Kathmandu__
The selection process for the 11th edition of the ICT Award, one of Nepal’s prominent technology awards, is underway. Since the nomination process opened in Shrawan 2083, more than 700 online applications have been received across 16 categories. As part of the process, semifinalists have been announced in four startup and innovation categories under Track A.
Following two rounds of evaluation, 50 startups and innovations have been shortlisted across the four categories. More than 230 applications were received in these categories. The selected semifinalists comprise 10 tech startups, 10 social innovations, 15 products, and 15 rising star innovations.
The 10 shortlisted startups are Aashirbad Care Pvt. Ltd., Accelerated Komputing Pvt. Ltd., Fueling Ambitions Pvt. Ltd., Garudx Multipurpose Pvt. Ltd., Gomygo Bookings Pvt. Ltd., Lumino Technology Pvt. Ltd., Reffero Solutions Pvt. Ltd., SumX Inc., Yoddha Lab Pvt. Ltd., and Zalient Company Pvt. Ltd.
Similarly, the 10 shortlisted social innovations are Barbardiya Agro-Meteorological Message and Advisory System, Kheldai Sikdai Kakshya, Kopila Valley School Maker Space, NidanEHR, Regen Nepal, Ride2Earn, SETU, Upscaling Smart Public Toilets for Better Sanitation, VayuDrishti – VayuSena, and Waste Management System.
The 15 shortlisted products are Aashirbad Care, BiteOut, Centronix – Central Monitoring System, Danta-Med, Eksana, IMS Digital Lending, IP Sewa, Kathmandu Sightseeing, Lekhnus, NepalHRM, ONEBNPL, OptERP, Pagoda Labs DMS, PDFMergely, and VayuDrishti Atmos.
The 15 Rising Star Innovations are DrishtiLabs, EvoMoE, Harit Pathsala, KiddiGuard, Life Line, Prediction of Prediction, Saksi, Setu, SkyTroop-P1, Suraksha360, Swar-Sathi, Synaptic, The Kairos Engine, Traffic Eye, and Zalient Shop.
Startup Fest and Grand Jury to Determine the Top Five
As the next stage of the selection process, the shortlisted semifinalists will participate in the Startup and Idea Fest and the Grand Jury Session.
Scheduled for the first week of Mangsir, the Startup Fest will provide all 50 selected teams with an opportunity to showcase their startups and innovations. During the Grand Jury Session, participating teams will present their work before the jury members and take part in speed-dating sessions.
Following these activities, the top five candidates in each category will be selected to advance to the Grand Finale. Field visits and public voting will subsequently be conducted to determine the overall winners.
Under Track B, which covers individual awards, the categories include the Pioneer ICT Award, Entrepreneur ICT Award, Nepali Diaspora ICT Award, Professional Excellence ICT Award, and Professional Excellence ICT Award (Women).
Track C covers institutional awards, with categories including the Digital Education ICT Award (Public Sector), Digital Education ICT Award (Private Sector), Digital Governance ICT Award, Digital Services ICT Award (Emerging Sector), and Digital Services ICT Award (Enterprise Sector). The selection process for these categories is also underway.
The South Asia Startup Award 2026 and South Asia AI Innovation ICT Award 2026, targeting startups and innovators across South Asian countries, are also being conducted as part of the initiative. Their selection processes are currently underway.
The evaluation process involves 14 expert jury members from Nepal, along with international jury members from other countries. A 15-member distinguished advisory committee has also been formed to support the process.
Organized by Living with ICT, the ICT Award is supported by various partner organizations. Launched in 2016, the award has been held annually, with each edition expanding and evolving in scope and format.
According to the organizers, the ICT Award has one of the most extensive, impartial, and transparent selection processes among awards held in Nepal.
The selection process will involve 25 rounds of jury meetings and presentation sessions. Further details are available at www.ictaward.org.