Author name: Anupam

आइडिया स्टुडियोले प्रभु बैंकको सहकार्यमा १३ जना महिला टेम्पो चालकलाई एक दिने वित्तीय प्रशिक्षण दिएको छ । बैंक र स्टुडियोले सञ्चालनमा ल्याएको ‘सहयात्रा समृद्धिको’ कर्जा योजनाअन्तर्गत साक्षरता कार्यक्रममा सहभागी महिलालाई वित्तीय प्रशिक्षण, डिजिटल बैंकिङ शिक्षा र वित्तीय व्यवस्थापनको बारेमा जानाकारी दिइएको थियो । यसअघि कम्पनीले प्रभु बैंकसँगको साझेदारीमै १४ डिसेम्बरमा १५ जना महिला चालकलाई आर्थिक साक्षरताबारे प्रशिक्षण दिएको थियो। स्टुडिओले प्रभु बैंकसँग मिलेर ‘सहयात्रा समृद्धिको’ नामक कर्जा परियोजना पनि सञ्चालन गर्दै आइरहेको छ । महिला सफा टेम्पो चालक, स्कूल तथा कलेज शिक्षकहरू र ट्रेकिङ गाइडहरूलाई लक्षित गर्दै उक्त कर्जा परियोजना सञ्चालनमा ल्याएको हो ।

Building University Capacity to Support Business Incubation in Nepal (BUCSBIN), ecosystem champion of Idea Studio Nepal had a virtual closing ceremony on Zoom on December 11, 2020. The event was held to officially close the BUCSBIN project and saw the presence of representatives from Oamk LABs, Idea Studio Nepal, Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSoM), Kings’ College, and Young Innovations. BUCSBIN was initiated in 2017 in Nepal to increase university capacity for developing entrepreneurship education and business incubation programming.  The event highlighted the impact and experience of BUCSBIN project participants. Kimmo Paajanen, Project Officer, BUCSBIN shared, “This has been a great learning experience and process where I became familiar with new perspectives and concept of time. I’ve changed as a person and it has helped me understand the world better.” He added, “In 2017, while on a plane to Kathmandu from Helsinki I could have never imagined what this project might have brought. It has been exciting to see all the perspectives.” A major part of the virtual event was the individual presentations given by BUCSBIN’s partner institutions on its impact and work in different sectors of Nepal. Ulla Maija Seppanen from Oamk LABs shared her experience as a trainer on capacity development. She shared a presentation focussed on learning by doing and experience-sharing by lab masters from KUSoM and Kings’ College. Apart from that, representatives from Idea Studio Nepal, KUSoM, Kings’ College, and Young Innovations each delivered a presentation.  Shradha Pal, Chief Operating Officer at Idea Studio Nepal gave a brief overview of Idea Studio’s lab-based incubation program. She shared, “Throughout Idea Studio’s Season 3 and 4, we have incubated 64 ideators using the lab-based method. Apart from that, we have also been assisting KUSoM to organize various lab-based workshops like Education Lab, Finance Lab, and Industrial Bootcamp.” Dr. Tshering Lama, Chairperson, and Co-Founder at Idea Studio Nepal shared, “The team in Finland have taught us the importance of building trust and respect and investing in relationships. They have also shown us the importance of building an eco-system and making innovation and knowledge accessible to all.” He added, “From Idea Studio Nepal’s side we have been fully committed to embedding lab-based learning in our curriculum for both College and National Idea Hunt.”  A presentation highlighting the impact of BUCSBIN was also showcased which focussed on how the first generation of the lab-based method learners has been implementing the lab-based technique of learning in their respective institutions. H.E. Pertti Anttinen, Ambassador of Finland to Nepal was the guest speaker at the event. He shared, “Higher education institutional co-operation like this is very much valued as it nicely complements what we are doing on a government to government level. This is in terms of the relationship between Finland and Nepal, promoting people to people connection and institution to institution connection. I’ve always felt that BUCSBIN as a project has a lot of young energy and enthusiasm, which is very nice.” Dr. Devi Prasad Bedari, Dean, KUSoM also spoke at the event. He said, “I have seen this project grow since 2017. We met beautiful resource persons from Finland and witnessed friendship, knowledge, and network sharing and growing. We want to appreciate everyone who has helped to increase the capacity of knowledge in our university.” Heidi Fagerholm, President, CEO of Oulu University of Applied Sciences was another guest speaker at the closing ceremony. She shared, “We have been learning to implement the best parts of  Finnish pedagogy in the Nepalese context. Training of the teachers has been a vital part of the project. Like in any good relationship, learning happens in both ways and for the Finnish counterparts, this journey has been an extensive learning experience of South-Asian education, culture, its diversity, traditions, mindsets, and so on.” She commended the cooperation between institutions from two countries and mentioned, “Even though this is the closing ceremony, I am confident that this cooperation will continue in one way or the other in the future.”  The virtual event concluded with closing remarks from Paajanen. All the participants acknowledged that though the BUCSBIN project had come to an end, it’s learning will stay intact, always be relevant and replicated through the effort of all the partners and stakeholders.

