As Nepal grapples with a growing outflow of young people seeking employment abroad, discussions are gaining momentum on how to turn the country’s skilled workforce into a stronger engine of entrepreneurship and domestic job creation.
Against this backdrop, International Labour Organization (ILO) Nepal Country Director Numan Ozcan and Startup Summit Nepal 2026 Chair Shova Gyawali discussed ways to promote startups, respond to changes in the global labor market and better connect skills and employment with entrepreneurship.
During their meeting at the ILO Nepal office, Ozcan underscored the importance of initiatives that connect young people with entrepreneurial opportunities. He expressed the ILO’s readiness to share its expertise and facilitate collaboration between the summit and organizations working in the startup and entrepreneurship sectors.
Gyawali said Nepal’s educated and skilled youth have significant entrepreneurial potential but often lack adequate information, guidance and opportunities to pursue ventures within the country.
Startup Summit Nepal 2026 has launched an outreach campaign across all seven provinces, universities and colleges to introduce young people to the startup ecosystem, government support programs and opportunities available in Nepal, she said.
She stressed the need to build confidence among young people that meaningful opportunities can be found within Nepal, arguing that awareness about startups and entrepreneurship should extend beyond major urban centers and reach communities across the country.
With thousands of Nepali youths leaving the country every year in search of employment, Gyawali said creating businesses, jobs and opportunities at home has become increasingly important. She also emphasized that startups should not be viewed solely as commercial ventures, but as a way of channeling young people’s skills, labor and creativity into national development.
Former Executive Director of the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute and Startup Summit Nepal 2026 keynote speaker Umesh Kumar Gupta, along with directors Basudev Neupane and Narayan Prasad Oli, also attended the meeting.
