Barriers to green startups in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examines the barriers that constrain green startups in Bangladesh and explains why formal sustainability policies have not translated into accessible support for early-stage entrepreneurs. Using an exploratory mixed-methods design, the study combines a structured entrepreneur survey, interviews with green business founders, and secondary evidence from policy documents and academic literature. The findings indicate that green startups face four interconnected barriers: limited access to appropriate financing, weak startup-oriented institutional support, moderate confidence in intellectual property protection, and low market acceptance due to price-sensitive consumer behavior. This paper argues that the main problem is not a lack of policy but a policy-practice gap that prevents small ventures from using available instruments. It recommends targeted equipment finance, climate-focused incubation, stronger regulatory coordination, green product certification, and consumer awareness programs to improve the sustainability- oriented entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bangladesh.