NICCI hosts Nepal-India Startup Sambad as nine Nepali startups secure Indian investment offers

KATHMANDU: Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) hosted the Nepal-India Startup Sambad in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The event celebrated the completion of the inaugural cohort of the India-Nepal Startup Partnership Network (IN-SPAN) and announced that nine participating startups had secured exclusive investment and incubation offers from leading Indian platforms.

The event marked the culmination of IN-SPAN, a flagship initiative facilitated by IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation (IIT Madras) with support from the Indian Embassy in Nepal. Under the programme, 24 Nepali startups took part in an intensive eight-week residency within the IIT Madras innovation ecosystem, gaining access to advanced mentorship, technological guidance and market exposure.

In his welcome address, NICCI President Sunil KC reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to placing innovation and entrepreneurship at the centre of Nepal-India economic engagement and emphasised that cross-border startup partnerships are essential to enhancing regional competitiveness and driving youth-led economic growth.

Highlighting NICCI’s growing role in the innovation space, Vice-President Kunal Kayal said the next phase of Nepal-India economic relations must be driven by the private sector and powered by innovation. “To institutionalise this momentum, our committee is spearheading the establishment of a Startup Innovation Centre, which will serve as an epicentre connecting all ecosystem stakeholders,” he added.

Er Umesh Kumar Gupta, Executive Director of the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI) Nepal, delivered guest remarks stressing the importance of institutional support, policy alignment and capacity-building initiatives in nurturing startups into globally competitive enterprises.

Participants described their experiences in high‑end laboratories, investor engagement opportunities, product refinement support and exposure to global best practice at IIT Madras, with many saying the residency was a turning point that helped them move from early‑stage development to market‑ready innovation.

Applauding the cohort, NICCI Vice-President Gaurav Tayal described the participating entrepreneurs as “the living bridges of this partnership,” underscoring their role in strengthening innovation ties between Nepal and India.

NICCI reiterated that the Nepal–India Startup Sambad forms part of a broader effort to build a sustainable industry–academia–government collaboration framework to support startups through policy advocacy, cross-border partnerships and improved access to capital and technology. The initiative aims to accelerate knowledge transfer, promote regional market integration and position Nepal as an emerging hub for technology-driven enterprise.

The event convened policymakers, innovation leaders, media representatives and emerging startup founders, and was hailed as an important milestone in cross-border entrepreneurial collaboration.