Three Nepali start-ups were nominated for Google Business Groups (GBG) Stories Contest 2017.

Google Business Group (GBG) is a community of business professionals sharing knowledge about Google web technologies for business success. If you and your business have been boosted to another level with the help of technology, helped you start a new venture or make an impact on others, you can submit your stories to GBG Stories Search.

The stories can fall under three categories: Small to medium sized business, Social enterprises and Technology Startups. The submissions are judged upon three major criteria, 60 percent for inspirational quality and 20% each for impact and innovative use of Google products. It is however very essential to note the timeline of the entire process. All the stages starting from selection to decision-making happens within six months’ time frame (12-06-2017 to 12-12-2017 for this year). And if the story stands out from the rest, the winner can win a business mentoring trip to Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California.

The three winners for 2014 and 2016 were Mogo Reader, Yellow Nepal and Imagina na Copa and Pasienia, Redblood and Croquetero respectively. Here is your chance to make Nepal stand out once again. Vote before the deadline [13th September 2017]!!

Three out of 9 startups selected for this year were from Nepal. The 9 shortlisted stories for GBG Story Search 2017 are as follows:

Cafe Yagam, Philippines LOTUS Spa, Indonesia Eco Cell Industries, Nepal Khaalisisi, Nepal Khalti.com, Nepal Riliv.co, Indonesia Safe Eat, Morocco SocialGiver, Thailand Virtualahan, Philippines

Khaalisisi

Working with the motto “Recycling starts here!”, team Khaalisisi works with Khaalisisi dais who have been indulged in the same sector for over 50 years. The concept was to turn “Trash into Cash” by including these Khaalisisi friends (and not replacing them) in the system. About 70% of waste that is recyclable often adds up to the landfill site in Nepal. To resolve this issue to a certain extent, Khaalisisi launched with the mission to make Nepal a zero-waste nation. The aim is to create a system in which the efforts of Khaalisisi friends do not go to vain. This social enterprise basically provides a digital platform to connect waste sellers with waste entrepreneurs for an efficient mobilization of recyclable trash. The entrepreneurs have seen 20-30% monthly increase in the earnings. But the success does not limit here. Often ill-treated Khaalisisi friends are being perceived well by the society as entrepreneur heroes and champions of the society.

“Very well established and impactful startups all over the world submit their stories and being short listed from the rest to Top 24 and then to Top 9 is a matter of great honor,” states the CEO, Aayushi KC. She further states that Google Business Group is a big, prestigious platform which holds credibility and being nominated itself is a matter of privilege to the entire team.

A firm believer of the saying “Make no excuses”, KC’s message to the booming start-ups in Nepal is the same. She affirms that it is her secret to success.

Khalti.com

Successful people often start early in their lives but isn’t the age of 12 very early? Manish Modi, the Managing Director of Khalti.com started his entrepreneur journey from the counter of his father’s shop at the tender age of 12. Discarding the opportunity of staying abroad, Manish made a firm decision to stay in Nepal and make difference in lives of people. He along with his team is working to empower people in Nepal financially by driving the country towards a cashless economy. The main motto of Khalti.com is to take the payment industry of Nepal from offline to online by providing real time solutions and then bring access to finance to every internet user of Nepal.

Manish expresses that they were super excited to compete with global startups and being able to create a stamp of Nepal in global arena was a matter of pride on its own. The team acknowledges the users and well-wishers whose faith and support helped them get this far.

A little piece of advice the team gives to the startups in their initial stages is to believe in themselves and to keep building things, for there are no limits. Manish said that whatever business one is involved in, adding value to everyday users is what actually matters. Success according to him has a very simple formula: determination, team commitment, and hard work.

Eco Cell Industries

Eco Cell Industries had no motives of starting a business. During their service for earthquake relief in 2015, they realized that the real problem was shelter and providing relief packages were not sufficient. With limited income and scarcity of raw materials due to the India Nepal blockade, arrival of winter was a nightmare to the people. So that was the time when Nepal needed an alternative construction material which could build houses faster, resistant to earthquake, with the economic budget. After a detailed search and eliminating numerous choices, the solution that stood out was interlocking brick building technique. Local materials, local labor, environmentally friendly and sustainable, a perfect combination that gave rise to Eco Cell.

Co Founder and CEO, Nishan Chandi Shrestha shares, “Since we were working in rural areas, we were under cover, working on our own. But to make a greater impact we needed to be heard and assisted. But by Google? That was beyond our imagination. After recognition, we are further motivated to work with greater impact and will strive to meet peoples’ expectations.”

Eco Cell team believe that entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, with highs and lows. It is not only about starting a business but more importantly about following one’s passion, states Shrestha. “All you need is a vision, a team and doing whatever it takes to achieve it .” is his advice for the new comers.

Their mantra for success comprises of three elements which make a difference – self-confidence, a great motivating team, and passion.

Here is your chance to vote for the best and help Nepal achieve another milestone in GBG Story Search 2017. Click here to vote!!

Click here to read about more startups and stories.