The two-day Sunway Startup and Idea Fest 2025, in association with TingTing and powered by SastoTickets, concluded at Anupam Foodland, Battisputali, Kathmandu. The event was jointly organized by Living with ICT, ICT Foundation Nepal, and The Squad of Changemakers, and took place on Kartik 27 and 28.
Over 150 startups and innovations from all seven provinces participated in the fest. Exhibitions included software, robotics, drones, AI, rockets, and aerospace-related products and services, offering ICT industry representatives a firsthand view of the innovative potential of Nepali youth entrepreneurship.
The opening session saw Radhika Aryal, Secretary of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, as the chief guest. She highlighted the growing interest of youth in startups and innovation and emphasized that the government is continuously working on necessary infrastructure and legal reforms to support the development of the IT sector.
At the closing ceremony, Krishna Bahadur Raut, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, noted that the ministry is not only providing startup loans but also connecting young innovators with incubation and accelerator programs. He also shared that trademark and intellectual property registration processes are being digitized for easier access.
Deputy Speaker Indira Rana visited the fest on Friday and appreciated the young innovators’ ideas, which she said reflected the significant potential within the country.
ICT expert Manohar Bhattarai said events like this play a vital role in energizing Nepal’s startup ecosystem and fostering collaboration between investors and innovators.
Sushil Dev Bhattarai, founder of Squad of Changemakers and co-organizer of the aerospace and drone exhibitions, mentioned that such exhibitions also help instill interest in science and mathematics among children.
The fest, which offered free entry, attracted a large number of visitors eager to explore innovative technologies. Over the two days, more than 10,000 attendees, including high-level officials from government and private sectors, policymakers, ICT experts, investors, corporate leaders, students, CAN Federation members, and NAS-IT representatives, participated in the event.
Visitors had the opportunity to see startups, innovations, and prototypes firsthand, gaining insights into Nepal’s growing digital ecosystem.
Rajan Lamsal, fest coordinator and chairman of Living with ICT, said the event aimed to expand Nepal’s startup and innovation ecosystem. He added that startups generate significant employment and contribute to the country’s GDP, but the loans provided to them are currently insufficient and need to be converted into grants.
The fest also featured over 50 semi-finalists from the ICT Award 2025 in categories like Startup, Product, Rising Star, and Social Innovation. Visitors could vote for their favorite startups and ideas, with the jury’s evaluation complementing the voting process to select the top five.
Special product demos and networking sessions were organized for investors interested in startups and products, where startups from all seven provinces pitched their ideas. Institutions such as Sunway College (AI-focused education), TingTing (AI products), SastoTickets, inDrive, NepalPay QR, and MIT College also had stalls to showcase their services and technologies.
Certificates were distributed to exhibitors and ICT Award 2025 semi-finalists who participated in the fest.
According to the organizers, the fest played a crucial role in understanding the current state of Nepal’s startup and innovation sector, observing the creativity of young innovators, and identifying entrepreneurial opportunities nationwide.
Currently, the selection process for the 15 categories of ICT Award 2025 is ongoing, with over 700 online nominations received. The award winners will be selected through a detailed six-month evaluation process conducted by a jury and advisory committee of ICT experts. The grand finale of ICT Award 2025 is scheduled for Poush.
