Eleven dedicated teams competed for the prestigious title of champion at the Hult Prize at IOE, Pulchowk Campus. The Grand Finals, held at Yellow Pagoda, Kanti Path, brought together Nepal’s brightest student entrepreneurs in a showcase of innovation and social impact.
Dubbed the “Nobel Prize for Students,” the Hult Prize is a global competition challenging young minds to create sustainable business solutions for pressing social issues. This year’s theme, “UNLIMITED,” inspired participants to present groundbreaking ideas with the potential to drive positive change.
The event commenced at 11:00 a.m., with Miss Saisha Shrestha, Outreach Manager, and Mr. Nipurna Shrestha, PR and Media Manager, guiding the proceedings. The program began with the national anthem, followed by the lighting of the panas by an esteemed guest. The hosts acknowledged key sponsors, including Naammche as the title sponsor and UBA Solutions as the Platinum Sponsor, alongside other in-kind, gifting, hosting, food, and general sponsors.
The judges were welcomed with traditional Khada and bouquets. Campus Director Miss Riyaj Nepal delivered an inspiring welcome speech, officially starting the pitching session. The Pulchowk Dance Club performed a Newari welcome dance, adding cultural vibrancy to the event.
The panel of esteemed judges included:
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Surya Karki – Director & Co-Founder of United World Schools Nepal, renowned for contributions to education and sustainability.
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Sujit Pathak – Managing Director of Veda, a leading digital education platform.
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Rita Pokharel – Business Development Lead for inDrive in South Asia, with expertise in SaaS sales and CRM solutions.
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Ramesh Pathak – Co-Founder and CEO of Naamche, an expert in AI-powered product development.
Mr. Ramesh Pathak motivated the participants with a brief address before the pitches began. Each team had four minutes to present their ideas, followed by a four-minute Q&A session with the judges. The panel assessed teams based on key performance indicators, business model evaluation, and market testing.
The 11 competing teams were:
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Pragatisheel Power Optimizers
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Wheytogo
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Creovative
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Indriya
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LipSync
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Invasive Engineers
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Swasthya AI
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Ankur
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CloseAI
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FarmEasy
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Nirwatshodak
The competition covered diverse sectors such as renewable energy, health tech, AI-driven solutions, and sustainable agriculture. The participants’ compelling pitches and interactive Q&A sessions captivated the judges and audience alike.
Manakamana Beverages provided beverages, and after the first five pitches, a 30-minute lunch break was held. Following the break, Mr. Nipurna Shrestha resumed hosting duties. Upon completing all presentations, each team received participation certificates and keychains from Hesse Creations, as well as Lakhamari from Kasthamandap Khadya Udhyog.
The much-anticipated award ceremony followed the score tally. Campus Director Miss Riyaj Nepal returned to announce the winners:
- Champion: Team Nirwatshodak – Cash prize of NPR 20,000, medals, an award, certificates, bouquets, gift vouchers, headphones from Mudita Store, hampers from Ralycos Nepal, and tote bags.
- First Runner-Up: Team Ankur – Cash prize of NPR 10,000, medals, certificates, bouquets, gift vouchers, gaming mice from Mudita Store, hampers from Ralycos Nepal, and tote bags.
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Second Runner-Up: Team Invasive Engineers – Cash prize of NPR 5,000, medals, certificates, bouquets, gift vouchers, hampers from Ralycos Nepal, pen drives from Mudita Store, and tote bags.
As a token of appreciation, the judges received handcrafted wooden tokens from CNC Kasthakala Nepal, plants from The Plant Room Nepal, Lakhamari from Kasthamandap Khadya Udhyog, perfumes from Call Me Aroma, and tote bags.
The event concluded with the top three teams cutting a celebratory cake from CakeMart and a group photo capturing participants and organizers. The Grand Finals highlighted Nepal’s growing presence in the global startup ecosystem, with young innovators showcasing solutions that have the potential to transform lives. As the finalists continue their journeys, this event marks the beginning of their path as future changemakers.
Congratulations to all the participating teams for their remarkable achievements!
