Incubation and Mentorship Program for Returnee Migrants
The first year of RIN Program successfully concluded, focused on empowering Nepali returnee migrants from South Korea on their entrepreneurial journey.
The Returnee Innovators for Nepal (RIN) Program, under the K-HaMi Project, supported by KOICA, and initiated by The Bridge International & Byapar Briddhi Bikalpa, has successfully completed its first year, empowering Nepali returnee migrants from Korea on their entrepreneurial journey.
Starting in August 2024 with Stage 3: Advanced Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, where 14 entrepreneurs were selected, the program progressed to Stage 4: Incubation Phase, where 10 entrepreneurs received mentorship, business support, and networking opportunities. Finally, the program concluded with Stage 5: Returnee Innovators Showcase, a grand pitching competition held on February 7, 2025, at Lalitpur, Nepal.
Congratulations to our Winners!
🏆 1st Place – Santosh Prasad Dahal (Rasillo Agriculture) – Rs. 5 Lakhs
🥈 2nd Place – Dil Bahadur Tamang (Hankook Meat Mart) – Rs. 3 Lakhs
🥉 3rd Place – Rajendra Bashyal (Korean UPVC) – Rs. 2 Lakhs
💡 Most Innovative Business – Santosh Timilsena (Jumli Cafe Collective) – Rs. 1 Lakh
🔥 Most Passionate Business – Bimala Lama (Himalayan Hospitality Training Center) – Rs. 1 Lakh
The event was graced by His Excellency Tae-young Park, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal, Mr. Nischal Raj Pandey, Joint Secretary from MOLESS, Country Director of KOICA Nepal Office Mr. Mooheon Kong, Executive Director of IEDI Er. Umesh Kumar Gupta, alongside key representatives from The Bridge International, and Byapar Briddhi Bikalpa.
A heartfelt thank you to our esteemed jury members—Sushama Sharma (Founder/CEO, Phool Prasad), Bhuvan Dahal (CEO, Financial Literacy Nepal), and Anu Joshi Shrestha (Enterprise & Value Chain Development Specialist, ICIMOD)—for their invaluable insights in the final program.
We also extend our gratitude to the mentors (Niraj Khanal, Deepti Khakurel, Gaurav Shrestha, Kishore Dhungana, Ph. D., Aavash Pradhan), startup fellows (Anushka Tuladhar, Kabita Khadka, Rabina Pandit, Sneha Rimal, Trishna Prajapati, Nisarga Dhungana, Netra Khadka), experts, and partners whose unwavering support and expertise made this journey meaningful and impactful.
A special thanks to KGS Management Inc. and IEDI for their collaboration in one of our networking sessions, further enriching the program. 🙏
As we wrap up this year, we look forward to continuing our mission to support returnee entrepreneurs in Nepal! 🚀