History
Companies, products and programmes that closed, were acquired or became part of the record
2020s7
| Entry | Kind | Outcome | Years | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RTDF local-government broadband programme Rural broadband expansion projects financed from the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund and implemented through local governments under a cabinet decision of 11 February 2021. The regulator stopped expansion in March 2026 after more than Rs 410 million had been spent. | Programme | Discontinued | 2021–2026 | — |
DIGI Nepal Fintech Challenge Twelve-month challenge programme for five finance-sector startups, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the DIGI Nepal project. It offered technical assistance, workshops, mentoring and networking, and concluded in 2025. | Programme | Historical | –2025 | — |
TechX Acceleration Twelve-month acceleration programme for eight edtech and healthtech ventures run by Accelerator Nepal with SDC funding through the DIGI Nepal project; concluded in 2025. | Programme | Historical | –2025 | — |
Sastodeal Nepali e-commerce marketplace that went offline after financial and commercial difficulties; IME Group bought a majority of shares in July 2024 with a stated plan to rebrand and relaunch it. | Platform | Acquired | 2011–2024 | IME Group |
Tootle (original operator and app) Ride-sharing app launched in January 2017. After a hiatus, in September 2023 Zapp Today relaunched the Tootle brand with a new app under new management. | Platform | Dormant | 2017–2023 | Tootle by Zapp (Zapp Today / Zapp Services) |
Sajhadeal.com Online marketplace founded in 2017 by four entrepreneurs; relaunched in August 2022 as Saajha Online Shopping under a board led by chartered accountants, with a new website saajha.com.np. | Platform | Rebranded | 2017–2022 | Saajha Online Shopping |
Nepalnews.com Described as Nepal's first online news portal, started in 1998. Its parent Mercantile Communications announced a shutdown in January 2015; the portal was later bought by Yeti Group subsidiary Nepal News Private Limited, relaunched, and shut again in May 2020. | Platform | Closed | 1998–2020 | — |
2010s3
| Entry | Kind | Outcome | Years | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BhatBhateniOnline.com Online shopping portal acquired by F1Soft International, owner of eSewa, in June 2018 and rebranded and operated as eSewaPasal.com to tie it to the eSewa brand. | Platform | Rebranded | –2018 | eSewaPasal.com (F1Soft International / eSewa) |
Kaymu Nepal Open online marketplace in Nepal operating as Kaymu; renamed Daraz in July 2017 with new logo, name, apps and domain (daraz.com.np). The kaymu.com.np domain was retired. | Platform | Rebranded | –2017 | Daraz Nepal |
Harilo Reshipping/e-commerce website that let people in Nepal buy goods from US retailers and have them delivered to Nepal. It stopped taking orders in August 2016 and, per TechLekh's August 2017 update, had not resumed. | Platform | Closed | –2016 | — |
Date not recorded2
| Entry | Kind | Outcome | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
Government business incubation programme (first phase) Government programme supporting young and prospective entrepreneurs through business incubation, run for five years from fiscal year 2006/07. It was discontinued for seven years and restored in 2019 under the Department of Cottage and Small Industries. | Programme | Dormant | 2006– |
Rs 1 billion startup promotion fund (2021-22 budget) Startup promotion fund of Rs 1 billion provisioned in Nepal's 2021-22 budget, with a credit procedure meant to provide seed capital. The finance minister later said it could not be implemented because the government changed. | Fund | Dormant | — |