ISN and WWF Nepal Collaborate for green

In June 2019 Idea Studio Nepal and WWF Nepal came together to create history. The intent of the collaboration is to use the knowledge, resources and networks of both organisations efficiently and effectively encourage green innovation and sustainable business in Nepal in order to contribute to sustainable development in the country. It is essential to create a platform to promote green businesses in Nepal as it is rare. This initiative will help influence and bring change at the policy level when the green businesses will flourish and it gradually will create an ecosystem. Also co-create curriculum and research in the field of green innovation, financing and investmentment will only enhance the system.

Launch of entrepreneurship curriculum

The curriculum was launched in Season 3 and it was developed to learn better entrepreneurial skills and business knowledge. There are two parts of the curriculum, one was developed in partnership with Oulu University of Applied Sciences- Oamk, Finland, and Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSoM) called i-lad studio model which is based on intensive experiential lab based learning and human centric design thinking. Another is called i-venture creation developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

College Idea Hunt winners

Since Season 1 College Idea Hunt has been effective to identify innovative business ideas that has the potential to be launched as a start up business in around 300 business schools. The intention is to promote innovative thinking and entrepreneurship among the students and provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to refine business idea and give it a shape. Owing to this Idea Studio Nepal’s (ISN) endeavour was to encourage such entrepreneurs and finally in Season 3 ISN was able to recognise three innovative  ideas selected from College Idea Hunt as first, second, and third position. Each winner received a cash prize of NRs 1,00,000, NRs 75,000, and NRs 50,000 respectively.

Season 3 Gala event was a hit

Ideastudio Season 3 Gala Event was held on March 24, 2019 at Hotel Yak and Yeti (Durbar hall). Idea Studio completed three seasons successfully and it helped foster social entrepreneurs and ignite social change in Nepal.The approach is based on core values: social innovation, investment, knowledge creation, social justice and promoting human dignity.   Incubation period for Season 3 with 30 finalists commenced from September 28, 2018 onwards. It lasted for a month. From thereon ideators did not look back because they constantly learnt from the mentors. With the end of airing the last episode of Season 3 we wanted to gather to witness the growth of these social entrepreneurs at the Gala Event.    Idea Studio Nepalis a not-for-profit company that provides encouragement, resources, space, and network to the entire ecosystem for socially conscious business ideas of Nepal. The approach is based on Social Innovation, Investment, Social Justice, Knowledge Creation,and to promote Human Dignity. Idea Studio works in close collaboration with academic institutions like Kathmandu University, nine commercial banks, Confederation of Nepalese Industries, the Government of Nepal, media houses and many institutions to foster entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal. Idea Studio is also a popular reality television show, broadcast from the two national televisions of Nepal. Idea Studio runs the ‘College Idea Hunt’ to encourage entrepreneurship amongst students. And ‘Idea Talk’ is another channel through which successful entrepreneurs share their stories giving valuable lessons to aspiring youths and academicians. We are constantly exploring and creating the best platform for the start-ups, scale-ups and for the link up for the innovative ideas and businesses.    The event commenced with emcee of the event, Malvika Subba, welcoming everyone and with Anil Basnet, CEO of Metrotarkari.com and former ideator speech on biggest challenges while growing his business, its initial and present turnover, and three lessons learnt while scaling the start up. Metrotarkari’s business model is to become the sole agent to transfer goods from farmers to consumers. Due to single commission they are able to reduce up to 60 per cent margin levied on goods. The initial turnover was around Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 a month and within four years of operations the company has grown by 600 to 700 per cent.   Followed by this Sumitra Poudel gave an inspirational speech on her incredible journey as a garment manufacturing entrepreneur. Under the mentorship of Idea Studio she made her business plan in Season 2 and registered her company Sunsari Collection Pvt Ltd. Poudel’s never give up attitude led her to where she is today. However, it has not been easy. She says it is 75 per cent more difficult for women to establish their business compared to men, because women have additional burden of unpaid care work. This doesn’t deter her from achieving her goal of being a successful entrepreneur. Apart from her work she aspires to write due to her interest in literature and at the age of 58 she completed her +2. Her mantra is one should move forward no matter what and age should never be a barrier to achieving anything in life.    It was a learning experience for those present at the event. Panel discussion from Season 1, 2, and 3 shared their leanings on establishing a startup business idea to utilise the under-utilised resource of maintenance workforce, finance as an important aspect for any enterprise to function, and on scaling up the business. Keynote speakers and also business gurus – CEO of National Banking Institute, Sanjib Subba, and Veteran Comedian/ActorMadan Krishna Shrestha boosted their confidence to move forward with their vision and dreams. The event continued with various announcements on Idea Studio Season 3 ‘I have an Idea’ event winners. After the welcome speech by Dr Tshering Lama, Executive Chairperson, Co-founder of Idea Studio he welcomed three new board members and introduced new international board of advisors of Idea Studio. Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) and Meeting Point were also welcomed as institutional members of Idea Studio. Along with this Co Founder of Idea Studio and Assistant Professor of KUSOM Rupesh Krishna Shrestha launched Idea Studio entrepreneurship curriculum.     The event neared with end with Pema Lama’s live performance on his new release Dherai Dheria Maya. The song left everyone smiling and mesmerised. The event concluded on a high note with announcement of three winners of seed investments who were presented with Rs 5,00,000 each and thank you note by Rupesh.