With the aim is to uplift financial independence, responsible and practical saving methods, good financial decision-making and money management skills ‘Workshop on Financial Literacy to Women Tempo Drivers’ on December 14, 2020, at the Bank’s head office, Babarmahal was held. This was initiated by Partnership For Prosperity, a Joint Project of Prabhu Bank and Idea Studio Nepal.  Fifteen women Safa tempo drivers were part of the informative session. Financial Literacy booklets and financial literacy curriculum were also distributed to them for future reference. Ten women Safa tempo drivers were also handed over individual QR Codes for their tempos and PPE wrapper to encourage safe financial transactions through digital methods and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The impact of the workshop was evident and the participants shared how this workshop supported them to retain the knowledge. “I always wanted to save money, but due to weak financial condition, I assumed it was not possible. Now through this workshop, I learned that saving even Rs 10 per day can be substantial,” said Shanti Chettri. Another participant mentioned, “I could never fathom the use of digital banking and felt it was not a safe medium, but now I understand how convenient it is to use. From now on I will pay my daily utility bills without stepping out of the house.” Sharmila Khadka. On the other hand, Binda Thapaliya did not know what financial literacy is, but now she understands the importance. “I will make sure that I will also educate my peers about it.”

A four-day Finance Lab titled ‘Finance Lab for Identifying and Catering Financial Issues Amidst COVID-19.’ was organised by Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSoM) in collaboration with Idea Studio Nepal from November 27 to 30, 2020 on Zoom. The finance workshop was conducted by a team of experienced lab masters and saw the participation of professionals who are directly or indirectly handling the finance section of a company. The finance lab highlighted the impact of financial issues faced by business companies because of the pandemic. The participants addressed the problems they were facing financially during the workshop so that its long term impact could be reduced or eradicated. Professionals from educational institutions and businesses (start-ups) from different parts of Nepal took part in the Finance lab. The entire program is a part of Building University Capacity to Support Business Incubation in Nepal (BUCSBIN). The Finance Lab also featured keynote session by well-known business personalities such as Sanjib Subba, CEO at Nepal Electronic Payment Systems (NEPS), and Rajani Thapa, Managing Partner at Creative Touch. The participants shared that the Finance Lab workshop was helpful, interactive and fruitful. They valued the feedbacks sessions, keynote sessions and teamwork experience between fellow participants. 

काठमाडौं । सफलताको शिखरमा पुग्नलाई विगतकोे दुख र पीडाले धेरै साथ दिन्छ । जब, मानिसमा लगनशीलता र धैर्यता हुन्छ, त्यो मान्छे एक दिन अवश्य सफल हुन्छन् । त्यही सफलता प्राप्त गर्ने व्यक्ति हुन्, आइडिया स्टुडियोका अध्यक्ष डा. छिरिङ लामा । सिन्धुपाल्चोक जिल्लाको हेलुम्बु सेर्माथानमा विक्रम सम्वत् २०३८ सालमा जन्मिएका लामा नेपालबाट विश्व आर्थिक मञ्चको योङ ग्लोबल लिडरमा प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने पहिलो व्यक्ति हुन् । हाल सो मञ्चको लिडरको रुपमा ५ जना नेपालीहरुले प्रतिनिधित्व गरिसकेका छन् । उनलाई त्यहाँसम्म पुग्न त्यति सहज भने थिएन । गाउँबाटै एसएलसी उत्तीर्ण गरेका लामाले संघर्षका बीचमा उच्च शिक्षा अध्ययनका लागि यूकेमा जाने अवसर पाए । त्यहाँ उनले धेरै व्यक्तिहरूको साथ र सहयोग लिएर अध्ययन गरेका थिए । ‘मैले पढ्दा धेरैले ५० रुपैयाँदेखि १० लाख रुपैयाँसम्म सहयोग गरेका थिए,’ लामाले भने । त्यति मात्र होइन एक जना बजैले आफ्नै घर बेचेरसमेत  पढ्नका लागि सहयोग गरेको कहिल्यै बिर्सिन सक्दिनँ ।’ आफ्नो अध्ययन, अनुभव र लगनशीलता लामाले आफूसँग मात्र राखेका छैनन् । आफ्नो सोच र अरुको सोचलाई एक ठाउँमा ल्याएर सोचलाई व्यवसाय, पेशा र उद्योगसम्म पु¥याइरहेका छन् । यूकेबाट यसकारण फर्किए यूकेको त्यो हाइफाईलाई छोडेर डा. लामा नेपाली भूमिमै सेवा गर्ने उद्देश्यका साथ फर्किए । उनले चाहेको भए त्यहाँ बस्नलाई कुनै समस्या थिएन । त्यहाँको सुख र सुविधालाई छोडेर किन नेपाल फर्किनु भयो भन्ने जिज्ञासामा लामाले मुस्कुराउँदै भने, ‘म नेपालमै जन्मिएको हुँ ।’ यूकेमा १० वर्ष बसेपछि उनी नेपाल फर्किएका हुन् । ‘यूकेमा बस्दा मेरो जिन्दगी सुख र सुविधामा थियो, तर, मेरो जिन्दगीको भ्यालू के त भन्ने प्रश्न मेरो मनमा धेरै आयो र म नेपाल फर्किए,’ उनले भने । नेपालमा गएर केही नयाँ काम गर्नुपर्छ र म जस्ता दुःख गरेको र गाउँबाट आएर राम्रो ठाउँमा गएर अध्ययन गर्न सक्ने वातावरण मिलोस् भन्ने थियो । ‘अर्को भित्रि इच्छा भनेको मैले पाएको दुःख अरु नेपालीहरूले नपाओस् भन्ने हो,’ उनले भने । किन कि मैले धेरै जनाको सहयोगबाट अध्ययन गरेर अहिले यो स्थानमा आइपुगेको हुँ ।’ लामा भन्छन्, ‘म उहाँहरूको त्यो सहयोग कुनै पनि मूल्य दिएर फर्काउन सक्दिन्, तर नेपालमा गएर केही काम गरेर दुःख पाएका युवाहरूलाई मेरो आइडीया सोचले अघि बढ्न प्रेरणा मिलोस् भन्ने सोच लिएर यहाँ आएको हुँ ।’ आफ्नो बाल्यकाल शारीरिक र मानसिक हिसाबले धेरै दुःख भोग्नुपरेको अनुभव उनको छ । तर, त्यो बेलाको दुःखको कारण अहिले यो स्थानमा आइपुगेको भन्दै गर्व गरिरहेका छन् । ‘म कोहो  र जिन्दगीको यथार्थ के हो भन्न्ने चिनाएको छ,’ लामाले भने । म अहिले जहाँ पुगेको छु, त्यो बाल्यपन नभएको भए पुग्दिन थिए होला, त्यही बाल्यपन, गाउँलेको माया र ममताको कारण म यूकेबाट फर्किएको हुँ ।’ दुःखसँग पौठेजोरी गाउँमा रहँदा मेरो जिन्दगीभन्दा भैंसीको जिन्दगी धेरै राम्रो थियो । एक माना दूध खानका लागि उसलाई घाँस, खोले खुवाएर गोबर सोरेर मात्र म स्कुल जान पाइन्थ्यो, उनले सुनाए । ‘मलाई अहिले पनि याद छ, कक्षा आठको जिल्ला स्तरीय परीक्षा चलिरहेको थियो, म भने त्यही भैंसीलाई घाँस काट्नलाई रुखमा चढिरहेको बेला यसो अरु गाउँका साथीहरूलाई हेरेको उनीहरू गुन्द्रीमा बसेर धमाधम पढिरहेका थिए ।’ मलाई पनि त्यो बेला लाग्थ्यो उनीहरूको जस्तो जिन्दगी कहिले आउला भनेर रुखमै रोएरसमेत बसेको थिए । त्यो बेला स्कुल जाने भनेको घरको काम छल्नका लागि मात्र थियो । कम्तीमा स्कुल समयभरि घरको काम त गर्नुपर्दैन थियो । कहिलेकाहीँ त स्कुल जाँदा सँगै डोको लगेर गइन्थ्यो र १ बजेको टाइममा वनमा घएर खाँस दाउँरा खोजेर ल्याउँथ्येँ । मेरो सपनाभन्दा पनि मेरो आफ्नै यथार्थले गर्दा खेरी जुन ऊर्जा प्रदान गर्छ । जसले गर्दा मलाई बिहानै उठाउँछ । कसले सोचेको थियो र गाउँको सिकर्मीको छोरा पीएचडी गरेर विश्व आर्थिक मञ्चको योग ग्लोबल लिडर हुन्छ भनेर ? मेरो आफ्नो विगतलाई नै हेरेर लाग्छ कि क्षमता सबैसँग छ । मात्र, त्यो क्षमतालाई प्रष्फुटन गराउने ठाउँ बनाइदिन लागिएको हो । उनकै नाममा यूकेमा छात्रवृत्ति सन् २००६ मा यूकेको इन्टरनेसनल स्टुडेन्ट अफ द एयर को अवार्ड पाए । त्यो बेला उनले त्यहाँका प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई समेत भेट्ने अवसर पाए र त्यो अवार्ड प्रधानमन्त्रीकै हातबाट लिएका थिए । अवार्डसँगै केही रकम पाएका थिए । पाएको सो रकम लिएर उनी नेपाल फर्किए । उनी त्यो बेला यूकेमा मास्र्टस गरिरहेका थिए । नेपाल फर्किंदा उनले धेरै सम्मान पाए । तर, उनलाई भने त्यो सम्मान र माया एकदम धेरै बोझ भइरहेको महसुस भइरहेको थियो । जनजातीहरूमा थोरै मात्रामा पढ्ने भएकाले धेरै संघ–संस्थाले उनलाई सम्मान गरियो । त्यो सम्मानका विषयहरू विभिन्न सञ्चार माध्यमहरूमा आयो । उनले पाएको ती सबै सम्मानहरू र समाचारहरू लिएर यूकेमा(जहाँ अध्ययन गरिरहेका थिए)त्यही युनिभर्सिटीमा लगेर बुझाए । ‘मलाई त्यो सम्मान लिन गाह्रो भइरहे पनि त्यो युनिभर्सिटीका लागि ठूलो प्रचार थियो उनले भने, त्यही सम्मानको समाचारको माध्यमबाट निःशुल्क मार्केटिङ भइरहेको थियो ।’ उनले पाएको सम्मान प्रतियुनिभर्सिटी पनि खुसी भयो र उनलाई सोधेका थिए कि हामी तिमीलाई के गर्न सक्छौं ? उनले त्यो बेला युनिभर्सिटीलाई भने, जो नेपाली आउँछ उहाँहरूलाई ५० प्रतिशत छुट दिनुपर्छ । उनको यो प्रस्तावपछि युनिभर्सिटीले त्यसका लागि छनौटको प्रक्रिया के त भनेर सोध्दा नेपाली हुनुपर्छ भने । यदि ५० प्रतिशत छुट पायो भने एउटा विद्यार्थीहरूले ऋण लिएर पनि ५० प्रतिशत रकम तिर्न सक्छन् नि । उनको प्रस्तावमा युनिभर्सिटीले सहमति जनायो । यूकेमा नेपाल बाहेक भारत, पाकिस्तान, बंगलादेश लगायतका विद्यार्थीहरूले छात्रवृत्ति पाइरहेका थिए । किन कि नेपालले यूकेमा अध्ययनका लागि जाने विद्यार्थीहरू धेरै कम छन् । ‘मलाई पहिला लाग्थ्यो कि नेपाल छुटेको होला, तर त्यस्तो होइन रै’छ,’ उनले भने । ‘म जुन बेला झसङ्ग भए कि युनिभर्सिटीबाट फोन गरेर तिम्रै नामबाट छात्रवृत्ति राख्ने भएका छौं भन्ने सुनेपछि, किनकी म कुनै दुर्घटनामा परेको पनि थिइन र म कुनै समाजसेवी पनि थिइन, त्यो बेला मैले पत्याउन सकिरहेको थिइन, उनले विगत सम्झदै भने । ‘जब, मेरो नाममा युनिभर्सिटीले पत्र पठाएर वार्षिक २० जना नेपाली विद्यार्थीलाई कुनै पनि विद्यामा मास्र्टस र पीएचडी गर्न सक्ने छन् भन्ने देखेपछि त्यो बेला खुसीको सीमा रहेन ।’ उनीहरूले त्यो छात्रवृत्ति २००६ देखि १३ सम्म निरन्तर गरे । मेरै नामको छात्रवृत्तिबाट धेरै साथीहरूले पढ्न पाए । धेरैले पीएचडी गरेर नेपालमै फर्किएका पनि छन् । यसरी जन्मियो आइडिया स्टुडियो छिरिङले गाउँघरमा जाँदा धेरै सुनेको कुरा भनेको, हामीसँग पनि आइडिया छ, तर कसले सुन्छ र ? हाम्रो को नै छ र भन्ने थियो । उनले सुनेको त्यो कुराले धेरै अघिबाट उनको मनमा यस्ता आइडियाहरूलाई संकलन गरी केही सहयोग गर्नुपर्छ भन्ने लागिरहेको थियो ।  कुनै पनि काम गर्नलाई कसै न कसैलाई सोच्नुपर्छ । कोही न कोहीले नयाँ आइडिया निकाल्नुनै पर्छ । थोरै लगानीमा राम्रो काम गर्न सकोस् र उद्यमी बनेर स्वरोजगार बन्न सकून्

Three winning ideas of College Idea Hunt 2020, Team Vermi, Black Soldier Fly and Body Love Nepal were handed over cash prize of Rs 1, 00,000 at an event held at Idea Studio Nepal Office, Balkumari on October 23, 2020. The winners were selected out of top 10 shortlisted ideas at the grand finale event of College Idea Hunt 2020 ‘I HAVE AN IDEA’ held virtually on zoom. The three winners also received direct entry to Idea Studio Season 5 incubation programme and television show. Dr. Tshering Lama, Executive Chairperson and Co-founder at Idea Studio Nepal handed over the cash prize to the three winning ideas. The event also saw the virtual presence of Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung, Country Representative WWF Nepal, Eco-Impact partner of Idea Studio Nepal. The event was attended by Idea Studio Nepal staff members along with representatives of Team Vermi, Black Soldier Fly and Body Love Nepal. At the event, Dr. Lama admired the three winner’s work and enthusiasm  and expressed, “It is wonderful to see the dedication and passion of the winners in the work they’re doing. This is just the beginning of the entrepreneurship journey for the winning ideas. We are looking forward to having them at the national level incubation and observe their growth.”     Similarly Dr. Gurung also delivered words of encouragement to the winners and congratulated them and shared, “All three of the winners are in good hands at Idea Studio Nepal. The cash prize will add a spark to your works while you continue to grow your ideas.” He further added, “At a time when youths are going abroad you are doing something in your own country. While many have ideas, they have not been able to find the right business connection. You have found the right place to grow your ideas.” During the programme, representatives of the three winning teams also shared their future plans, business challenges and ideas with Idea Studio Nepal. As per Hridendra Raj Joshi, Co-founder at Black Soldier Fly his team plans to invest the amount received to build a rearing unit structure for the black soldier fly. Similarly,Team Vermi is planning to invest the cash prize to buy screening machines used to extract vermi compost and manure test-kits. Reshma Kansakar, Founder at Body Love Nepal shared that she will be spending the received amount on improving Body Love Nepal’s product packagings and completing the registration process.

