Once known for its long struggle during the war years, Vietnam has become one of Asia’s most inspiring stories of growth. After the war, the country took steady steps from being mostly agricultural to building industries, welcoming new technologies, and opening its doors to the global market. Over the years, Vietnam turned itself into a rising economic hub in Southeast Asia, showing the world what determination, vision, and unity can achieve.
Out of this spirit of renewal, Startup Wheel was founded in 2013 to promote progress. What started as a local initiative to help young entrepreneurs soon opened up to the world. Today, it has become one of Asia’s largest platforms for founders to share, learn, and grow their ideas together.
Open to both local and international startups, Startup Wheel welcomes anyone, whether you are working alone or with a team, and no matter what stage your business is in. With no limits on age or industry, it feels truly open to all dreamers and builders. Beyond being just a competition, it offers guidance, local market insights, and a place to meet people who believe in change as deeply as you do.
PriyoShop in the Top 30: A Moment of Pride
This year, Startup Wheel’s journey began back in January with a call for applications. The next six months saw a careful selection process: screening in April and May, interview rounds in May, and finally, the announcement of the top 30 startups in June. It all led to July, when selected teams gathered in Vietnam for a special workshop to meet mentors, refine their ideas, and build new connections.
For us, one of the proudest moments was seeing PriyoShop make it to the top 30. This recognition is bigger than numbers or awards. It shows that what we are doing in Bangladesh is making an impact beyond our borders.
As the only Bangladeshi startup among so many global names, PriyoShop is helping international personnel or investors to discover the world of small shops and MSMEs in Bangladesh. By being part of this platform, PriyoShop is telling the story of our local entrepreneurs, their challenges, and their resilience to the rest of the world. And for us, this is not about our success story; rather, we share our hopes, aspirations, and responsibility to keep supporting mom-and-pop shops back home and help them become stronger, even in uncertain times.
A Truly Global Gathering
Although Startup Wheel is a platform for contests with several competitors around Asia, it felt less like a contest and more like a global umbrella where founders from over 28 countries came together to share ideas, experiences, and dreams. From Asia to Europe and Africa to the Middle East, more than 100 startups showcased their projects: from clean energy and health tech to e-commerce and social impact.
Walking through the event, what stood out most wasn’t who would win or lose, but the conversations. Young founders spoke with seasoned entrepreneurs, not as rivals, but as people sharing the same passion to solve real-life problems. Some startups were still early-stage; others were already serving customers in multiple markets. But all had one thing in common: a drive to make life a little easier, fairer, or smarter for others.
It was a chance to discover new ideas, get guidance from mentors, and find partners or friends who believe in change as deeply as you do. This spirit of meeting, learning, and growing together is what made the event feel special.
Beyond the Competition
Startup Wheel reminded us that great ideas have no borders. Making it to the top 30 wasn’t only a moment of pride for PriyoShop; it reminded us why we do what we do: to help small businesses in Bangladesh face everyday challenges and come out stronger.
At the end of the day, all these stories tell us something simple yet powerful: if you keep believing, keep learning, and keep trying, your idea can touch lives far beyond your own corner of the world. And that’s what makes the journey worth it.