Our fifth guest in the South Asia series is Nepali Swastika Khanal, an ecosystem builder and founder. If you are curious, then listen in.
Conversation Overview
Swastika is passionate about building the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal from the ground up focussed on the youth.
Connect with Swastika
Conversation Highlights
- “The Question Mark was an initiative launched back in May 2021. It was a platform for people to come together.” Swastika K. [3:50]
- “I am responsible for the overall analysis and we look at various files for IPOs and other issues….I get to go to departments and ask for improvements and I work with a lot of amazing people.” Swastika K. [4:53]
- “It was a platform for people to come together. It could be anything but it would be in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The name Question Mark because we do not exactly know what it will be down the line” Swastika K. [6:00]
- “When I returned to Nepal in 2018, what happened was a I tried to get in touch with a lot of people who were excited about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal.” Swastika K. [7:00]
- “It has been a platform for me to get in touch with more similar and like- minded people. Swastika K. [8:30]
- “The media age in Nepal is about 25, it is mostly young people. Once upon a time people wanted to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants etc but in the last 20 years this has changed. When we ask the same question now, they say I want to be an entrepreneur or a business person. They want to do something on their own.” Swastika K. [9:52]
- “It [the entrepreneurial ecosystem] is not ideal but we are getting there.” Swastika K. [12:30]
- “Whenever I reach out to anyone in Nepal I get a lot of support. Everyone is very supportive in terms of advising and mentorship. People are happy to answer our questions. I always say that the entrepreneurial community in Nepal is very humble, so when you have questions, people are helpful.” Swastika K. [14:55]
- “I would like it to be a little bit of everything. I want it to be a non-profit initiative that helps people on the ground” Swastika K. [16:30]
Resources Mentioned
- N/A
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