Prabhu Bank Ltd. and Idea Studio Nepal have officially launched the jointly initiated project ‘सहयात्रा समृद्धिको-Partnership for Prosperity’ by handing over Rs 1,00,000 to ten female Safa tempo drivers on September 22, 2020.The relief loan scheme for economic recovery is aimed at supporting female safa tempo drivers and school/college teachers to help them manage their lives and resume their ongoing businesses amid Covid-19 pandemic. The project took into action after Prabhu Bank and Idea Studio Nepal signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Prabhu Bank Head Office, Babarmahal on August 19, 2020. Dr. Tshering Lama, Founder and Executive Chairperson, Idea Studio Nepal mentioned,“सहयात्रा समृद्धिको – Partnership for Prosperity, loan scheme is to restore human dignity. It focuses on creating financial management and discipline for a lifetime. Financial literacy is incorporated in the loan process so that the client has access to knowledge and skills to manage personal finances, making them self-reliant.” “The COVID crisis has made a lot of us realize our financial unpreparedness, so this loan scheme is a good opportunity for people to be well equipped with financial knowledge and skills,” he further added. Similarly Ashok Sherchan, CEO, Prabhu Bank Ltd shared, “Considering the ongoing economic crisis, Prabhu Bank in association with Idea Studio Nepal aims to support women safa tempo drivers and school/college teachers from Kathmandu valley, providing them loan at a minimal interest rate.” According to Ram Prasad Ghimire, Manager at Nepal Safa Pariwan Sangh, there are more than 200 female tempo drivers in Kathmandu valley, a majority of whom are struggling to run their families.Similarly, schools and colleges have also been closed since March and many private schools have been unable to pay salaries to their teachers, citing government instruction to not charge any fee to school children after closure of schools and colleges. Institutional School Teachers Union (ISTU) Chairperson Hom Kumar Thapa informs that over 300 teachers of private schools across Nepal have lost their jobs during four months of lockdown in the country between March 24 to July 22,2020. The relief loan scheme will provide Rs 4,00,000 loan to teachers who are in difficult economic situations.

प्रभु बैंकले ‘सहयात्रा समृद्धिको’ कर्जा याेजना संचालनमा ल्याएको छ । नेपाल राष्ट्र बैँक, सहुलियतपूर्ण कर्जाका लागि ब्याज अनुदानसम्बन्धी एकीकृत कार्यविधि, २०७५ अन्तर्गत आइडिया स्टुडियो नेपाल सँगको सहकार्यमा बैंकले यो कर्जा ल्याएको हो । यस कर्जा योजनाअन्तर्गत पहिलो चरणमा बैंकले काठमाडाैँ उपत्यकाभित्रका महिला सफा टेम्पो चालकहरूलाई अधिकतम १ लाख रुपैयाँ र विद्यालय शिक्षकलाई अधिकतम ४ लाख रुपैयाँसम्म कर्जा सुविधा सरल र सहज रूपमा प्रदान गर्नेछ । कोभिड–१९ ले प्रभावित साना उद्यमी तथा व्यवसायी, स्वरोजगार उद्यमी, शिक्षित बेरोजगार युवा, विदेशबाट फर्केका बेरोजगार युवा, परम्परागत पेसा र व्यवसायमा संलग्न उद्यमीहरूको आर्थिक कठिनाइलाई व्यवस्थापन गर्न र व्यवसायलाई सुचारु गर्न यो कर्जा याेजना ल्याइएको बैंकले जनाएको छ । यस्तै, आज कर्जा योजना शुभारम्भको अवसरमा काठमाडौं उपत्यकाभित्रका १० जना महिला सफा टेम्पो चालकहरूलाई कर्जा प्रमाणपत्रसमेत हस्तान्तरण गरिएको बैंकले जनाएको छ । यो कर्जा योजना तोकिएका अन्य पेसा, उद्यम र व्यवसाय साथै काठमाडौं उपत्यकाबाहिर पनि क्रमश: लागू हुने बैंकका नायव प्रमुख कार्यकारी अधिकृत मणिराम पोखरेलले जानकारी दिए ।

