8 | Business Excellence Awards 2025 AIS-Feb25056 Data Science NPO of the Year 2025 – Bangladesh ehrab Ali founded ARCED Foundation in 2013, with the dream of creating a world-class organisation dedicated to not only conducting important research and data works in the development sector, but to be a leader in the advancement of methods, tools, and technologies used by researchers. ARCED Foundation works predominantly with developing countries, assisting in research and establishing projects that will enhance the development process using the most reliable measurement: data. Committed to making a positive impact, ARCED Foundation is focused on innovation. The organisation’s innovative solutions have resulted in many successful projects and studies, translating to better insights on development, climate, and policymaking. To achieve this mission, ARCED Foundation integrates cutting-edge technologies to solve critical problems and make existing processes more efficient and errorfree. This dedication to ensuring that research is credible, and that researchers’ lives are easier, has established ARCED Foundation as a leader on the global spectrum. ARCED Foundation collaborates with professionals from around the world, including renowned researchers from North America and Europe. The organisation’s clients comprise prestigious universities such as Standford, Georgetown, New York University, the University of Columbia, the National University of Singapore, Tufts University, the University of Bremen, and the University of California San Diego. Alongside this, ARCED Foundation works with international non-governmental organisations and donor agencies, such as Save the Children, USAID, JPAL-MIT, ActionAid, PEDL, the World Bank Group, and IGC. “We achieve excellence through our dedication to continuous improvement and innovation,” Mehrab tells us. “We work diligently to provide the highest quality tools and services, ensuring that our clients can achieve their research goals efficiently and effectively. Our proactive approach to addressing challenges and providing custom solutions has earned us a reputation for excellence in the global research community.” Developing resources in a developing nation such as Bangladesh is a challenging process. Many of ARCED Foundation’s team are Bangladeshi, but the organisation has faced staffing challenges as much of the nation’s talented minds migrate for opportunities abroad. The organisation combats this challenge by hiring internationally, though still prioritising Bangladeshis when possible, and onboarding local young minds and research assistants. It seeks out those with an understanding of research, coding, field management, and communication, the build on to their existing talent in-house. “Mostly fresh graduates join our organisation in this manner,” says Mehrab. “Not everyone has extensive knowledge in all areas, so we foster a culture of collective work and a zeal for learning. We arrange regular sessions called Baithak – a Bangla word meaning ‘meeting’ -, which is a knowledge-sharing platform where anyone learning something new takes a session on it, ensuring everyone is on the same level playing ground. We believe in collective growth.” With such a forward-looking approach to talent acquisition and nurturing, ARCED Foundation has earned a reputation as the finest launchpad for research in Bangladesh. The outstanding team have been instrumental in ensuring ARCED Foundation’s sustained success and have well-positioned the organisation to continue changing the lives of many in developing countries. One of the organisation’s biggest highlights of 2024 was the development of the country’s first internal AI assistant for researchers, made possible by the innovation and dedication of the team. Now, ARCED Foundation is actively working on improving the air quality in Bangladesh, which is one of the most air polluted countries worldwide. As part of this project, the team has utilised machine learning and satellite imagery to identify industries and establishments that heavily pollute the air. ARCED Foundation’s exceptional efforts have supported the Government of Bangladesh’s Department of Environment in tackling the severe issue of Bangladesh’s air pollution. Additionally, the organisation has turned its sights inwards and has worked on in-house air pollution and the impact of air purifiers. Recognizing the challenges faced by households in accessing affordable air purification solutions, the Foundation, along with the collaborators, has advocated for policy changes to make such devices more accessible. These efforts have contributed to a significant reduction in taxes on household air filters, making it much easier for the people of Bangladesh to breathe better quality air. “Looking ahead to 2025, we anticipate continued growth and success,” Mehrab concludes. “Our ongoing projects and innovations are set to make significant contributions to various sectors, and we remain committed to driving positive change through our research and development efforts.” Contact: Mehrab Ali Company: ARCED Foundation Web Address: www.arced.foundation Research is a crucial component of every sector, responsible for advancing society and making the world go round. Without continuous research, we would not have access to the innovative products and services we see today, nor the development of many countries. Aureolin Research, Consultancy, and Expertise Development (ARCED) Foundation is a non-profit organisation aiming to provide quality tools and services in research, training, and monitoring. We speak to its Founder, Mehrab Ali, below to learn more as ARCED Foundation is named in the Business Excellence Awards 2025. M
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