This FS weekly edition offers a reflective look as 2026 commences. Happy New Year to all readers!
Annual Letter 2025
A year presents significant opportunities for self-reflection and meaningful work. For some, fully utilizing this time can be a challenge, with much of it potentially spent on trivial or less impactful activities. This observation highlights the importance of being more deliberate about daily time allocation. As Annie Dillard noted, the way one spends their days ultimately defines their life, emphasizing the need for conscious engagement with this most valuable resource.
The Art of Enterprise: 20 Most Popular Future Startup Interviews 2025
The close of a year provides a distinct chance to review past events and insights. It is beneficial to reflect on the year’s accomplishments and lessons learned.
Presented here is a compilation of interviews that readers found most engaging. These interviews include those published in 2025 and selections from previous years’ archives. The list is not arranged chronologically.
63 Most Popular Future Startup Articles of 2025
This selection features articles that garnered significant reader attention in 2025. Many were published during that year, while a substantial portion also originates from the publication’s historical archives.
Understanding What’s Happening in Dhaka’s Startup Scene
Dhaka’s startup ecosystem has experienced a notable slowdown over the last two and a half years. Funding has become inconsistent, the entry of new companies has significantly decreased, and overall ecosystem activities have diminished. Observing the scene solely through press releases might lead one to believe the startup boom has ended.
This conclusion has been widely adopted by many. Skeptics, prevalent in Dhaka, have declared the demise of the startup ambition with a sense of satisfaction, often asserting that the startup scene was merely a speculative bubble.
Conversely, some attribute the current situation to a temporary political setback, anticipating a return to normalcy and renewed funding once a new government is established and stability returns.
However, both of these interpretations may be incomplete.
Understanding The Rise of Activewear in Bangladesh
Ten years ago, finding gym attire in Dhaka often involved extensive searching in specific markets, with limited choices and inconsistent quality.
Currently, a wide range of sportswear is accessible online with ease. This change signifies a larger shift in Bangladesh: the emergence of a domestic activewear market that was virtually nonexistent a decade prior.
Dhaka’s retail environment now features specialized activewear shops, online retailers offering technical apparel like moisture-wicking shirts and compression leggings, and an expanding consumer base that considers dedicated exercise clothing a necessity rather than a luxury.
While not yet fully mainstream, the indicators are clear. International brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour are establishing retail footprints, exploring a market they perceive as having substantial growth potential.
Local footwear brands like Apex and BATA are also introducing running shoes, catering to the initial demand for specialized athletic footwear.
