KATHMANDU, Oct 3: A total of 922 startups have received concessional loans worth Rs 1.057 billion under schemes offered by the government.
According to the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI) under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, these projects were selected from among 966 projects that reached the final round of the assessment process three months ago. The government had shortlisted a total of 1,301 startup projects in the preliminary phase from among those that applied for concessional loans.
The startup financing initiative falls under the government’s 39-point “Immediate Reform Work Plan for Promotion of Effective Public Service 2025,” which aims to accelerate startup financing and streamline related processes. Under the Startup Loan Facilitation Scheme, eligible startups can receive collateral-free loans at a concessional interest rate of three percent.
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Under the scheme, a single startup can receive a concessional loan ranging from Rs 500,000 to Rs 2 million. Firms registered within the past 10 years and with an annual turnover of up to Rs 150 million were eligible for the scheme.
A total of 10,244 startups from across the country applied for concessional loans announced by the government in November 2025. Of these, 2,041 applicants submitted their project proposals physically, while the remaining 8,203 applied online.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24, the government allocated Rs 250 million for the program, under which 165 startups received funding. In the previous fiscal year, 600 projects were selected for funding, with a total allocation of Rs 1 billion, of which Rs 886.60 million has already been disbursed, according to the IEDI.
According to the IEDI, the program has not only linked new business ideas with financial resources but also laid the foundation for technology- and innovation-based enterprises to expand into the market.
