLC Ventures and Orange Corners Bangladesh programs for youth entrepreneurship and social enterprise.
• AIESEC: Global youth leadership and cross-cultural exchange organization operating in 100+ countries; highly comparable to BYLC's BBLT model of experiential youth leadership development and global alumni activation.
• Teach for Bangladesh: Bangladesh affiliate of the Teach For All network recruiting university graduates for leadership development through teaching placements; comparable to BYLC's model of channeling youth talent into education-sector leadership.
• Enactus: Global student-led organization running university-based entrepreneurship and leadership programs; comparable to BYLC's campus-ambassador model and entrepreneurship bootcamps.
• Manusher Jonno Foundation: Bangladesh civil-society funder that funds BYLC's YLIPB and other programs; operates adjacent inclusive-leadership programming in Bangladesh and is therefore both a donor and a programmatic peer.
• JAAGO Foundation: Bangladesh-based youth-education and leadership non-profit running schools, scholarships, and volunteer programs; directly comparable to BYLC as a Bangladesh non-profit targeting youth leadership and education (and is itself listed as a BYLC consortium partner on the Sugar Cycle initiative).

Regional players

• UNDP Bangladesh (Youth & Civic Engagement): Multi-country UN agency running youth leadership, civic engagement, and employability programs in Bangladesh; overlaps with BYLC's BBLT, JAAGORON, and BIJOYEE-adjacent civic-engagement offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BylcGraduateNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bylc-graduate-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about BYLC Graduate Network