KATHMANDU, May 18: Most travelers know the feeling all too well—you’re halfway up a beautiful trail, and your phone’s blue dot confidently leads you toward a cliff that doesn’t even exist.
The British College (TBC) Incubation Centre has officially launched Trailmapper, a student-led platform designed to help trekkers and travelers feel safer and more confident on Nepal’s trails.
Developed at the TBC Incubation Centre, Trailmapper was built by students who have personally experienced these frustrating navigation gaps. Instead of relying solely on maps that often miss smaller or less-documented trails, the platform combines real-time updates from users with smart route suggestions. It is designed for Nepal’s rugged terrain, hidden routes, changing conditions, and local paths that matter most to trekkers.
TBC students hand over blankets to elderly
The startup’s potential has already gained international attention, with the team recently representing TBC at the Hult Prize National Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious student entrepreneurship platforms.
“We’ve seen plenty of great ideas, but Trailmapper stands out because it solves a problem our students face every day,” says Ganesh Paudyal, Head of the TBC Incubation Centre. “This isn’t just a student project; it’s a venture built on grit and local insight. We are incredibly proud to see them move from the lab to the real world.”
The launch event, held on May 12, brought together TBC leadership and mentors to celebrate the milestone. Rajen Kandel, Group CEO, emphasized that Trailmapper reflects a shift in the college’s innovation culture.
“Entrepreneurship here is not something you learn from textbooks—it’s the culture we are building,” said Kandel. “Trailmapper is the first of many. It gives me immense confidence to see our students building boldly and solving local problems with global standards.”
Special thanks were also extended to Mr. John Park, whose mentorship helped the student team refine their real-world trekking experience into a practical technology platform.
Trailmapper is the latest success story from the TBC Incubation Centre, which currently supports several other student-led startups in development. As Trailmapper begins its journey to help more people explore safely and confidently, TBC continues to strengthen its position as a hub for the next generation of Nepali innovators.
