KATHMANDU, April 24: The government is organizing 'Startup Summit' in June aiming to facilitate the growth of startup ecosystem in Nepal.
Organizing a press meet in Singha Durbar on Sunday, the Ministry of Industry (MoI) said that the summit aims to bring nearly 300 aspiring entrepreneurs from across the country along with the stakeholders of the entrepreneurship and startup including the policy makers, entrepreneurs, financiers, educators, students and foreign investors under one roof.
Speaking at the press meet, Minister for Industry Nabindra Raj Joshi said that the two-day summit, which begins on June 7, will also demonstrate that the government was serious about pursuing entrepreneurship through startups as an agenda of economic development and employment generation.
Joshi said that the summit will also provide policy input to the government on facilitating and sustaining startup ecosystem which is still at nascent stage.
An 11-member National Startup Committee has been formed to provide policy advisory and guidance services to the government. Minister Joshi said that the government, through the summit, also expects to lay a foundation for proper growth of startup culture in Nepal, by harnessing things happening both within and outside of the government.
He also said that the startup growth in the country will also help the ministry's target to create employment opportunities for all youths within 10 years so that nobody needs to go abroad for foreign employment.
“At a time when the world is seeing rapid growth of startups, we should not lag behind on tapping the entrepreneurship ideas of youths for economic development and creation of employment opportunities,” he added.
Joshi also said that the promotion of startup will also help in the realization of letter of intent for investment worth US$ 13.52 billion made in the recently held Nepal Investment Summit. “The event will bring different stakeholders for wider discussion and deliberation on opportunity, challenges and environmental aspects of startup ecosystem in Nepal,” the minister added.
Also speaking at the press meet, Narottam Aryal, the coordinator of National Startup Committee, said that the government wants to promote startups also to utilize technological know-how and skills that many migrant workers bring once they return from abroad.
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