A platform for driven entrepreneurs who have the vision and passion for change, Udhyami101 is a highly-focused entrepreneurship program designed to bring together people from all walks of the entrepreneurial life. Udhyami101 is a subsidiary of Udhyami Seed Camp- Tech Edition, which was held on Sunday, December 10, with over 142 attendees. The program revolved around the main theme “Basics of Starting a Business”.

The event kicked off with a speech from the Managing Director and Co-Founder of STARTUPSNepal, Mr. Kavi Raj Joshi. He quickly filled the audience in on the fundamentals of the Udhyami franchise and introduced the theme of the day, The Relevance and Importance of Technology in Upcoming Startups and Existing Businesses. He thanked everyone present for being active in helping the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal soar to greater heights.

The event was carried forward by Mr. Daniel Shrestha, Head of Business Development, Marketing and Digital Finance Services of IME, who pitched in a few words about the importance of ICT in the remittance and finance sector. He talked about the growth of their company in the last 16 years and their current standing at bringing in remittance amounting to $6 billion annually. While talking about how the company continues to scale greater heights, he noted the vital role played by technology in helping startups grow.

During the panel discussion, Mr. Bibhusan Bista, CEO of YoungInnovations, acted as the moderator and raised questions to business veterans, Mr. Shailendra Raj Giri, Founder & CMD of MeroJob.com; Mr. Sameer Mani Dixit, Co-founder and Vice Chairman of Centre for Molecular Dynamics Nepal; and Mr. Ajay Shrestha, CMD of iCapital. Some of Mr. Bista’s questions were, “What does it take to become an entrepreneur?” and “Can everyone become an entrepreneur?” We had the panelists answer the questions in their own words.

Mr. Dixit answered, “It takes vision, grit, and drive. If these characteristics aren’t there then one isn’t capable enough to start a business.”

Mr. Giri’s reply was, “Not everyone has the capacity to become an entrepreneur. It requires a whole lot of effort, commitment, time, and it definitely isn’t for everyone.”

The panel discussion continued with a set of questions asked by the audience, and the panelists answered them aptly.

Ms. Pratibha Vaidya, Manager of Nepal Telecom, then took the stage to talk about how Nepal Telecom, a Telecommunications company has come a long way relying heavily on ICT. Ms. Vaidya discussed how without understanding the ropes and know-hows of technology, a startup would fail to excel as per wish in this fast-paced entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The stage was then made way for the participants of this year’s Udhyami Seed Camp - Tech Edition. Through their presentations, we were able to see their growth and progress from when they first pitched their ideas to where they are with their products right now.

Next, we had Mr. Abhay Pareek give us a presentation and speech on Enabling Ecosystem for Tech Entrepreneurs. Mr. Pareek touched on points regarding how Nepal, if technologically equipped, has a lot to offer and will do well in the upcoming years if the progress is consistent.

The event was concluded on this note.

Through Udhyami101, NEXT aims to create an ideal platform for young and innovative minds to come together and create a collaborative and prosperous entrepreneurial society. By bringing together key stakeholders such as sector experts, startup founders, next-generation entrepreneurs, investors and other industry supporters, they aim to create a vibrant platform for young entrepreneurial enthusiasts and aspiring entrepreneurs to start and grow their business in Nepal.

STARTUPSNepal hopes to cultivate a collaborative startup and entrepreneurial community, and cater its unique needs with the help of Udhyami101.