Igniting the Future: A Dynamic AI-driven Gamified Simulation Approach to Building Entrepreneurial Capacity in Bangladesh

Bangladesh stands at a pivotal moment in its socio-economic route, driven largely by a youthful and growing population. As of 2022, approximately 65.6% of the population is within the working-age range of 15 to 64 years (World Bank, 2024). This demographic profile offers a unique opportunity to harness a demographic dividend that can propel sustainable economic growth. However, this potential remains underexploited due to a range of structural challenges, particularly affecting young people between the ages of 15 and 35. About 29% of the youth population, over 10 million individuals, are not engaged in any form of education, employment, or training (Tansen, 2025). In addition, an estimated 800,000 university graduates are unable to find employment each year (The Financial Express, 2023), reflecting a stark mismatch between educational output and labour market demand. This sizeable group is at risk of long-term economic and social marginalization, weakening the country’s ability to build a resilient and skilled workforce. Thus, youth unemployment represents a pressing issue. 

Despite structural challenges, Bangladesh’s youth demonstrate considerable entrepreneurial potential. Approximately 3.8 million young individuals are actively engaged in entrepreneurial ventures, encompassing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and social enterprises (LightCastle Partners, 2022). However, significant skill deficits hinder broader youth participation in economic activities. Financial literacy remains low, with only 28% of the population understanding basic financial concepts such as budgeting and saving (Tabassum, 2024). Digital literacy is similarly lacking; only about 6% of the population is fully digitally literate. Alarmingly, approximately 84.9% of youth aged 15-24 lac the digital skills necessary for today’s economy (New Age, 2022). These skill gaps restrict access to economic opportunities and perpetuate cycles of poverty and informality. The economic environment is further complicated by the prevalence of informal employment, which is approximately over 87% of the workforce (Dhaka Tribune, 2018). This informality limits job security, access to social protections, and the ability to scale entrepreneurial ventures. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions to enhance financial and digital literacy among youth. Integrating financial education into school curricula and expanding access to digital skills training can empower young individuals to participate more effectively in the economy. 

Youth unemployment remains a pressing issue, with the unemployment rate among educated youth estimated at 38% (LightCastle Partners, 2022). This scenario underscores the need for innovative solutions to equip young people with the skills required for self-employment and entrepreneurship. Gamified learning has proven effective in enhancing engagement and knowledge retention. By simulating real-world entrepreneurial tasks and decision-making scenarios, a gamified simulation game can provide practical, hands-on experiences. This approach fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills essential for entrepreneurship. The proposed gamified simulation game addresses critical challenges facing Bangladeshi youth by enhancing financial and digital literacy, promoting entrepreneurship, and aligning with national development goals. Building on this, the proposed project seeks to create an interactive platform that combines behavioural science, financial and digital literacy, and entrepreneurship training to empower youth. The gamified simulation project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering quality education (SDG 4) and promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) through experiential learning in entrepreneurship. It also supports the “Three Zero” vision of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions by equipping Bangladeshi youth with the skills needed for self-employment and sustainable business practices, thereby addressing systemic challenges in youth unemployment and skill deficits.

• Research Project