Nava Udhyami Haat Bazaar: An event of start-ups and entrepreneurs

On the premises of Outdoor Adventure Center, Thamel, on September 23, Nava Udhyami Haat Bazaar took place. The event celebrated the entrepreneurs who have just started their start-ups and entrepreneurial journeys. It had stalls from different companies where they showcased their products and promoted the services provided by them.

People were fascinated to see Nepali entrepreneurs coming up with local products by the participating start-up companies. The event was organized by Antarprerana, which has been supporting youth entrepreneurship in Nepal through various courses and mentorship programs.

Food companies

Many of the start-up companies were selling food items. There was Naagiko Honey, an initiative to enhance the underprivileged community, selling local honey prepared by the Chepang beekeepers in Makawanpur. Another company Om Namo Pustakari is a home-run business that has been in operation for more than 40 years. It has been producing quality pustakari and sells its products to major sweet shops in Kathmandu Valley.

Consumers trying out pickles of Suvham Udhyog

Likewise, Suvham Udhyog, a venture started by ahome maker Indu Sharma, sold varieties of pickles it produced. When asked about her journey, she said, “Everyone in my family and relatives loved my recipes; they encouraged me to be an entrepreneur and share my pickles with the world. People love the dried mushroom, the most.” In the same way, Sadana Nepal Industries sold pickles made using herbs like harro barro, oil, black pepper, gooseberry, chilies, mint, clove, and cardamom. Their products were appreciated by the people, as it was good in taste and had health benefits.

There was also a fascinating drink on display called Yogo, a pro-biotic yogurt drink by Fermentica. Fermentica CEO Prajwal Rajbhandari shared that Yogo can solve the problems of gastritis, indigestion, and diarrhea as it contains more than 20 billion good bacteria. Another exciting venture was Tingo where the entrepreneurs sold nachos made of buckwheat.

In the event, there were also a few interesting start-ups. One of such start-up company is Didi Bahini Khajaghar, an initiative selling chukauni, sadeko chicken, among others.

There was also a tea stall, Dari Wala Chiya by Pradeep Rawal. Rawal said his tea is different from others, “It’s a confidential recipe. I put in the masala that I prepare myself. I serve the tea at a reasonable price”.

Companies with a new concept

There were also some remarkable start-up companies that were quite new to the Nepali market. Companies like Doctors on Call Nepal provide doctor service just one call away.

The company Yelko Nepal connects clients and businesses together. Their aim is to provide a healthy competitive market for both business and customers and make e-commerce simple and easy. They create websites for businesses of all scale.

Another happening start-up company at Nava Udhyami Haat Bazaar is Gahana by Mutex Tech, which is a mobile app for jewelry companies, and those who want to buy. The app consists of the price of jewelry, custom catalogs of products which make it easier for customers to find jewelry.

We quite liked Nuga Essence, which manufactures natural personal care products made of completely edible goods. Their products are free of synthetic chemicals and any kind of artificial preservative.

Wishhub is a website that lets one prepare their curriculum vitae. It contains a lot of templates both for freshers and experienced ones, to prepare an impressive resume. It is a helpful site for aspiring job seekers and all.

Other interesting companies

In all these years, millions of fabric have been produced and are still being produced. Thus, with the vision of reusing what we already have, there are few start-up companies working towards it. Antidote Nepal lets customers hire dresses of all kinds and we can also sell our clothes to it at a reasonable price.

There is Hatti Hatti that uses the sarees in our homes to make hair bands, hair ties, and other similar kinds of stuff. Similarly, Revive collects the old jeans that are no longer in use and makes bags out of it.

The other companies with astounding products were Alma Artes, a watch company in Nepal. Its design at the back of the watch has Patan and Swoyambhu engraved in it. Next was Little Things which makes illustrated cards and goods which are one-of-its-kind. The customers loved their products full of quirk and a sense of humor.

More about the event

Observers learning about the products on display

Most of the entrepreneurs in this event had started their journey for two years. They told that their company had been growing and is being well-received by the customers.

Project manager of Antarprerana, Shraddha Shakya, shared that each year the company comes up with programs like Nava Udhyami Haat Bazaar in order to bridge the gap between the Nepali entrepreneurs and customers.

She added, “There are plenty of people, who prefer Nepali local products to synthetic ones. And events like this create a win-win situation for both parties. Especially it’s a huge platform for start-up companies to grow in the market.” The vibe of the event was exciting and overall it was a fruitful one.

The observers of the event were quite delighted to be a part of the event. Sarita Karki shared, “It feels good to know that Nepali entrepreneurs are coming up with such amazing concepts. Events like Nava Udhyami Haat Bazaar helps us know about the innovations which we were absolutely unaware of.”