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Idea Studio Launches its New Business Incubation Centre in Nepal

Sep 20, 2014 Idea Studio inaugurated the first-of-its kind business incubation centre at the Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) recently.The centre provides a platform for innovators and experts from academia, the private, technical and development sectors, to work together to transform innovative ideas from Nepali citizens across the world into socially-conscious successful businesses. Idea Studio is the joint initiative of UNICEF, Kathmandu University, Childreach Nepal and Meeting Point. It is an innovative concept in its own right which includes a competitive search for new ideas with the nurturing acumen of professional business experts. “The hope, aspirations, and entrepreneurship that the Idea Studio can generate, along with solutions to the development challenges the country currently faces, we believe, will encourage more young Nepalis to stay and invest their skills and ideas in their own country,” said Mr. Tomoo Hozumi,UNICEF Representative to Nepal. “This venture may well be considered a benchmark helping to shape a truly new Nepal.” Beginning August 2014, Idea Studio launched a competition which resulted in applications from more than 600 Nepali citizens worldwide with a range of ideas in the field of agriculture, education, information technology and tourism. A total of 35 of the most creative business ideas were selected for mentorship at the incubation centre. “The state-of-the-art incubation centre provides participants with theoretical and technical business skills that help them develop their models into reality,” said Mr. Rupesh Krishna Shrestha, Assistant Professor at KUSOM. “Professors from KUSOM will provide participants knowledge on finance, marketing, business development. Such skills will enable participants to pitch their ideas to potential investors.” “To further enhance the appeal of the Idea Studio initiative, the selected innovators will go on to present their innovative ideas to business leaders in a nationally televised reality show. Ideas that are chosen for investment from business leaders and financial institutions on the television show will be further developed and nurtured towards successful implementation,” said a press release issued by Seetashma Thapa, External Relations Manager, Childreach Nepal.

Second Nepal Infrastructure Summit in February

Kathmandu, December 21 With an aim to give momentum to sluggish infrastructure growth of the country, Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has announced it is organising Second Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2017 in the Capital on February 19 and 20. CNI had organised similar summit in the Capital in November of 2014. Railway Minister India Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has consented to attend the summit as guest of honour, according to CNI. Second in the series, Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2017 aims to attract large-scale private investment in areas of Nepal’s core needs and strengths, CNI officials said during a press conference held today. “As a result of infrastructure deficit, industrial and other sectors in Nepal are lagging far behind compared to other countries,” said Hari Bhakta Sharma, president of CNI, adding that infrastructure summit not only targets to draw big investment in infrastructure sector, but also forge stronger network and alliance in South Asia for seamless connectivity. According to CNI, the summit will also focus on strategic vision of infrastructure, value proposition, competitiveness and policies, particularly in land acquisition and also consolidate and build upon the achievements of the first Nepal Infrastructure Summit. With an aim to draw more than 500 domestic and foreign investors, CNI will showcase the project bank developed by Investment Board Nepal (IBN) to investors that comprises 50 viable infrastructure projects. The summit will also present and explore different barriers and constraints in attracting private and public investment, ways to expedite public-private partnership (PPP) model in investment and financing issues in infrastructure. Informing infrastructure has been the biggest bottleneck for development of other sectors, Sharma said huge investment in infrastructure is required for Nepal’s target to become a middle-income nation by 2030 and graduate out of status of least developed country by 2022. “This would be possible with high growth rates sustained by productive capital formation, which is possible through active participation of private sector in development activities.” As per CNI, the summit will gather potential investors as well as consulting partners, legislators, diplomats, thought leaders, consulting service providers, development partners, among others. CNI has also announced it would gather ideas related to infrastructure development from different sectors of the community in collaboration with Idea Studio to address existing infrastructure deficit and project future needs for country’s development. A version of this article appears in print on December 22, 2016 of The Himalayan Times. https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/second-nepal-infrastructure-summit-february/

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CNI to promote public’s infra development ideas in summit

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE Kathmandu, February 15 Along with the project bank developed by Investment Board Nepal (IBN) comprising 50 viable infrastructure projects, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) is also promoting among investors 10 different ideas gathered from the general public during the Nepal Infrastructure Summit, which is scheduled for Sunday and Monday next week. CNI had highlighted these 10 ideas to Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature-Parliament today. Such ideas include developing Rara Lake as a tourism hub by constructing needful infrastructure, connecting different parts of Himalayan districts via ropeways, developing monorail in the capital, developing the Great Himalaya Trail as one of best trekking routes, promoting sustainable farming through the use of information and technology (IT), and introducing different means of mass transportation in the capital and other cities, among others. The CNI had launched a campaign entitled ‘Infrastructure Idea Hunt’ in collaboration with Idea Studio Nepal with an objective to increase public’s participation in identifying problems in the tepid infrastructural development of Nepal and solutions to address infrastructure deficits in the country. CNI also informed that top three ideas out of the 10 ideas gathered will be awarded during the summit. “Lack of enough investment in the country’s infrastructure sector is the major setback for infrastructure development in Nepal. The annual budget allocated by the government for the development of infrastructure is not enough,” said Bishnu Agrawal, vice-president of CNI, adding that the private sector should be welcomed in infrastructural development process of the country to ensure that Nepal develops good infrastructure.

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