King’s College & RBB host demo day for Othāro incubation program’s 2nd cohort

KATHMANDU: King’s College, in collaboration with Rastriya Banijya Bank Limited, proudly hosted the Demo Day for the second cohort of Othāro, a six-month-long incubation program, on March 29, 2024.

The 6 month long incubation program encapsulates continuous immersive learning workshops, coaching, business model iterations, gap-based mentoring, and sector-specific access to finance, networking, and investors, ultimately equipping the startups with the necessary business models and plan to support future scaling and acceleration.

The Demo Day marked the culmination of a collaborative journey for selected entrepreneurs and their ventures.

During the event, startups had the opportunity to showcase their products through stalls and present their business models to potential investors and a distinguished judging panel.

This panel included esteemed personalities from the entrepreneurial ecosystem such as Prashant Shrestha, CEO of Young Innovation Pvt. Ltd., Nikita Acharya, Co-founder of UG Cakes, and Binay Devkota, President of Investment Circle.

Eight innovative startups presented their ventures, covering diverse sectors such as fashion, technology, hospitality, and more. The participating startups were Baliyo Ventures, Coco Maya, Guilt-Free Treats, Glampout, Motorsewa, Maidaan, Tuuntaoire, and Yaki Wears.

The Demo Day commenced with a vibrant showcase of stalls featuring a range of products and services. Following this, each startup pitched their unique offerings to the audience and judges.

Highlights included Ms. Sujana Shakya showcasing Coco Maya, a marketplace featuring stylish and comfortable Nepali dog clothes. Ms. Dipawoli introduced Baliyo Ventures’ Sarathi robot, an intuitive AI platform aimed at streamlining interactions with local ward services. Mr. Sudarshan Siwakoti presented Motor Sewa, a platform providing expert auto repair services directly to customers’ doorsteps in Nepal. Mr. Manish unveiled Glampout, a premium luxury camping experience. Mr. Bisharad Thapa introduced Guilt-Free Treats, a venture specializing in healthy and fitness-oriented sweet treats. Lastly, Ms. Radha showcased Yaki Wear, a brand known for its comfortable printed apparel.

These startups not only sought financial investments but also expressed their need for strategic guidance, advisory support and long-term mentorship to scale their businesses effectively.

The Demo Day concluded on a positive note, with an enthusiastic audience of over 60 individuals, affirming the potential and dynamism of Nepal’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Othāro incubation team is now geared up to assist a new cohort of startups.