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Second ‘Nabil Nari Udhyami Seed Camp’ focuses on women entrepreneurs
Teams will undergo a thorough selection process and a bootcamp before presenting to investors.Krishana Prasain
Udhyami Innovations, a platform of start-ups, has launched the second edition of ‘Nabil Nari Udhyami Seed Camp,’ a programme that targets to uplift women-led start-ups.
The programme targets to promote innovative women-led ideas by offering the aspirants with a platform to materialise the business ideas. It also helps potential women entrepreneurs who are reluctant to come forth due to number of challenges that they might face in society.
Finding buyers and growing a business are the major challenges facing young women entrepreneurs in particular. Investors rarely believe in women entrepreneurs and often seek the involvement of a male founder in the business.
Prabha Timilsina, programme coordinator at Udhyami Innovations said they came up with the second edition following the success of the first phase programme in 2017. “The major objective of the programme is to encourage women entrepreneurs to start their own businesses,” said Timilsina.
Interested candidates with innovative business ideas that address the market demand and create an impact in the country’s start-up ecosystem can apply for the programme, said the company. A team of two to four with at least one female member in the team is eligible for participation. “The ideas that the aspirants float will be refined and validated after a series of review processes. Any start-ups with preliminary knowledge can apply for the programme,” said Timilsina.
The applicants will undergo a thorough selection process and will have to sit for a six day bootcamp. The selected teams will be charged Rs5,000 per head to participate in the bootcamp. “We have a designated curriculum that includes business models, business development and marketing, business strategy, research, and development to refine the ideas of start-ups,” said Timilsina. During bootcamp, the organisation will offer over 40 mentors to guide the start-ups which will help the participants refine their ideas. It also provides follow up sessions to sharpen their business ideas. After completion of the bootcamp and the follow up sessions, the applicants will pitch their ideas before potential investors who could inject money into their startups.
According to Start-ups Nepal, a community of startups in Nepal, only 5 percent of the 200 startups listed in their database have women co-founders till the date.
According to Udhyami Innovations, the first edition of women Udhyami Seed Camp selected 12 start-ups out of which five start-ups have already started their businesses. Of the participants in the first phase programme, Sajilo Marmat Sewa and Foodmario, among others, have already come online while Pure Joy, a wine manufacturer, is in the process of launching its product.
Udhyami Innovation has been organising Udhyami Seed Camp, tech-based businesses related to the sectors such as tourism, agriculture, education, health and services, among others. Aspirant start-ups can apply for the second phase programme by June 9.