A four day Education Lab titled ‘Education Lab for Identification and Efficacy of Alternative form of Teaching Learning Amidst Covid-19’ was organised by Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSoM) in collaboration with Idea Studio Nepal from September 17 to 20, 2020 on Zoom. The Education Lab was conducted by a team of experienced lab masters, who also are professors in KUSoM, to identify problems in the education sector amidst COVID-19. The education lab was organised for teachers from all over Nepal who identified problems in the education sector. It was conducted as per the lab based model designed by Building University Capacity to Support Business Incubation in Nepal (BUCSBIN) to come up with implementable and effective solutions for academicians. The multidisciplinary team of participants looked at the problem from different view-points. The participants of the education lab prioritised the problems on the basis of immediate, medium and long term attention and produced road maps for the ways to mitigate or attenuate the problems. The Education Lab also featured a keynote session on online teaching pedagogy by Professor Laxman Gnawali, Associate Dean, Kathmandu University School of Education which was appreciated by the participants. The participants shared that the sessions were interactive, and fruitful. They also appreciated the group work between the teachers and feedback from the Education Lab masters, education experts and fellow participants.

Idea Studio Nepal conducted College Idea Hunt 2020 as part of its annual programme. With the objective of encouraging young minds to come up with innovative solutions to existing problems, College Hunt 2020 was hosted online due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Application for College Idea Hunt 2020 was opened on June 22 to July 25, 2020 and the programme was promoted through different platforms for maximum reach. Shristi KC from WWF Nepal, Idea Studio’s Eco Impact partner also gave a webinar on Greenovation via Zoom as a part of the promotional campaign on July 2, 2020. College Idea Hunt 2020 received 200 applications from 114 colleges across Nepal. Fifteen ideators were shortlisted for the next round. Following the shortlisting, 3-day online workshop on Business Concept Development for Impact was held on ZOOM from August 5 to 7, 2020. It was conducted by seven lab masters from Building University Capacity to Support Business Incubation in Nepal (BUCSBIN) and Kathmandu School of Management (KUSoM) team led by Assistant Professor. Sunanda Sharma. On the final day of the workshop, ideators presented their refined business and the final Top 10 was selected ideas for the grand finale. The top 10 shortlisted ideators presented their final idea pitch during the grand finale ‘I Have An Idea’ event. The grand finale was held online on ZOOM and live-streamed on Facebook on August 15, 2020 and hosted by Malvika Subba, Media Personality and Board of Idea Studio Nepal. The final pitch determined the final Top 3 ideas for the year. The chief guest at the event was Mr. Vikas Pota, Global leader contributing to the importance of education and keynote speaker was Dr. Ghana Shyam Gurung, Country Representative, WWF Nepal. The judges for the final evaluation were Sanjib Subba, CEO Nepal Electronic Payment System (NEPS), Shrinkhala Khatiwada, Miss Nepal World 2018, and Ravi Pratap Singh, Senior Director Operations, WWF Nepal. The top 3 business ideas of College Idea Hunt 2020 were selected after the final pitch. Hridendra Raj Joshi, Bibita Raut and Sushma Thapa Magar (Black soldier fly larvae for the production of poultry feed), Reshma Kansakar, Rishav Shrestha, Anjeela Tuladhar (Body Love Nepal) and Hemant Raj Awasthi, Gayatri Bhandari, Priya Shahi, Gopi Chataut, Rekha Badu and Archana Chand (Team Vermi) were announced the Top 3 business ideas and won Rs. 100,000 cash prize each and direct entry to Idea Studio Season 5 incubation programme and television show.