A curated list of my favourite startups from Nepal

Ever since I decided to move back to Kathmandu, I’ve been studying the startup scene in Nepal. Contrary to what most people think, there seems to be a growing startup culture in the capital Kathmandu, my hometown. 

Despite the usual problems like lack of proper infrastructure, very weak (or non-existent) government policies for fostering entrepreneurship, lack of any organised venture capital firms or even basic necessities like electricity, fast internet etc. not being too reliable, I was pleasantly surprised to see new startups coming out of Nepal.  This tumblog is an attempt to list some among those that I think are truly good. It does not mean that the other startups not listed here aren’t just as good. This just reflects my personal taste. I will start with a few in this post and keep adding them as I discover new ones.

Hopefully this will be a source of information and inspiration for anyone wanting to get to know what the Himalayan nation has to offer. So, let’s cut to the chase and get started.

CloudFactory: This is my absolutely favourite one right now. Although started by Americans not Nepalese, I love how they’ve incorporated Henry Ford’s “assembly line” technique into the computing world. I hear that they've hired a lot of local people which is exactly what we need in a place where unemployment is such a big problem among the youth.

KTMcouriers: This has to be the coolest startup in Nepal. I watched the movie “Premium Rush” just last month and that movie was the first thing that popped into my mind when I got to hear about this. The couriers are mainly delivered by bicycles with GPS tracking to beat the crazy Kathmandu traffic. Big respect towards the founders for trying.

SastoDeal: Not quite a new name in Nepal I guess but this is our very own Groupon. I very much like the site and they deserve to be mentioned here.

OneSeed Expeditions: Another company started by an American. It has it’s roots in Nepal and they’ve now expanded to Chile. I’ve always wanted to start something related to trekking/mountaneering in Nepal. I have been following this company for sometime now. They’re simply great.

Birthday Forest: This one is a social startup which brought a smile to my face the minute I heard about it. My Birthday is coming soon and I will give it a try. Hopefully I can help plant quite a lot of trees and also spread the word among my friends.