FNCCI pushes for policy reforms to ignite startups

Kathmandu, Feb. 18

The Startup and Innovation Forum under the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has emphasised the need to accelerate collaboration by prioritising policy reforms, an investment-friendly environment, and entrepreneurship development programmes to promote startups and innovation in Nepal.

Forum's meeting held on Tuesday evening concluded that stakeholders must collaborate to promote startup and youth entrepreneurship, the FNCCI informed in a statement.

Senior Vice-President of the FNCCI Anjan Shrestha said that the startup ecosystem cannot be strengthened without innovation-friendly policies and expanded access to finance. He stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between the private sector and the government.

Shrestha also informed that FNCCI would remain active in facilitating market access, mentorship, and regulatory clarity for startups. According to him, there is a need to make training, technical support, and incubation services more effective for innovative enterprises.

Vice-President Hemraj Dhakal noted that policy facilitation related to taxation and investment is essential to encourage startup and innovation-based enterprises. Similarly, Vice-President Jyotsna Shrestha highlighted the need to place women and youth entrepreneurship at the centre of startup policy and stressed expanding capacity-building and networking programmes to create an inclusive entrepreneurial environment.

Treasurer Bharat Raj Acharya pointed to the need to transform the Startup and Innovation Forum into a formal committee and stated that institutional standards must be developed for its expansion.

Executive Director of the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute, Umesh Kumar Gupta, said that policy reforms have been introduced in the startup and innovation sector and that government programmes for enterprise development would be advanced in partnership with the private sector.

Forum Chair Juna Mathema briefed the meeting on the forum’s activities, partnership expansion, startup showcases, and policy dialogue programmes, stressing the need to further strengthen entrepreneur-investor platforms in the coming days.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 February 2026.