
Can Nepali youth really build startups or are we still stuck in the same cycle?
In this episode, we sit down with Niraj Khanal, an ecosystem enabler, startup mentor, and investor, to break down the reality of building startups in Nepal from the ground up.
From incubation to angel investment, this conversation explores how Nepal’s startup ecosystem is evolving, what’s still broken, and what founders need to understand before they start.
We talk about why most first-time founders struggle, the truth about funding and traction, and how mindset, not just money, determines whether a startup survives.
This episode also challenges common startup myths in Nepal from “investor bina startup hudaina” to the belief that ideas alone are enough.
More importantly, it highlights something deeper
why youth struggle to build, how environment shapes ambition, and what needs to change if Nepal wants more job creators instead of job seekers.
If you’re a student, founder, or someone thinking about building in Nepal, this conversation will give you clarity on what it actually takes.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:12 PEVC growth and regulation in Nepal
05:03 First-time founders reality
07:13 Same problems from 2012 to 2026
09:46 Weak foundation of Nepal’s business ecosystem
13:08 What incubation actually does
17:24 Family-funded business culture
22:39 Investment thesis and decision making
27:45 Investors acting like bosses
30:44 India’s angel investor ecosystem
34:52 How founders actually make money
36:55 Diaspora interest in investing
43:38 Government’s role in ecosystem building
49:48 Core problem: coachability and mindset
01:01:34 Are parents holding youth back?
01:13:25 Why investors avoid certain founders
01:16:19 Youth seeing new possibilities
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🎤 Host: Anup Ghimire
Founder of The Doers
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👥 Guest
Niraj Khanal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niraj-khanal-a980493b/
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