Wick, Corp. (“Wick”), a Japan-based technology and platform
engineering company, and the Grameen Group have confirmed the establishment of
Grameen-Wick, a joint venture that will develop a digital platform connecting
corporate advertising with access to essential services and economic
opportunities in Bangladesh, a press release said.
The announcement was made at the Japan-Bangladesh Economic
Forum in Tokyo on October 28, 2026, in the presence of Bangladesh Prime
Minister Tarique Rahman.
The forum was organized by the Japan External Trade
Organization (JETRO) and the Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and
Economic Co-operation, with support from the Embassy of Bangladesh in Japan.
Following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between
Wick and the Grameen Group in June 2026, the venture’s board has been
constituted. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and Hiroshi
Osaki, former Chairman of Yoshimoto Kogyo, have joined its Advisory Board.
With its board members determined, the venture is moving
into full-scale service development and the establishment of local operations,
with a business launch targeted for around spring 2027.
Grameen-Wick will operate as a social business, using
digital technology and “positive impact advertisement” to connect corporate
advertising activities with improvements in people’s quality of life and
solutions to social challenges.
Discussions are also underway on potential collaboration
with major companies, government agencies, and organizations in education,
healthcare, and other social services in Bangladesh. The venture aims to
develop its business through a broad range of partnerships.
Grameen-Wick will provide a new digital platform that
connects corporate advertising activities with the creation of social value.
Through its proprietary smartphone app, Grameen-Wick will
deliver positive impact advertisement and return a portion of companies’
advertising expenditure to users as points. Users can use the points they earn
by viewing advertisements to gain greater access to everyday products and
services, including healthcare, education, and essential goods.
The venture also plans to introduce features that provide
information on vocational training and job opportunities through the app. By
connecting jobseekers with worker-sending agencies and relevant communities,
these features will support employment in Bangladesh and overseas, as well as
economic independence.
In line with the new administration’s policy priorities and
the development issues emphasized by international organizations, Grameen-Wick
has identified the following five areas as priorities: Youth Employment, Skills
Development, and Entrepreneurship; Women’s Economic Participation and
Empowerment; Poverty Reduction and Improved Living Standards; Improved Access
to Healthcare; and Responding to Climate Change and Disasters.
Wick, Corp. is a Japanese software and technology company
that builds enterprise platforms and digital systems. It focuses on developing
practical, scalable software and supporting enterprise deployment. Through its
technology platform, Wick aims to help organisations turn ideas into reliable,
production-ready digital solutions.
