With their progress further recognized through Track I funding of €5,000, Aqualink Bangladesh Limited is revolutionizing the country’s agriculture, aquaculture and other industrial operations through smart IoT solutions.
In Bangladesh's evolving business landscape, Sayed Rizban Hussain recognized a fundamental challenge holding back multiple sectors: the lack of real-time data and automation tools to improve operational efficiency. This insight sparked the creation of Aqualink Bangladesh Limited, a pioneering enterprise that has revolutionized agriculture, aquaculture, and industrial operations through smart IoT solutions that address resource inefficiency and high operational costs.
The Spark of Innovation
Rizban's journey began with his passion for hardware and data. During industry visits, he witnessed firsthand the widespread energy wastage, lack of automation, and reliance on manual processes that plagued businesses across sectors. "These experiences inspired me to create a solution that generates data automatically, reduces energy wastage, and increases operational efficiency," Rizban explains.
The result was Sensometer – Aqualink's flagship product that provides real-time monitoring, automation, and data analytics to optimize operations. For farmers and aquaculture businesses, this meant finally addressing poor water quality management and unmonitored environmental parameters. For industrial clients, it offered a pathway to energy optimization and improved asset monitoring.
Overcoming Barriers
The path wasn't without obstacles. Aqualink faced significant market resistance in traditionally conservative industries where IoT adoption remained low. Funding constraints made developing hardware and software solutions challenging, while infrastructure limitations – particularly unreliable internet connectivity in rural areas – presented operational hurdles.
Customer acquisition relied heavily on fairs, exhibitions, and word-of-mouth referrals. "Educating customers about IoT benefits was a key challenge," Rizban notes. "Many were skeptical about adopting new technology despite the long-term savings potential."
The Orange Corners Breakthrough
Joining the Orange Corners Bangladesh Incubation programme marked a turning point for Aqualink. Through social media, Rizban discovered this opportunity to enhance his business skills, refine strategies, and expand his entrepreneurial network.
The programme delivered transformative learning experiences in business modeling, pitching, impact measurement, and networking. "The coaching calls were particularly impactful," Rizban shares. "They allowed me to discuss my business challenges and receive actionable feedback that improved our operations and strategies."
Since joining the programme, Aqualink has reached important milestones, including updating their pitch deck based on expert feedback and growing their customer base with several major client acquisitions. This progress earned them recognition as one of 8 innovative enterprises, out of 10 in total, graduating from the third cohort of Orange Corners Bangladesh in January 2025, further validated by Track I funding of €5,000.
Measurable Impact
Aqualink's solutions are already making a tangible difference. In just three months, they helped Shwapno, a major supermarket chain, reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint by more than 15% – demonstrating the substantial environmental benefits their technology offers.
Looking ahead, Rizban plans to scale Aqualink's impact by expanding into additional industries, including financial institutions and large-scale agriculture. He aims to strengthen partnerships to implement IoT solutions nationally while introducing advanced analytics and AI-driven tools to enhance automation and decision-making. International expansion is also on the horizon.
The Entrepreneur's Evolution
The incubation experience transformed Rizban personally, enhancing his confidence in pitching to stakeholders and developing a more strategic mindset for tackling business challenges. He developed crucial traits like leadership, networking skills, resilience, and impact focus.
Aqualink's story exemplifies how innovation, coupled with the right support system, can address critical sustainability challenges while building a successful business. As Bangladesh continues its development journey, enterprises like Aqualink are leading the way toward a more efficient, data-driven, and environmentally conscious future.
