ICT Foundation Nepal has successfully organized its second day Huawei Digital Nepal Conclave 2023 which is powered by Yarsatech and connected by Nepal Telecom(NTC) with a slogan of "Fostering Digitally Saksham Nepal".
Though Fintech had shown major development in the previous year it still faces a lot of challenges in its ecosystem and development.
Mr. Richan Shrestha, president of NAS IT recommended the launch of stratup support program, fast track tech friendly FDI and international expansion policies also subsidizing interest rates for tech industry.
Mr. Surendra Basnet, Vice-chairman of National Youth Council envisions that digital entrepreneurship will stop employers to flee abroad contributing to regulate the human resource inside nation for digital transformation. Our government's policies, programs, schemes should be tentative to promote digital entrepreneurship to the maximum extent possible.
Mr. Suman Pokharel, senior Vice-president of IME Group, speaks of deep innovation and overshadowed small and medium sized entrepreneurship, the sector which has been giving more than 30 lakhs of employment opportunities required attention.
Mr. Ismaran Duwadi, CO-Founder and CEO of CodeHimalaya, a business mindset of sustaining, handing over the process, a mature stakeholders bearing responsibility is necessary. Government’s subsidies, a supporting ecosystem. He suggests that the value of money from international platform will contribute to GDP which asks for export of our innovation.
Mr. NJ Subedi, Founder of Yarsatech says that innovation always comes secondary to financial matters and a strong team operation. Here, a talent like Mahabir pun is taking their technologies to government and begging for them to see it when in actual, it should have been the government sticking to Pun encouraging him for new innovations.
Mr. Sameer Maskey, CEO of Fusemachines in the sixth session of Building Foundational Tech Stack and Digital Capability, joined the program digitally speaking about empowering youth which helps in transforming Nepal through AI.
Maskey adds, “AI tutors, virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AG) classes in education, huge developmental possibilities in agricultural sector of Nepal and virtual access of health assistant in remote areas can uplift Nepal from basic troubles. He highlights that Education, agriculture and healthcare are super-important sectors where AI can immensely contribute for transforming face of Nepal.
The Session 7 included Bal krishna Joshi and Mr. Thomas Kurian presented on theme of Digital Economy and Fintech Capabilities.
Bal Krishna Joshi, Co-founder of Thamel.com, focuses that formalization of freelancers has begun making Nepal one of the first country in South and SE Asia where the service will be offered by a local bank. He gives hard facts numbers in which 106 IT Companies have raised of 1.9$ revenue bringing $ 201million dollars per year whereas 66,509 freelancers brought in $314 million dollars through formal channels that can be a focus of country's investment.
Mr. Thomas Kurian, digital finance specialist of UNCDF says, "I use an app as a bank which is a nonbank to perform my day to day transactions which I didn't think of doing 10 yes back. Showing prospects he adds, "Probably tomorrow my credits could also be handled through laptops by tomorrow".
Mr. kurian adds, ''Fintech ecosystem should try to address and work on financial inclusion, access to credit which remains a major challenge in Nepal for youngster's enterprise development. It's time to literate people about digital system, create awareness and acknowledge about frauds to people''.
Moderator, Modnath Dhakal, President of NAFIJ in the seventh session makes discussion with panelists, Guru Prasad Mainali from Payment System Department of Nepal Rastra Bank, Mr. Sanjiv Subba, Chairperson Subba, Chairperson of Fintech Alliance Nepal, Mr. Diwas Sapkota, CEO of Fone Pay, Mr. Praveen Regmi, CEO of IME Pay.
Mr. Mainali focuses on Digital Foundation which should be taken help of, along with other sectors which should also be given equal importance.
Mr. Subba expresses, ''digital success of 2018-19 is a celebration but now is a time where all 8 verticals and ministries as regulatory bodies should be conscious in the leadership in digitalising Nepal as digital platform is best for connecting the micro agricultural world of Nepal''.
Mr. Sapkota noted that no sectors can remain untouched from finance and technology。Speaking on Security, he said, though technical hackings may be stopped as analysed but fraud shows lack of awareness symbolising need of digital education and awareness.
Mr. Regmi highlights on statistics which shows the acceptance of digital payment by youngsters. He focuses that they have reached corners of Nepal through 35,000 volunteers for digital awareness but still there are hurdles in system that is being worked on. ''Lack of transparency, corruption and many others can be trouble'', as he reminds all of us that, ''the fight of this journey can go long''.
The eight session was themed under data governance and digital security for digital capabilities which encompasses that attacks happen because all the products don't work together due to its complexity.
Ms. Sajana Maharjan Amatya, Project Director on Data for Development of The Asia Foundation, presents on data and digital lityeracy capacity at Provincial and Local Level. According to a research done there is a huge gap between desired data and data level. Data analysis is the actual knowledge of data. In the province assemblyseveral parliaments do not have a concrete idea of what data and digital technology are. Senior bureaucracts of province of government use data for almost every decision that has to be made. These both level of government must collaborate and be made used to of using the insights of data for every projects to be completed was her keypoint.
Likewise, session nine included discussion on ''digital leardership'' and session ten discussed on ''Fostering Digitally Saksham Nepal''.
Some of the gimpses of the event are:
